Virtual Receptionist salary and cost of hiring in California
The median virtual receptionist in California earned $44,100 a year in May 2025[1], 16.0% above the US median of $38,010. That puts California at #4 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 43-4171. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $36,410 | $44,100 | $58,800 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in California earns $39,050–$48,690; the top tenth earns $58,800 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the California median that makes about $63,000 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in California
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,170 | 8,510 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $57,820 | 3,990 | |
| Napa, CA | $54,080 | 280 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $45,650 | 180 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $52,920 | 1,160 | |
| Vallejo, CA | $67,650 | 720 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $54,280 | 4,570 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $49,810 | 510 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $49,920 | 690 | |
| Modesto, CA | $54,000 | 890 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $48,880 | 500 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $47,460 | 6,690 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $48,010 | 1,020 | |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $48,220 | 420 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $48,480 | 1,510 | |
| Salinas, CA | $47,810 | 620 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,340 | 35,000 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $49,210 | 920 | |
| Yuba City, CA | $49,380 | 200 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $47,840 | 6,880 | |
| El Centro, CA | $46,590 | 160 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $46,390 | 320 | |
| Chico, CA | $45,580 | 370 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $44,980 | 1,180 | |
| Redding, CA | $45,490 | 370 | |
| Fresno, CA | $46,030 | 2,250 | |
| Visalia, CA | $44,940 | 530 | |
| Merced, CA | $43,780 | 290 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA pays the most ($49,450) and Merced, CA the least ($38,890): $10,560 a year apart for the same job.
What a virtual receptionist does
A virtual receptionist answers calls, chats and web enquiries for the business, books appointments and routes messages, so no lead or client is left waiting.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | +1.4% | |
| Washington | +1.4% | |
| California | +0.0% | |
| Massachusetts | -0.5% | |
| New York | -2.3% |
Questions
How much does a virtual receptionist earn in California?
The median was $44,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $39,050 to $48,690.
What does it cost to employ a virtual receptionist in California?
About $63,000 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in California do virtual receptionists earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, with a median of $49,450 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4171: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434171.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.