Virtual receptionist in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
The Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $31,200 a year1 is 11.4% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210, and 17.9% below the US median of $38,010. Only 45 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 660 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | $23,990 | $31,200 | $42,700 | |
| Texas | $24,700 | $35,210 | $47,380 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $42,700, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area earns $28,670–$37,020. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $8,350 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area 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 | $23,990 | $1,999 | $11.53 | $30,955 |
| 25th percentile | $28,670 | $2,389 | $13.78 | $36,994 |
| Median | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 75th percentile | $37,020 | $3,085 | $17.80 | $47,768 |
| 90th percentile | $42,700 | $3,558 | $20.53 | $55,097 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,820 over the median, the 25th only $2,530 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $7,510 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area, and the Texas statewide median of $35,210 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area
At the $31,200 median, a local hire costs about $40,258 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $9,058 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 the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $96,470.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +28.9% | 2,070 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +23.6% | 570 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +22.7% | 1,740 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +16.5% | 90 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 660 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area (-17.9%), between executive assistants (-17.1%) and recruiters (-18.1%). The typical role here is at -15.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area, 5.0% across Texas and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $28,530 in McAllen-Edinburg to $37,280 in Midland, a gap of $8,750 a year. Of the 18 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area, 4 pay less, the largest of them El Paso, TX ($29,460), McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($28,530) and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX ($28,720).
| Area | Median | vs the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lubbock, TX | +1.1% | 1,130 | |
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +1.0% | 690 | |
| San Angelo, TX | +0.0% | 300 | |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | this area | 660 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -0.3% | 790 | |
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 640 | |
| Border Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 180 |
the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area is #255 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Morristown and Columbus pay just above the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area and Valdosta and Johnson City just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +46.9% | 670 | jobs | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | +27.7% | 670 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +4.3% | 670 | jobs | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | +0.0% | 910 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | +0.0% | 150 | pay | |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | this area | 660 | ||
| Valdosta, GA | -0.0% | 340 | pay | |
| Johnson City, TN | -0.1% | 300 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro)?
About $40,258 a year at the median, or $3,355 a month: $31,200 in pay plus about $9,058 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $31,200 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,990, the 90th $42,700, and the middle half earned $28,670 to $37,020.
Is the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $31,200 against $35,210 statewide. The next area up in Texas is San Angelo at $31,200, the next down College Station-Bryan at $31,100.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 660 in the May 2025 survey. 18 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area, with about 690.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area?
No: $5,160 a year less at the median. The medians are $31,200 and $36,360.
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.