Virtual receptionist in Knoxville, TN: cost vs in-house
For this job Knoxville sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $35,620 a year1. That is 2.0% above the Tennessee statewide median of $34,910, and 6.3% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #298 of 521. About 1,620 virtual receptionists work here, 14% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Knoxville, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Knoxville against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | $25,310 | $35,620 | $44,300 | |
| Tennessee | $25,400 | $34,910 | $45,980 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $44,300, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Knoxville earns $29,200–$39,840. The mean ($35,080) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $10,640 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($10,460) 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 | $25,310 | $2,109 | $12.17 | $32,658 |
| 25th percentile | $29,200 | $2,433 | $14.04 | $37,677 |
| Median | $35,620 | $2,968 | $17.12 | $45,961 |
| 75th percentile | $39,840 | $3,320 | $19.15 | $51,406 |
| 90th percentile | $44,300 | $3,692 | $21.30 | $57,161 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,220 over it, while the 25th sits $6,420 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,445 more a year with benefits. 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 Knoxville, and the Tennessee statewide median of $34,910 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Knoxville
At the $35,620 median, a local hire costs about $45,961 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,341 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 Knoxville
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Knoxville; project coordinators have the highest, at $91,690.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +10.4% | 270 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +9.5% | 340 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +9.0% | 6,640 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +7.9% | 6,280 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,620 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Knoxville (-6.3%), between data entry specialists (-5.7%) and bookkeepers (-6.6%). The typical role here is at -11.0%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Knoxville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 3.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Knoxville, 3.2% across Tennessee and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $29,760 in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area to $36,810 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $7,050 a year. Of the 2 areas in Tennessee with more virtual receptionists than Knoxville, 1 pays less: Memphis, TN-MS ($34,530).
| Area | Median | vs Knoxville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +3.3% | 4,040 | |
| Knoxville, TN | this area | 1,620 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -1.5% | 1,090 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -3.1% | 2,100 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -4.7% | 470 | |
| Jackson, TN | -4.9% | 270 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -7.6% | 340 |
Knoxville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Knoxville is #96 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 Tennessee, Kankakee and Springfield pay just above Knoxville and Birmingham and Lima just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Knoxville. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Knoxville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +15.2% | 1,550 | jobs | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +9.9% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.1% | 1,620 | jobs | |
| Springfield, OH | +0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Kankakee, IL | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Knoxville, TN | this area | 1,620 | ||
| Birmingham, AL | -0.0% | 3,030 | pay | |
| Lima, OH | -0.1% | 370 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Knoxville, TN?
About $45,961 a year at the median, or $3,830 a month: $35,620 in pay plus about $10,341 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Knoxville?
The median was $35,620 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $25,310, the 90th $44,300, and the middle half earned $29,200 to $39,840.
Is Knoxville cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for virtual receptionists?
No, it costs more: a median of $35,620 against $34,910 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Nashville-Murfreesboro at $36,810, the next down Chattanooga at $35,070.
How many virtual receptionists work in Knoxville?
BLS counts about 1,620 in the May 2025 survey. That is 14% of the Tennessee total of 11,460. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro and Memphis have more in Tennessee.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Knoxville?
No: $2,800 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,620 and $38,420.
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.