Virtual receptionist in Fayetteville, NC: cost vs in-house
Fayetteville is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $32,490 a year1 is 8.3% below the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440, and 14.5% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#433 of 521). BLS counts about 450 people in this job here, 2% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Fayetteville, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fayetteville against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | $24,070 | $32,490 | $41,600 | |
| North Carolina | $23,270 | $35,440 | $46,210 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $41,600, 1.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Fayetteville earns $28,560–$36,520. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $7,960 wide, against $10,930 across North Carolina and $11,170 nationally: employers in Fayetteville 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 | $24,070 | $2,006 | $11.57 | $31,058 |
| 25th percentile | $28,560 | $2,380 | $13.73 | $36,852 |
| Median | $32,490 | $2,708 | $15.62 | $41,923 |
| 75th percentile | $36,520 | $3,043 | $17.56 | $47,123 |
| 90th percentile | $41,600 | $3,467 | $20.00 | $53,677 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $3,930 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,030, or about $5,200 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 Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville
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 $9,433 to the $32,490 median and brings it to $41,923 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 Fayetteville
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville; project coordinators have the highest, at $82,680.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +30.1% | 70 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +15.7% | 1,700 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +8.8% | 90 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +8.1% | 1,890 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 450 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville (-14.5%), between data entry specialists (-14.5%) and medical administrative assistants (-18.1%). The typical role here is at -12.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 3.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fayetteville, 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 10 areas in North Carolina with more virtual receptionists than Fayetteville also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($36,300) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($36,550).
| Area | Median | vs Fayetteville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +4.2% | 420 | |
| Greenville, NC | +3.7% | 360 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 1,080 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 770 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | this area | 450 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -0.5% | 200 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -5.8% | 270 |
Fayetteville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fayetteville is #333 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, Hinesville and Jonesboro pay just above Fayetteville and Longview and Altoona just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Fayetteville. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fayetteville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | +12.6% | 450 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +0.2% | 670 | pay | |
| Hinesville, GA | +0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Fayetteville, NC | this area | 450 | ||
| Longview, TX | -0.4% | 610 | pay | |
| Altoona, PA | -0.8% | 370 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -4.7% | 450 | jobs | |
| Abilene, TX | -5.5% | 450 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Fayetteville, NC?
About $41,923 a year at the median, or $3,494 a month: $32,490 in pay plus about $9,433 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Fayetteville?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $32,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,070, the 90th $41,600, and the middle half earned $28,560 to $36,520.
Is Fayetteville cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $32,490 against $35,440 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area at $32,590, the next down Pinehurst-Southern Pines at $32,330.
How many virtual receptionists work in Fayetteville?
BLS counts about 450 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the North Carolina total of 20,080. 10 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Asheville, with about 750.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Fayetteville?
No: $2,640 a year less at the median. The medians are $32,490 and $35,130.
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.