Virtual receptionist in Hot Springs, AR: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Hot Springs than in Arkansas or the country as a whole. The median is $32,210 a year1: 7.5% below the Arkansas statewide median of $34,840 and 15.3% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#440 of 521). BLS counts about 400 people in this job here, 4% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Hot Springs, AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hot Springs against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs, AR | $25,650 | $32,210 | $37,970 | |
| Arkansas | $27,610 | $34,840 | $43,930 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Hot Springs earns $29,280–$35,160. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $37,970, only 1.5 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $5,880 wide, against $7,030 across Arkansas and $11,170 nationally: employers in Hot Springs 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 | $25,650 | $2,138 | $12.33 | $33,097 |
| 25th percentile | $29,280 | $2,440 | $14.08 | $37,781 |
| Median | $32,210 | $2,684 | $15.49 | $41,561 |
| 75th percentile | $35,160 | $2,930 | $16.90 | $45,368 |
| 90th percentile | $37,970 | $3,164 | $18.25 | $48,994 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $2,930 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $2,950, or about $3,806 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 above the 90th percentile in Hot Springs, and the Arkansas statewide median of $34,840 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what nine in ten local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in Hot Springs
At the $32,210 median, a local hire costs about $41,561 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $9,351 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 Hot Springs
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 12 roles we track in Hot Springs; project coordinators have the highest, at $69,110.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +20.5% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | +19.4% | 360 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +11.0% | 240 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +6.0% | 470 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 400 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 12 roles we track in Hot Springs (-15.3%); sales development representatives come last (-42.8%). The typical role here is at -26.7%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Hot Springs than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 14.7% of the jobs in these 12 roles in Hot Springs, 10.6% across Arkansas and 6.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arkansas
Across the 9 areas of Arkansas with data for this job, the median runs from $31,210 in the East Arkansas nonmetro area to $36,080 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $4,870 a year. Of the 7 areas in Arkansas with more virtual receptionists than Hot Springs, 2 pay less: the South Arkansas nonmetro area ($32,130) and the West Arkansas nonmetro area ($31,300).
| Area | Median | vs Hot Springs | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +6.5% | 1,060 | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +5.6% | 630 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +1.0% | 670 | |
| Hot Springs, AR | this area | 400 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 820 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -2.8% | 520 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -3.1% | 390 |
Hot Springs against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hot Springs is #362 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 Arkansas, Erie and Gulfport-Biloxi pay just above Hot Springs and Hammond and Manhattan just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Hot Springs. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hot Springs | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | +13.6% | 400 | jobs | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | +0.0% | 950 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | +0.0% | 890 | pay | |
| Hot Springs, AR | this area | 400 | ||
| Hammond, LA | -0.2% | 280 | pay | |
| Manhattan, KS | -0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | -2.2% | 400 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | -6.7% | 400 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Hot Springs, AR?
About $41,561 a year at the median, or $3,463 a month: $32,210 in pay plus about $9,351 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Hot Springs?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $32,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $25,650, the 90th $37,970, and the middle half earned $29,280 to $35,160.
Is Hot Springs cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $32,210 against $34,840 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is Jonesboro at $32,540, the next down the South Arkansas nonmetro area at $32,130.
How many virtual receptionists work in Hot Springs?
BLS counts about 400 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Arkansas total of 10,870. 7 areas in Arkansas have more; the closest in size is the West Arkansas nonmetro area, with about 520.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Hot Springs?
No: $1,940 a year less at the median. The medians are $32,210 and $34,150.
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.