Virtual receptionist in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL: cost vs in-house
Davenport-Moline is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $36,170 a year1 is 3.1% below the Iowa statewide median of $37,330, and 4.8% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #263 of 521 areas. About 790 virtual receptionists work here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Davenport-Moline against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | $31,200 | $36,170 | $45,100 | |
| Iowa | $26,740 | $37,330 | $47,610 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Davenport-Moline earns $31,510–$40,160. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $45,100, 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 $8,650 wide, against $10,480 across Iowa and $11,170 nationally: employers in Davenport-Moline 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 | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $31,510 | $2,626 | $15.15 | $40,658 |
| Median | $36,170 | $3,014 | $17.39 | $46,671 |
| 75th percentile | $40,160 | $3,347 | $19.31 | $51,819 |
| 90th percentile | $45,100 | $3,758 | $21.68 | $58,194 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,660 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $3,990, or about $5,148 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 Davenport-Moline, and the Iowa statewide median of $37,330 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Davenport-Moline
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 $10,501 to the $36,170 median and brings it to $46,671 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 Davenport-Moline
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Davenport-Moline; project coordinators have the highest, at $102,880.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +10.5% | 3,040 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +10.0% | 90 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.6% | 1,150 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.7% | 150 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 790 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Davenport-Moline (-4.8%), between administrative assistants (-3.8%) and bookkeepers (-5.6%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 4.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Davenport-Moline, 3.4% across Iowa and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $35,170 in Ames to $38,830 in Dubuque, a gap of $3,660 a year. The one area in Iowa with more virtual receptionists, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($37,910), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Davenport-Moline | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +4.2% | 500 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 450 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 500 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | this area | 790 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -1.6% | 240 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 120 | |
| Ames, IA | -2.8% | 170 |
Davenport-Moline against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Davenport-Moline is #216 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Staunton-Stuarts Draft and Odessa pay just above Davenport-Moline and Watertown-Fort Drum and Jackson just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Davenport-Moline. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Davenport-Moline | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | +9.7% | 790 | jobs | |
| Odessa, TX | +0.1% | 380 | pay | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +0.1% | 300 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | this area | 790 | ||
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -0.0% | 230 | pay | |
| Jackson, MI | -0.1% | 280 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -1.5% | 790 | jobs | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -14.0% | 790 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL?
About $46,671 a year at the median, or $3,889 a month: $36,170 in pay plus about $10,501 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Davenport-Moline?
The median was $36,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $45,100, and the middle half earned $31,510 to $40,160.
Is Davenport-Moline cheaper than the rest of Iowa for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,170 against $37,330 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area at $36,330, the next down Waterloo-Cedar Falls at $35,590.
How many virtual receptionists work in Davenport-Moline?
BLS counts about 790 in the May 2025 survey. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines has more in Iowa.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Davenport-Moline?
No: $2,790 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,170 and $38,960.
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.