Virtual receptionist in Bloomington, IL: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Bloomington than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $35,340 a year1: 5.5% below the Illinois statewide median of $37,400 and 7.0% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #320 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 520 people in this job here, 1% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Bloomington, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bloomington against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $31,200 | $35,340 | $45,450 | |
| Illinois | $31,200 | $37,400 | $48,350 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Bloomington earns $31,200–$38,340. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $45,450, only 1.5 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $7,140 wide, against $9,750 across Illinois and $11,170 nationally: employers in Bloomington pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a virtual receptionist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| Median | $35,340 | $2,945 | $16.99 | $45,600 |
| 75th percentile | $38,340 | $3,195 | $18.43 | $49,471 |
| 90th percentile | $45,450 | $3,788 | $21.85 | $58,645 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,140 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $3,000, or about $3,871 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $38,010 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Bloomington, and the Illinois statewide median of $37,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bloomington
At the $35,340 median, a local hire costs about $45,600 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,260 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for virtual receptionists we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Bloomington
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 14 roles we track in Bloomington; project coordinators have the highest, at $101,110.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +28.0% | 590 | |
| HR Assistant | +24.5% | 110 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +10.7% | 1,280 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +2.6% | 80 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 520 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #7 of the 14 roles we track in Bloomington (-7.0%), between paralegals (-4.3%) and accountants (-8.6%). The typical role here is at -7.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.7% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Bloomington, 7.7% across Illinois and 6.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 12 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $33,920 in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area to $38,060 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $4,140 a year. Of the 9 areas in Illinois with more virtual receptionists than Bloomington, 2 pay less: the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($33,920) and the East Central Illinois nonmetro area ($34,770).
| Area | Median | vs Bloomington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +3.0% | 930 | |
| Peoria, IL | +1.8% | 1,010 | |
| Decatur, IL | +1.0% | 260 | |
| Kankakee, IL | +0.8% | 310 | |
| Bloomington, IL | this area | 520 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 970 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -4.0% | 990 |
Bloomington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bloomington is #304 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Houston-Pasadena and Gainesville pay just above Bloomington and Tulsa and Gettysburg just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Bloomington. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bloomington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | +2.9% | 530 | jobs | |
| Logan, UT-ID | +1.2% | 520 | jobs | |
| Saginaw, MI | +1.1% | 520 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, FL | +0.0% | 810 | pay | |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | +0.0% | 17,140 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | this area | 520 | ||
| Tulsa, OK | -0.1% | 2,500 | pay | |
| Gettysburg, PA | -0.2% | 180 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Bloomington, IL?
About $45,600 a year at the median, or $3,800 a month: $35,340 in pay plus about $10,260 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Bloomington?
The median was $35,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $45,450, and the middle half earned $31,200 to $38,340.
Is Bloomington cheaper than the rest of Illinois for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $35,340 against $37,400 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Kankakee at $35,620, the next down the East Central Illinois nonmetro area at $34,770.
How many virtual receptionists work in Bloomington?
BLS counts about 520 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 40,370. 9 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Springfield, with about 670.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Bloomington?
No: $920 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,340 and $36,260.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4171: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.