Virtual receptionist in Kennewick-Richland, WA: cost vs in-house
Kennewick-Richland pays virtual receptionists less than Washington as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $43,530 a year1: 2.6% below the Washington statewide median of $44,710 and 14.5% above the US median of $38,010. Only 32 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. About 1,080 virtual receptionists work here, 4% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Kennewick-Richland, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kennewick-Richland against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $35,510 | $43,530 | $55,110 | |
| Washington | $36,730 | $44,710 | $57,840 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Kennewick-Richland earns $38,300–$47,690. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $55,110, only 1.6 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 $9,390 wide, against $10,130 across Washington and $11,170 nationally: employers in Kennewick-Richland 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 | $35,510 | $2,959 | $17.07 | $45,819 |
| 25th percentile | $38,300 | $3,192 | $18.41 | $49,419 |
| Median | $43,530 | $3,628 | $20.93 | $56,168 |
| 75th percentile | $47,690 | $3,974 | $22.93 | $61,535 |
| 90th percentile | $55,110 | $4,592 | $26.50 | $71,110 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,160 a year in pay and about $5,368 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,230 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 10th and 25th percentiles in Kennewick-Richland, and the Washington statewide median of $44,710 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in Kennewick-Richland
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 $12,638 to the $43,530 median and brings it to $56,168 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 Kennewick-Richland
Of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($45,380) and data entry specialists ($41,980). Project Coordinator is the highest at $125,940.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +22.1% | 1,450 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +16.7% | 350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +4.2% | 1,290 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,080 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -3.6% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland (+14.5%), between project coordinators (+23.1%) and bookkeepers (+13.1%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Kennewick-Richland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Kennewick-Richland, 7.8% across Washington and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $39,630 in Walla Walla to $45,820 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $6,190 a year. Of the 2 areas in Washington with more virtual receptionists than Kennewick-Richland, 1 pays less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($41,800).
| Area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +5.3% | 14,260 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | +3.5% | 450 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +1.4% | 920 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,080 | |
| Bellingham, WA | -0.3% | 810 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -1.4% | 1,070 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 1,070 |
Kennewick-Richland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kennewick-Richland is #142 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 Washington, Madison and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks pay just above Kennewick-Richland and Racine-Mount Pleasant and Salinas just below. All four are within $230 a year of the median in Kennewick-Richland. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +0.2% | 1,510 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | +0.2% | 3,170 | pay | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,080 | ||
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | -0.3% | 750 | pay | |
| Salinas, CA | -0.5% | 620 | pay | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -14.2% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -19.4% | 1,090 | jobs | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -34.0% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
About $56,168 a year at the median, or $4,681 a month: $43,530 in pay plus about $12,638 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Kennewick-Richland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,530 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,510, the 90th $55,110, and the middle half earned $38,300 to $47,690.
Is Kennewick-Richland cheaper than the rest of Washington for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,530 against $44,710 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Bremerton-Silverdale at $44,130, the next down Bellingham at $43,400.
How many virtual receptionists work in Kennewick-Richland?
BLS counts about 1,080 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Washington total of 26,500. Only Seattle-Tacoma and Spokane-Spokane Valley have more in Washington.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes: $1,550 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,530 and $41,980.
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.