Virtual receptionist in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area than in Texas or the country as a whole. The median is $30,960 a year1: 12.1% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210 and 18.5% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally that is #484 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. About 640 virtual receptionists work here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | $23,360 | $30,960 | $45,170 | |
| 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 $45,170 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 Region of Texas nonmetro area earns $28,920–$37,050. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $8,130 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Eastern 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 | $23,360 | $1,947 | $11.23 | $30,142 |
| 25th percentile | $28,920 | $2,410 | $13.90 | $37,316 |
| Median | $30,960 | $2,580 | $14.88 | $39,948 |
| 75th percentile | $37,050 | $3,088 | $17.81 | $47,806 |
| 90th percentile | $45,170 | $3,764 | $21.72 | $58,284 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,090 over the median, the 25th only $2,040 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $7,858 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 Eastern 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 Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area
At the $30,960 median, a local hire costs about $39,948 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $8,988 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 Region of Texas nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $77,270.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +34.4% | 30 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +26.3% | 1,570 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +16.3% | 100 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +15.1% | 1,970 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 640 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area (-18.5%), between administrative assistants (-17.7%) and sales development representatives (-18.9%). The typical role here is at -16.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area, 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 19 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area, 3 pay less: El Paso, TX ($29,460), McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($28,530) and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX ($28,720).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Angelo, TX | +0.8% | 300 | |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 660 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | +0.5% | 790 | |
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | this area | 640 | |
| Border Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 180 | |
| Abilene, TX | -0.9% | 450 | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -1.6% | 340 |
the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area is #261 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, Clarksville and Sumter pay just above the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area and Montgomery and Mobile just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +24.8% | 640 | jobs | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | +14.7% | 650 | jobs | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +9.8% | 630 | jobs | |
| Sumter, SC | +0.3% | 180 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | this area | 640 | ||
| Montgomery, AL | -0.7% | 750 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | -0.8% | 880 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro)?
About $39,948 a year at the median, or $3,329 a month: $30,960 in pay plus about $8,988 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $30,960 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,360, the 90th $45,170, and the middle half earned $28,920 to $37,050.
Is the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $30,960 against $35,210 statewide. The next area up in Texas is College Station-Bryan at $31,100, the next down the Border Region of Texas nonmetro area at $30,950.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 640 in the May 2025 survey. 19 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is the Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetro area, with about 660.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area?
No: $4,670 a year less at the median. The medians are $30,960 and $35,630.
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.