Virtual receptionist in Burlington-South Burlington, VT: cost vs in-house
Burlington-South Burlington is the least expensive place in Vermont to hire a virtual receptionist. The median is $37,400 a year1, 2.5% below the Vermont statewide median of $38,370 and 1.6% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #175 of 521 areas. With about 440 virtual receptionists, 38% of the Vermont total, no area in Vermont employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Burlington-South Burlington, VT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Burlington-South Burlington against Vermont and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $31,290 | $37,400 | $48,150 | |
| Vermont | $30,830 | $38,370 | $46,810 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Burlington-South Burlington earns $34,580–$42,320. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $48,150, 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 $7,740 wide, between the figure for Vermont ($7,230) 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 | $31,290 | $2,608 | $15.04 | $40,374 |
| 25th percentile | $34,580 | $2,882 | $16.62 | $44,619 |
| Median | $37,400 | $3,117 | $17.98 | $48,258 |
| 75th percentile | $42,320 | $3,527 | $20.35 | $54,606 |
| 90th percentile | $48,150 | $4,012 | $23.15 | $62,129 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $4,920 over the median, the 25th only $2,820 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,348 a year in employer cost. 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 Burlington-South Burlington, and the Vermont statewide median of $38,370 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Burlington-South Burlington
At the $37,400 median, a local hire costs about $48,258 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,858 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 Burlington-South Burlington
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Burlington-South Burlington; project coordinators have the highest, at $85,410.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +34.3% | 1,200 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +34.1% | 1,250 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +33.4% | 1,080 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +16.0% | 180 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 440 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in Burlington-South Burlington (-1.6%), between accountants (-1.4%) and executive assistants (-4.4%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost less in Burlington-South Burlington than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 4.7% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in Burlington-South Burlington, 5.0% across Vermont and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Vermont
Across the 3 areas of Vermont with data for this job, the median runs from $37,400 in Burlington-South Burlington to $39,200 in the Northern Vermont nonmetro area, a gap of $1,800 a year. No other area in Vermont has as many virtual receptionists, and none of the others pays less.
| Area | Median | vs Burlington-South Burlington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Vermont (Nonmetro) | +4.8% | 270 | |
| Southern Vermont (Nonmetro) | +2.8% | 440 | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | this area | 440 |
Burlington-South Burlington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Burlington-South Burlington is #337 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Vermont, Manchester-Nashua and Lewiston pay just above Burlington-South Burlington and Grand Island and Elmira just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Burlington-South Burlington. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Burlington-South Burlington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +5.7% | 440 | jobs | |
| Bismarck, ND | +3.5% | 440 | jobs | |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | +0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +0.0% | 1,700 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | this area | 440 | ||
| Grand Island, NE | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Elmira, NY | -0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -1.1% | 440 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Burlington-South Burlington, VT?
About $48,258 a year at the median, or $4,022 a month: $37,400 in pay plus about $10,858 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Burlington-South Burlington?
The median was $37,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,290, the 90th $48,150, and the middle half earned $34,580 to $42,320.
Is Burlington-South Burlington the cheapest area in Vermont for virtual receptionists?
Yes. Its median of $37,400 is the lowest of 3 areas in Vermont. The Southern Vermont nonmetro area is next at $38,440.
How many virtual receptionists work in Burlington-South Burlington?
BLS counts about 440 in the May 2025 survey. That is 38% of the Vermont total of 1,160. No other area in Vermont has as many.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Burlington-South Burlington?
No: $6,000 a year less at the median. The medians are $37,400 and $43,400.
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.