Virtual receptionist in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY: cost vs in-house
Huntington-Ashland pays virtual receptionists close to the West Virginia norm. The median is $31,890 a year1, about level with the West Virginia statewide median of $31,920 and 16.1% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#455 of 521). With about 1,050 virtual receptionists, no area in West Virginia employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Huntington-Ashland against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | $23,560 | $31,890 | $39,230 | |
| West Virginia | $23,690 | $31,920 | $42,740 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Huntington-Ashland earns $28,780–$36,720. The top tenth earns $39,230 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 $7,940 wide, against $8,650 across West Virginia and $11,170 nationally: employers in Huntington-Ashland 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 | $23,560 | $1,963 | $11.33 | $30,400 |
| 25th percentile | $28,780 | $2,398 | $13.84 | $37,135 |
| Median | $31,890 | $2,658 | $15.33 | $41,148 |
| 75th percentile | $36,720 | $3,060 | $17.65 | $47,381 |
| 90th percentile | $39,230 | $3,269 | $18.86 | $50,619 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $4,830 over the median, the 25th only $3,110 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,232 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 Huntington-Ashland, and the West Virginia statewide median of $31,920 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 Huntington-Ashland
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 $9,258 to the $31,890 median and brings it to $41,148 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 Huntington-Ashland
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Huntington-Ashland; project coordinators have the highest, at $79,590.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +20.0% | 1,510 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +19.3% | 2,590 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +17.6% | 1,240 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +14.2% | 110 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,050 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Huntington-Ashland (-16.1%), between bookkeepers (-15.7%) and paralegals (-17.5%). The typical role here is at -18.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Huntington-Ashland, 9.3% across West Virginia and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in West Virginia
Across the 9 areas of West Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $30,180 in Beckley to $34,690 in Weirton-Steubenville, a gap of $4,510 a year. No other area in West Virginia has as many virtual receptionists, and 5 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Huntington-Ashland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +8.8% | 280 | |
| Morgantown, WV | +4.0% | 600 | |
| Charleston, WV | +2.9% | 800 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | this area | 1,050 | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | -0.0% | 330 | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | -0.4% | 410 | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -3.4% | 970 |
Huntington-Ashland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Huntington-Ashland is #151 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 West Virginia, Anniston-Oxford and Shreveport-Bossier City pay just above Huntington-Ashland and Corpus Christi and Slidell-Mandeville just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Huntington-Ashland. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Huntington-Ashland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +34.6% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +17.1% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.1% | 1,140 | pay | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | this area | 1,050 | ||
| Corpus Christi, TX | -0.3% | 1,270 | pay | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -0.4% | 1,000 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -9.9% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY?
About $41,148 a year at the median, or $3,429 a month: $31,890 in pay plus about $9,258 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Huntington-Ashland?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $31,890 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,560, the 90th $39,230, and the middle half earned $28,780 to $36,720.
Is Huntington-Ashland cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $31,890 against $31,920 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Charleston at $32,810, the next down Parkersburg-Vienna at $31,880.
How many virtual receptionists work in Huntington-Ashland?
BLS counts about 1,050 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in West Virginia has as many.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Huntington-Ashland?
No: $4,520 a year less at the median. The medians are $31,890 and $36,410.
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.