Virtual receptionist in College Station-Bryan, TX: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in College Station-Bryan than in Texas or the country as a whole. The median is $31,100 a year1: 11.7% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210 and 18.2% below the US median of $38,010. Only 42 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 790 people in this job here, 1% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area College Station-Bryan, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in College Station-Bryan against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $22,510 | $31,100 | $45,670 | |
| Texas | $24,700 | $35,210 | $47,380 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $45,670 or more, 2.0 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 College Station-Bryan earns $26,900–$36,450. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,550 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in College Station-Bryan 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 | $22,510 | $1,876 | $10.82 | $29,045 |
| 25th percentile | $26,900 | $2,242 | $12.93 | $34,710 |
| Median | $31,100 | $2,592 | $14.95 | $40,129 |
| 75th percentile | $36,450 | $3,038 | $17.52 | $47,032 |
| 90th percentile | $45,670 | $3,806 | $21.96 | $58,929 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,350 a year in pay and about $6,903 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,200 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 75th and 90th percentiles in College Station-Bryan, 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 College Station-Bryan
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 $9,029 to the $31,100 median and brings it to $40,129 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 College Station-Bryan
Of the 17 roles we track in College Station-Bryan, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($37,190) and HR assistants ($25,170). Project Coordinator is the highest at $76,380.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +27.4% | 1,430 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +24.1% | 100 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +19.6% | 2,500 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 790 | |
| HR Assistant | -19.1% | 170 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in College Station-Bryan (-18.2%), between recruiters (-17.8%) and payroll specialists (-18.6%). The typical role here is at -16.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in College Station-Bryan, 5.0% across Texas and 5.7% 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 15 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than College Station-Bryan, 3 pay less: El Paso, TX ($29,460), McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($28,530) and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX ($28,720).
| Area | Median | vs College Station-Bryan | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +1.3% | 690 | |
| San Angelo, TX | +0.3% | 300 | |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 660 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | this area | 790 | |
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 640 | |
| Border Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 180 | |
| Abilene, TX | -1.3% | 450 |
College Station-Bryan against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, College Station-Bryan is #215 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, Johnson City and Valdosta pay just above College Station-Bryan and Houma-Bayou Cane and Sumter just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in College Station-Bryan. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs College Station-Bryan | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | +27.6% | 790 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +16.3% | 790 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | +14.6% | 790 | jobs | |
| Valdosta, GA | +0.3% | 340 | pay | |
| Johnson City, TN | +0.3% | 300 | pay | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | this area | 790 | ||
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -0.1% | 590 | pay | |
| Sumter, SC | -0.1% | 180 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in College Station-Bryan, TX?
About $40,129 a year at the median, or $3,344 a month: $31,100 in pay plus about $9,029 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in College Station-Bryan?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $31,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $22,510, the 90th $45,670, and the middle half earned $26,900 to $36,450.
Is College Station-Bryan cheaper than the rest of Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $31,100 against $35,210 statewide. The next area up in Texas is the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area at $31,200, the next down the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area at $30,960.
How many virtual receptionists work in College Station-Bryan?
BLS counts about 790 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Texas total of 78,330. 15 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is Tyler, with about 810.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than an HR assistant in College Station-Bryan?
Yes: $5,930 a year more at the median. The medians are $31,100 and $25,170.
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.