Virtual receptionist in Dayton-Kettering, OH: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Dayton-Kettering than in Ohio or the country as a whole. The median is $35,360 a year1: 1.6% below the Ohio statewide median of $35,920 and 7.0% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #314 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 2,140 people in this job here, 7% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dayton-Kettering against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | $24,980 | $35,360 | $44,840 | |
| Ohio | $26,070 | $35,920 | $46,840 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $44,840, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Dayton-Kettering earns $29,490–$39,240. The mean ($35,300) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $9,750 wide, between the figure for Ohio ($9,610) and the US figure ($11,170).
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 | $24,980 | $2,082 | $12.01 | $32,232 |
| 25th percentile | $29,490 | $2,458 | $14.18 | $38,052 |
| Median | $35,360 | $2,947 | $17.00 | $45,626 |
| 75th percentile | $39,240 | $3,270 | $18.87 | $50,632 |
| 90th percentile | $44,840 | $3,737 | $21.56 | $57,858 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,880 over it, while the 25th sits $5,870 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,006 more a year with benefits. 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 Dayton-Kettering, and the Ohio statewide median of $35,920 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dayton-Kettering
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 $10,266 to the $35,360 median and brings it to $45,626 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 Dayton-Kettering
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering; project coordinators have the highest, at $98,130.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +27.2% | 4,880 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +23.0% | 230 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +20.8% | 1,740 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +14.1% | 250 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 2,140 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering (-7.0%), between medical administrative assistants (-7.0%) and office managers (-7.2%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Dayton-Kettering, 6.0% across Ohio and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $33,170 in Mansfield to $36,910 in Columbus, a gap of $3,740 a year. Of the 3 areas in Ohio with more virtual receptionists than Dayton-Kettering, 1 pays less: Cincinnati, OH-KY ($35,250).
| Area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | +2.7% | 5,700 | |
| Springfield, OH | +0.8% | 280 | |
| Lima, OH | +0.7% | 370 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 2,140 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -0.3% | 5,560 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 760 | |
| Sandusky, OH | -1.5% | 280 |
Dayton-Kettering against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dayton-Kettering is #75 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Albuquerque and Lawrence pay just above Dayton-Kettering and Winston-Salem and Duluth just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Dayton-Kettering. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +5.3% | 2,160 | jobs | |
| Ogden, UT | +4.1% | 2,050 | jobs | |
| Lawrence, KS | +0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +0.0% | 3,010 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 2,140 | ||
| Winston-Salem, NC | +0.0% | 1,210 | pay | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -0.0% | 550 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -2.3% | 2,100 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Dayton-Kettering, OH?
About $45,626 a year at the median, or $3,802 a month: $35,360 in pay plus about $10,266 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Dayton-Kettering?
The median was $35,360 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,980, the 90th $44,840, and the middle half earned $29,490 to $39,240.
Is Dayton-Kettering cheaper than the rest of Ohio for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $35,360 against $35,920 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Lima at $35,600, the next down Cincinnati at $35,250.
How many virtual receptionists work in Dayton-Kettering?
BLS counts about 2,140 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Ohio total of 30,850. 3 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Cincinnati, with about 5,560.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Dayton-Kettering?
No: $4,970 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,360 and $40,330.
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.