Virtual receptionist in Cedar Rapids, IA: cost vs in-house
The median virtual receptionist in Cedar Rapids earned $37,690 a year in May 20251. That is about level with the Iowa statewide median of $37,330 and about level with the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #155 of 521 areas. About 500 virtual receptionists work here, 11% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Cedar Rapids, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cedar Rapids against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $28,050 | $37,690 | $45,940 | |
| Iowa | $26,740 | $37,330 | $47,610 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Cedar Rapids earns $31,910–$41,600. The top tenth earns $45,940 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. The mean ($36,950) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,690 wide, against $10,480 across Iowa and $11,170 nationally: employers in Cedar Rapids 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 | $28,050 | $2,338 | $13.49 | $36,194 |
| 25th percentile | $31,910 | $2,659 | $15.34 | $41,174 |
| Median | $37,690 | $3,141 | $18.12 | $48,632 |
| 75th percentile | $41,600 | $3,467 | $20.00 | $53,677 |
| 90th percentile | $45,940 | $3,828 | $22.09 | $59,277 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $3,910 a year in pay and about $5,045 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,780 in pay. 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 Cedar Rapids, and the Iowa statewide median of $37,330 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cedar Rapids
At the $37,690 median, a local hire costs about $48,632 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,942 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 Cedar Rapids
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids; project coordinators have the highest, at $93,760.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +20.3% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +19.7% | 1,290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +15.9% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.0% | 920 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 500 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids (-0.8%), between customer support specialists (+1.7%) and sales development representatives (-3.8%). The typical role here is at -8.3%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Cedar Rapids than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 3.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cedar Rapids, 3.4% across Iowa and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $35,170 in Ames to $38,830 in Dubuque, a gap of $3,660 a year. Of the 2 areas in Iowa with more virtual receptionists than Cedar Rapids, 1 pays less: Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($36,170).
| Area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE | +1.8% | 330 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.5% | 300 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +0.6% | 1,260 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 500 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -2.1% | 450 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -3.6% | 500 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -4.0% | 790 |
Cedar Rapids against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cedar Rapids is #314 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Casper and Prescott Valley-Prescott pay just above Cedar Rapids and Baltimore-Columbia and Miami-Fort Lauderdale just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Cedar Rapids. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +19.3% | 510 | jobs | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | +0.2% | 770 | pay | |
| Casper, WY | +0.2% | 280 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 500 | ||
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | -0.2% | 8,660 | pay | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | -0.3% | 19,850 | pay | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -8.9% | 510 | jobs | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -18.7% | 510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Cedar Rapids, IA?
About $48,632 a year at the median, or $4,053 a month: $37,690 in pay plus about $10,942 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Cedar Rapids?
The median was $37,690 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,050, the 90th $45,940, and the middle half earned $31,910 to $41,600.
Is Cedar Rapids cheaper than the rest of Iowa for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $37,690 against $37,330 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Des Moines-West Des Moines at $37,910, the next down the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area at $36,900.
How many virtual receptionists work in Cedar Rapids?
BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Iowa total of 4,660. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines and Davenport-Moline have more in Iowa.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Cedar Rapids?
No: $1,140 a year less at the median. The medians are $37,690 and $38,830.
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.