Virtual receptionist in Elkhart-Goshen, IN: cost vs in-house
Elkhart-Goshen pays virtual receptionists more than Indiana as a whole but less than the country. The median is $36,970 a year1: 2.2% above the Indiana statewide median of $36,160 and 2.7% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #201 of 521. About 440 virtual receptionists work here, 3% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Elkhart-Goshen, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Elkhart-Goshen against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $28,090 | $36,970 | $47,590 | |
| Indiana | $24,410 | $36,160 | $47,310 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Elkhart-Goshen earns $31,670–$42,340. The top tenth earns $47,590 or more, 1.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,670 wide, against $11,960 across Indiana and $11,170 nationally: employers in Elkhart-Goshen 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 | $28,090 | $2,341 | $13.50 | $36,245 |
| 25th percentile | $31,670 | $2,639 | $15.23 | $40,865 |
| Median | $36,970 | $3,081 | $17.77 | $47,703 |
| 75th percentile | $42,340 | $3,528 | $20.36 | $54,632 |
| 90th percentile | $47,590 | $3,966 | $22.88 | $61,406 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,300 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,370, or about $6,929 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 Elkhart-Goshen, and the Indiana statewide median of $36,160 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Elkhart-Goshen
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 $10,733 to the $36,970 median and brings it to $47,703 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 Elkhart-Goshen
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Elkhart-Goshen; project coordinators have the highest, at $86,640.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +27.0% | 130 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +17.0% | 720 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +12.0% | 100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +10.7% | 550 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 440 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Elkhart-Goshen (-2.7%), between data entry specialists (+0.1%) and HR assistants (-2.9%). The typical role here is at -7.5%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Elkhart-Goshen than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 5.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Elkhart-Goshen, 6.5% across Indiana and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $33,860 in Evansville to $37,050 in Indianapolis-Carmel, a gap of $3,190 a year. Of the 8 areas in Indiana with more virtual receptionists than Elkhart-Goshen, 7 pay less, the largest of them Fort Wayne, IN ($35,220), Evansville, IN ($33,860) and the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($34,030).
| Area | Median | vs Elkhart-Goshen | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +0.2% | 5,830 | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | this area | 440 | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | -1.6% | 200 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -1.8% | 880 | |
| Columbus, IN | -3.8% | 240 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -4.7% | 1,310 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -5.0% | 490 |
Elkhart-Goshen against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Elkhart-Goshen is #338 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Indiana, Binghamton and Tucson pay just above Elkhart-Goshen and Midland and Harrisburg-Carlisle just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Elkhart-Goshen. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Elkhart-Goshen | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +7.0% | 440 | jobs | |
| Bismarck, ND | +4.7% | 440 | jobs | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +1.2% | 440 | jobs | |
| Tucson, AZ | +0.2% | 2,730 | pay | |
| Binghamton, NY | +0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | this area | 440 | ||
| Midland, MI | -0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -0.1% | 1,970 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?
About $47,703 a year at the median, or $3,975 a month: $36,970 in pay plus about $10,733 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Elkhart-Goshen?
The median was $36,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,090, the 90th $47,590, and the middle half earned $31,670 to $42,340.
Is Elkhart-Goshen cheaper than the rest of Indiana for virtual receptionists?
No, it costs more: a median of $36,970 against $36,160 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Indianapolis-Carmel at $37,050, the next down Michigan City-La Porte at $36,390.
How many virtual receptionists work in Elkhart-Goshen?
BLS counts about 440 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Indiana total of 17,360. 8 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Lafayette-West Lafayette, with about 490.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Elkhart-Goshen?
No: $3,960 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,970 and $40,930.
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.