Virtual receptionist in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC: cost vs in-house
For this job Hilton Head Island-Bluffton sits right at the South Carolina figure, with a median of $35,510 a year1. That is about level with the South Carolina statewide median of $35,510, and 6.6% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #307 of 521. About 650 virtual receptionists work here, 6% of the South Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton against South Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | $23,460 | $35,510 | $47,900 | |
| South Carolina | $22,710 | $35,510 | $46,750 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $47,900 or more, 2.0 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton earns $30,080–$43,100. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $13,020 wide, wider than in South Carolina as a whole ($11,210) and the US ($11,170), so what a virtual receptionist earns in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton depends more on the employer.
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 | $23,460 | $1,955 | $11.28 | $30,271 |
| 25th percentile | $30,080 | $2,507 | $14.46 | $38,813 |
| Median | $35,510 | $2,959 | $17.07 | $45,819 |
| 75th percentile | $43,100 | $3,592 | $20.72 | $55,613 |
| 90th percentile | $47,900 | $3,992 | $23.03 | $61,806 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,590 a year in pay and about $9,794 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,430 in pay. 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, and the South Carolina statewide median of $35,510 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
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 $10,309 to the $35,510 median and brings it to $45,819 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton; project coordinators have the highest, at $79,990.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +31.8% | 1,060 | |
| HR Assistant | +26.6% | n/a | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +17.2% | 740 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +5.9% | 1,640 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 650 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton (-6.6%), between administrative assistants (-1.6%) and accountants (-7.3%). The typical role here is at -10.3%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 7.3% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, 4.5% across South Carolina and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in South Carolina
Across the 11 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $31,060 in Sumter to $37,220 in Charleston-North Charleston, a gap of $6,160 a year. Of the 5 areas in South Carolina with more virtual receptionists than Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, 3 pay less: Greenville-Anderson, SC ($35,490), Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC ($34,130) and Spartanburg, SC ($34,920).
| Area | Median | vs Hilton Head Island-Bluffton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +4.8% | 2,160 | |
| Columbia, SC | +0.1% | 1,880 | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | this area | 650 | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -0.1% | 2,030 | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -1.7% | 690 | |
| Northeastern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -3.0% | 300 | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | -3.9% | 890 |
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton is #256 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside South Carolina, Wichita and Columbus pay just above Hilton Head Island-Bluffton and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Farmington just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hilton Head Island-Bluffton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +29.0% | 670 | jobs | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | +12.2% | 670 | jobs | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +8.8% | 640 | jobs | |
| Columbus, IN | +0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.1% | 1,900 | pay | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | this area | 650 | ||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -0.1% | 4,370 | pay | |
| Farmington, NM | -0.2% | 250 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC?
About $45,819 a year at the median, or $3,818 a month: $35,510 in pay plus about $10,309 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton?
The median was $35,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,460, the 90th $47,900, and the middle half earned $30,080 to $43,100.
Is Hilton Head Island-Bluffton cheaper than the rest of South Carolina for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $35,510 against $35,510 statewide. The next area up in South Carolina is Columbia at $35,530, the next down Greenville-Anderson at $35,490.
How many virtual receptionists work in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton?
BLS counts about 650 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the South Carolina total of 11,280. 5 areas in South Carolina have more; the closest in size is Spartanburg, with about 690.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton?
No: $2,080 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,510 and $37,590.
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.