Virtual receptionist in Chico, CA: cost vs in-house
Chico pays virtual receptionists less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $40,070 a year1: 9.1% below the California statewide median of $44,100 and 5.4% above the US median of $38,010. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#80 of 521). BLS counts about 370 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Chico, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chico against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | $35,010 | $40,070 | $50,610 | |
| California | $36,410 | $44,100 | $58,800 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Chico earns $37,430–$45,580. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $50,610, only 1.4 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 only $8,150 wide, against $9,640 across California and $11,170 nationally: employers in Chico 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 | $35,010 | $2,918 | $16.83 | $45,174 |
| 25th percentile | $37,430 | $3,119 | $18.00 | $48,297 |
| Median | $40,070 | $3,339 | $19.26 | $51,703 |
| 75th percentile | $45,580 | $3,798 | $21.91 | $58,813 |
| 90th percentile | $50,610 | $4,218 | $24.33 | $65,303 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,510 over the median, the 25th only $2,640 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $7,110 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 25th percentile and the median in Chico, and the California statewide median of $44,100 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Chico
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 $11,633 to the $40,070 median and brings it to $51,703 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 Chico
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Chico; project coordinators have the highest, at $103,320.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +18.3% | 630 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +14.7% | 600 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +14.2% | 50 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +4.1% | 50 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 370 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in Chico (+5.4%); sales development representatives come last (-29.0%). The typical role here is at +0.9%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Chico than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 6.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chico, 4.9% across California and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $38,890 in Merced to $49,450 in San Francisco-Oakland, a gap of $10,560 a year. Of the 20 areas in California with more virtual receptionists than Chico, 3 pay less: Fresno, CA ($39,520), Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($39,690) and Visalia, CA ($39,520).
| Area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +4.3% | 6,880 | |
| El Centro, CA | +3.4% | 160 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +3.2% | 320 | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 370 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -0.9% | 1,180 | |
| Redding, CA | -1.0% | 370 | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.4% | 2,250 |
Chico against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chico is #382 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Appleton and Bozeman pay just above Chico and Minot and Honolulu just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in Chico. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | +0.7% | 190 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | +0.6% | 1,170 | pay | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 370 | ||
| Minot, ND | -0.0% | 160 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | -0.3% | 2,410 | pay | |
| Greeley, CO | -2.8% | 370 | jobs | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | -12.8% | 370 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | -19.5% | 370 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Chico, CA?
About $51,703 a year at the median, or $4,309 a month: $40,070 in pay plus about $11,633 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Chico?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $40,070 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,010, the 90th $50,610, and the middle half earned $37,430 to $45,580.
Is Chico cheaper than the rest of California for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $40,070 against $44,100 statewide. The next area up in California is the Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetro area at $41,360, the next down Bakersfield-Delano at $39,690.
How many virtual receptionists work in Chico?
BLS counts about 370 in the May 2025 survey. 20 areas in California have more; the closest in size is the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, with about 420.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Chico?
No: $1,660 a year less at the median. The medians are $40,070 and $41,730.
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.