Virtual receptionist in Charlottesville, VA: cost vs in-house
For this job Charlottesville sits right at the Virginia figure, with a median of $37,140 a year1. That is about level with the Virginia statewide median of $37,060, and 2.3% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #191 of 521. BLS counts about 720 people in this job here, 3% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Charlottesville, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Charlottesville against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $28,880 | $37,140 | $46,340 | |
| Virginia | $28,800 | $37,060 | $47,220 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Charlottesville earns $32,860–$40,520. The top tenth earns $46,340 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $7,660 wide, against $12,210 across Virginia and $11,170 nationally: employers in Charlottesville 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 | $28,880 | $2,407 | $13.88 | $37,265 |
| 25th percentile | $32,860 | $2,738 | $15.80 | $42,400 |
| Median | $37,140 | $3,095 | $17.86 | $47,923 |
| 75th percentile | $40,520 | $3,377 | $19.48 | $52,284 |
| 90th percentile | $46,340 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,794 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,280 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $3,380, or about $4,361 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 median and the 75th percentile in Charlottesville, and the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Charlottesville
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 $10,783 to the $37,140 median and brings it to $47,923 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 Charlottesville
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Charlottesville; project coordinators have the highest, at $97,680.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +22.4% | 830 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +14.4% | 70 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +8.3% | 1,130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +3.1% | 60 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 720 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Charlottesville (-2.3%), between medical administrative assistants (-1.0%) and accountants (-2.6%). The typical role here is at -2.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Charlottesville, 5.5% across Virginia and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $33,940 in Lynchburg to $37,220 in Harrisonburg, a gap of $3,280 a year. All 3 areas in Virginia with more virtual receptionists than Charlottesville pay less, among them Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($35,470) and Richmond, VA ($36,400).
| Area | Median | vs Charlottesville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | +0.2% | 390 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | this area | 720 | |
| Richmond, VA | -2.0% | 3,550 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -2.5% | 300 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -2.8% | 380 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | -3.3% | 590 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -3.6% | 310 |
Charlottesville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Charlottesville is #236 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, Grand Rapids-Wyoming and St. Cloud pay just above Charlottesville and Punta Gorda and Dallas-Fort Worth just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Charlottesville. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Charlottesville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | +22.5% | 720 | jobs | |
| St. Cloud, MN | +0.2% | 380 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +0.1% | 3,130 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | this area | 720 | ||
| Punta Gorda, FL | -0.0% | 550 | pay | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -0.2% | 21,380 | pay | |
| Idaho Falls, ID | -6.3% | 720 | jobs | |
| Columbia, MO | -8.4% | 730 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Charlottesville, VA?
About $47,923 a year at the median, or $3,994 a month: $37,140 in pay plus about $10,783 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Charlottesville?
The median was $37,140 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,880, the 90th $46,340, and the middle half earned $32,860 to $40,520.
Is Charlottesville cheaper than the rest of Virginia for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $37,140 against $37,060 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Harrisonburg at $37,220, the next down Richmond at $36,400.
How many virtual receptionists work in Charlottesville?
BLS counts about 720 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Virginia total of 23,360. 3 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is Roanoke, with about 980.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Charlottesville?
No: $1,160 a year less at the median. The medians are $37,140 and $38,300.
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.