Virtual receptionist in Boulder, CO: cost vs in-house
Budget above the national rate here. The median virtual receptionist in Boulder earned $42,800 a year in May 20251, 1.9% above the Colorado statewide median of $42,010 and 12.6% above the US median of $38,010. Nationally that is #46 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 980 virtual receptionists work here, 9% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Boulder, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Boulder against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $34,670 | $42,800 | $50,500 | |
| Colorado | $33,200 | $42,010 | $51,490 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Boulder earns $37,240–$47,750. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $50,500, 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 $10,510 wide, between the figure for Colorado ($10,350) and the US figure ($11,170).
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 | $34,670 | $2,889 | $16.67 | $44,735 |
| 25th percentile | $37,240 | $3,103 | $17.90 | $48,052 |
| Median | $42,800 | $3,567 | $20.58 | $55,226 |
| 75th percentile | $47,750 | $3,979 | $22.96 | $61,613 |
| 90th percentile | $50,500 | $4,208 | $24.28 | $65,161 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,560 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,950, or about $6,387 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 25th percentile and the median in Boulder, and the Colorado statewide median of $42,010 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Boulder
At the $42,800 median, a local hire costs about $55,226 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,426 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 Boulder
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Boulder; project coordinators have the highest, at $122,040.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +16.8% | 170 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +16.6% | 90 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +16.6% | 840 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +11.8% | 2,070 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 980 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Boulder (+12.6%), between bookkeepers (+13.1%) and medical administrative assistants (+8.6%). The typical role here is at +13.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 4.2% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Boulder, 3.5% across Colorado and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $37,250 in Grand Junction to $43,680 in Denver-Aurora, a gap of $6,430 a year. Of the 2 areas in Colorado with more virtual receptionists than Boulder, 1 pays less: Colorado Springs, CO ($38,190).
| Area | Median | vs Boulder | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +2.1% | 5,480 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 380 | |
| Boulder, CO | this area | 980 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -4.9% | 960 | |
| Greeley, CO | -9.0% | 370 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -9.9% | 260 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -10.8% | 1,370 |
Boulder against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Boulder is #165 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Colorado, Bend and New Haven pay just above Boulder and Stockton-Lodi and Pittsfield just below. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Boulder | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +0.2% | 2,680 | pay | |
| Bend, OR | +0.1% | 890 | pay | |
| Boulder, CO | this area | 980 | ||
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.2% | 920 | pay | |
| Pittsfield, MA | -2.1% | 360 | pay | |
| Eau Claire, WI | -3.5% | 990 | jobs | |
| Roanoke, VA | -20.0% | 980 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -20.2% | 990 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Boulder, CO?
About $55,226 a year at the median, or $4,602 a month: $42,800 in pay plus about $12,426 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Boulder?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $42,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,670, the 90th $50,500, and the middle half earned $37,240 to $47,750.
Is Boulder cheaper than the rest of Colorado for virtual receptionists?
No, it costs more: a median of $42,800 against $42,010 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area at $42,840, the next down Fort Collins-Loveland at $40,700.
How many virtual receptionists work in Boulder?
BLS counts about 980 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Colorado total of 11,020. Only Denver-Aurora and Colorado Springs have more in Colorado.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Boulder?
No: $5,030 a year less at the median. The medians are $42,800 and $47,830.
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.