Virtual receptionist in Kahului-Wailuku, HI: cost vs in-house
Virtual receptionists earn more in Kahului-Wailuku than anywhere else in Hawaii. Expect a median of $43,710 a year1, 5.1% above the Hawaii statewide median of $41,600 and 15.0% above the US median of $38,010. Only 27 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 470 people in this job here, 13% of the Hawaii total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Kahului-Wailuku, HI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kahului-Wailuku against Hawaii and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $38,100 | $43,710 | $59,700 | |
| Hawaii | $35,050 | $41,600 | $55,310 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Kahului-Wailuku earns $41,600–$48,810. The top tenth earns $59,700 or more, 1.6 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 $7,210 wide, against $10,070 across Hawaii and $11,170 nationally: employers in Kahului-Wailuku 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 | $38,100 | $3,175 | $18.32 | $49,161 |
| 25th percentile | $41,600 | $3,467 | $20.00 | $53,677 |
| Median | $43,710 | $3,642 | $21.01 | $56,400 |
| 75th percentile | $48,810 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,981 |
| 90th percentile | $59,700 | $4,975 | $28.70 | $77,032 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,100 over the median, the 25th only $2,110 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,581 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 below the 10th percentile in Kahului-Wailuku, and the Hawaii statewide median of $41,600 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what nine in ten local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in Kahului-Wailuku
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 $12,690 to the $43,710 median and brings it to $56,400 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 Kahului-Wailuku
Of the 15 roles we track in Kahului-Wailuku, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($49,750) and marketing specialists ($42,220). Executive Assistant is the highest at $84,330.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +20.3% | 290 | |
| HR Assistant | +17.9% | 40 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +13.8% | 690 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 470 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.4% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #3 of the 15 roles we track in Kahului-Wailuku (+15.0%), between administrative assistants (+15.3%) and medical administrative assistants (+14.5%). The typical role here is at +7.3%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Kahului-Wailuku than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 7.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Kahului-Wailuku, 6.5% across Hawaii and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Hawaii
Across the 3 areas of Hawaii with data for this job, the median runs from $39,960 in Honolulu to $43,710 in Kahului-Wailuku, a gap of $3,750 a year. All 2 areas in Hawaii with more virtual receptionists than Kahului-Wailuku pay less, among them Honolulu, HI ($39,960) and the Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area ($42,870).
| Area | Median | vs Kahului-Wailuku | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | this area | 470 | |
| Hawaii-Kauai (Nonmetro) | -1.9% | 620 | |
| Honolulu, HI | -8.6% | 2,410 |
Kahului-Wailuku against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kahului-Wailuku is #323 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Hawaii, Boston-Cambridge and Bremerton-Silverdale pay just above Kahului-Wailuku and Denver-Aurora and Portland-Vancouver just below. All four are within $420 a year of the median in Kahului-Wailuku. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kahului-Wailuku | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +1.0% | 920 | pay | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +0.5% | 14,320 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | this area | 470 | ||
| Denver-Aurora, CO | -0.1% | 5,480 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | -0.2% | 8,340 | pay | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -7.6% | 470 | jobs | |
| State College, PA | -20.2% | 470 | jobs | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -22.4% | 470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Kahului-Wailuku, HI?
About $56,400 a year at the median, or $4,700 a month: $43,710 in pay plus about $12,690 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Kahului-Wailuku?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,100, the 90th $59,700, and the middle half earned $41,600 to $48,810.
Is Kahului-Wailuku the most expensive area in Hawaii for virtual receptionists?
Yes. Its median of $43,710 is the highest of 3 areas in Hawaii. The Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area comes next at $42,870.
How many virtual receptionists work in Kahului-Wailuku?
BLS counts about 470 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Hawaii total of 3,510. Only Honolulu and the Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area have more in Hawaii.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a marketing specialist in Kahului-Wailuku?
Yes: $1,490 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,710 and $42,220.
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.