Virtual receptionist in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
The Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $32,940 a year1 is 7.1% below the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440, and 13.3% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#422 of 521). BLS counts about 1,080 people in this job here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $22,290 | $32,940 | $42,840 | |
| North Carolina | $23,270 | $35,440 | $46,210 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $42,840 or more, 1.9 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 the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area earns $28,580–$37,920. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,340 wide, against $10,930 across North Carolina and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Eastern North Carolina 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 | $22,290 | $1,858 | $10.72 | $28,761 |
| 25th percentile | $28,580 | $2,382 | $13.74 | $36,877 |
| Median | $32,940 | $2,745 | $15.84 | $42,503 |
| 75th percentile | $37,920 | $3,160 | $18.23 | $48,929 |
| 90th percentile | $42,840 | $3,570 | $20.60 | $55,277 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,360 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,980, or about $6,426 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440 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 Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
At the $32,940 median, a local hire costs about $42,503 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $9,563 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 Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $94,390.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +25.2% | 2,490 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +17.9% | 190 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +14.9% | 2,900 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +11.5% | 2,880 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,080 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area (-13.3%), between administrative assistants (-13.2%) and recruiters (-15.6%). The typical role here is at -13.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 5.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, 3.8% across North Carolina and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $30,600 in Jacksonville to $36,550 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $5,950 a year. All 6 areas in North Carolina with more virtual receptionists than the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($36,300) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($36,550).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +3.4% | 1,360 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +2.8% | 420 | |
| Greenville, NC | +2.2% | 360 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,080 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 770 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -1.4% | 450 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -1.9% | 200 |
the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is #143 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 North Carolina, Wichita Falls and Elizabethtown pay just above the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area and Charleston and Waco just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +32.1% | 1,080 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | +6.5% | 1,090 | jobs | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | +0.2% | 250 | pay | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | +0.0% | 420 | pay | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,080 | ||
| Charleston, WV | -0.4% | 800 | pay | |
| Waco, TX | -0.4% | 730 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -12.8% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $42,503 a year at the median, or $3,542 a month: $32,940 in pay plus about $9,563 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $32,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $22,290, the 90th $42,840, and the middle half earned $28,580 to $37,920.
Is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $32,940 against $35,440 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Greenville at $33,680, the next down the Central North Carolina nonmetro area at $32,590.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,080 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 20,080. 6 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 1,120.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
No: $3,790 a year less at the median. The medians are $32,940 and $36,730.
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.