Virtual receptionist in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC: cost vs in-house
For this job Charlotte-Concord sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $36,300 a year1. That is 2.4% above the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440, and 4.5% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #252 of 521. With about 5,880 virtual receptionists, no area in North Carolina employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Charlotte-Concord against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | $23,050 | $36,300 | $49,320 | |
| North Carolina | $23,270 | $35,440 | $46,210 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $49,320 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Charlotte-Concord earns $28,990–$41,600. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $12,610 wide, wider than in North Carolina as a whole ($10,930) and the US ($11,170), so what a virtual receptionist earns in Charlotte-Concord depends more on the employer.
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 | $23,050 | $1,921 | $11.08 | $29,742 |
| 25th percentile | $28,990 | $2,416 | $13.94 | $37,406 |
| Median | $36,300 | $3,025 | $17.45 | $46,839 |
| 75th percentile | $41,600 | $3,467 | $20.00 | $53,677 |
| 90th percentile | $49,320 | $4,110 | $23.71 | $63,639 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,300 a year in pay and about $6,839 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,310 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 Charlotte-Concord, and the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Charlotte-Concord
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $10,539 to the $36,300 median and brings it to $46,839 a year. 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 Charlotte-Concord
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Charlotte-Concord; project coordinators have the highest, at $105,200.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +28.9% | 11,330 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +25.8% | 13,380 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +23.9% | 26,120 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +14.7% | 650 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 5,880 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Charlotte-Concord (-4.5%), between HR assistants (-1.7%) and paralegals (-4.8%). The typical role here is at +0.3%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost less in Charlotte-Concord than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 3.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Charlotte-Concord, 3.8% across North Carolina and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $30,600 in Jacksonville to $36,550 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $5,950 a year. No other area in North Carolina has as many virtual receptionists, and 16 of the other 17 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Charlotte-Concord | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +0.7% | 3,690 | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | this area | 5,880 | |
| Burlington, NC | -0.2% | 300 | |
| Asheville, NC | -0.8% | 750 | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | -0.9% | 880 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -2.6% | 1,210 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -4.0% | 1,120 |
Charlotte-Concord against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Charlotte-Concord is #30 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside North Carolina, South Bend-Mishawaka and Cleveland pay just above Charlotte-Concord and Pittsburgh and Orlando-Kissimmee just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Charlotte-Concord. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Charlotte-Concord | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +2.1% | 5,830 | jobs | |
| Columbus, OH | +1.7% | 5,960 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | +0.1% | 5,700 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | this area | 5,880 | ||
| Pittsburgh, PA | +0.0% | 6,100 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -0.0% | 7,550 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -2.9% | 5,560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC?
About $46,839 a year at the median, or $3,903 a month: $36,300 in pay plus about $10,539 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Charlotte-Concord?
The median was $36,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,050, the 90th $49,320, and the middle half earned $28,990 to $41,600.
Is Charlotte-Concord cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for virtual receptionists?
No, it costs more: a median of $36,300 against $35,440 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Raleigh-Cary at $36,550, the next down Burlington at $36,230.
How many virtual receptionists work in Charlotte-Concord?
BLS counts about 5,880 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in North Carolina has as many.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Charlotte-Concord?
No: $5,330 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,300 and $41,630.
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.