Virtual receptionist in Jacksonville, FL: cost vs in-house
Jacksonville pays virtual receptionists close to the Florida norm. The median is $36,760 a year1, about level with the Florida statewide median of $36,810 and 3.3% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #218 of 521 areas. About 4,380 virtual receptionists work here, 7% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Jacksonville, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jacksonville against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FL | $28,290 | $36,760 | $47,130 | |
| Florida | $28,850 | $36,810 | $46,480 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Jacksonville earns $31,750–$40,890. The top tenth earns $47,130 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 $9,140 wide, between the figure for Florida ($8,860) and the US figure ($11,170).
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 | $28,290 | $2,358 | $13.60 | $36,503 |
| 25th percentile | $31,750 | $2,646 | $15.26 | $40,968 |
| Median | $36,760 | $3,063 | $17.67 | $47,432 |
| 75th percentile | $40,890 | $3,408 | $19.66 | $52,761 |
| 90th percentile | $47,130 | $3,928 | $22.66 | $60,813 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,130 a year in pay and about $5,329 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,010 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 Jacksonville, and the Florida statewide median of $36,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Jacksonville
At the $36,760 median, a local hire costs about $47,432 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,672 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 Jacksonville
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Jacksonville; project coordinators have the highest, at $99,270.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +24.6% | 6,930 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +19.4% | 7,710 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +16.5% | 17,030 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +2.0% | 680 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 4,380 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Jacksonville (-3.3%), between project coordinators (-3.0%) and administrative assistants (-3.7%). The typical role here is at -4.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 5.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Jacksonville, 5.5% across Florida and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $34,100 in Tallahassee to $39,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $4,900 a year. Of the 3 areas in Florida with more virtual receptionists than Jacksonville, 2 pay less: Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL ($36,640) and Orlando-Kissimmee, FL ($36,290).
| Area | Median | vs Jacksonville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +1.8% | 2,370 | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | +1.0% | 550 | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +0.1% | 2,270 | |
| Jacksonville, FL | this area | 4,380 | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -0.0% | 850 | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | -0.2% | 1,160 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | -0.3% | 10,290 |
Jacksonville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jacksonville is #39 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Florida, Provo-Orem and Lancaster pay just above Jacksonville and Toledo and Austin-Round Rock just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Jacksonville. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jacksonville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +22.8% | 4,570 | jobs | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +5.5% | 4,140 | jobs | |
| Lancaster, PA | +0.0% | 1,730 | pay | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +0.0% | 2,650 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, FL | this area | 4,380 | ||
| Toledo, OH | -0.1% | 1,900 | pay | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.2% | 7,480 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -3.5% | 4,370 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Jacksonville, FL?
About $47,432 a year at the median, or $3,953 a month: $36,760 in pay plus about $10,672 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Jacksonville?
The median was $36,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,290, the 90th $47,130, and the middle half earned $31,750 to $40,890.
Is Jacksonville cheaper than the rest of Florida for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $36,760 against $36,810 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Cape Coral-Fort Myers at $36,810, the next down Crestview-Fort Walton Beach at $36,750.
How many virtual receptionists work in Jacksonville?
BLS counts about 4,380 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Florida total of 63,280. 3 areas in Florida have more; the closest in size is Orlando-Kissimmee, with about 7,550.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Jacksonville?
No: $750 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,760 and $37,510.
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.