Virtual receptionist in Lafayette, LA: cost vs in-house
Lafayette is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $30,170 a year1 is 7.9% below the Louisiana statewide median of $32,750, and 20.6% below the US median of $38,010. Only 18 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. About 1,180 virtual receptionists work here, 9% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Lafayette, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lafayette against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LA | $18,800 | $30,170 | $41,590 | |
| Louisiana | $21,420 | $32,750 | $44,410 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $41,590 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Lafayette earns $23,290–$35,610. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $12,320 wide, wider than in Louisiana as a whole ($9,160) and the US ($11,170), so what a virtual receptionist earns in Lafayette depends more on the employer.
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 | $18,800 | $1,567 | $9.04 | $24,258 |
| 25th percentile | $23,290 | $1,941 | $11.20 | $30,052 |
| Median | $30,170 | $2,514 | $14.50 | $38,929 |
| 75th percentile | $35,610 | $2,968 | $17.12 | $45,948 |
| 90th percentile | $41,590 | $3,466 | $20.00 | $53,665 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,440 a year in pay and about $7,019 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,880 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Lafayette, and the Louisiana statewide median of $32,750 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 Lafayette
At the $30,170 median, a local hire costs about $38,929 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $8,759 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 Lafayette
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Lafayette; project coordinators have the highest, at $80,720.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +26.2% | 2,210 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +25.1% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +25.0% | 640 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +22.0% | 2,140 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,180 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 16 roles we track in Lafayette (-20.6%), between administrative assistants (-19.9%) and project coordinators (-21.1%). The typical role here is at -18.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 8.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Lafayette, 7.9% across Louisiana and 5.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $29,520 in the Central Louisiana nonmetro area to $35,750 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $6,230 a year. All 2 areas in Louisiana with more virtual receptionists than Lafayette also pay more, among them New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($35,750) and Baton Rouge, LA ($33,750).
| Area | Median | vs Lafayette | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LA | +4.4% | 400 | |
| Monroe, LA | +3.6% | 600 | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +2.9% | 590 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 410 | |
| Lafayette, LA | this area | 1,180 | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 550 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 420 |
Lafayette against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lafayette is #131 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 Louisiana, Beckley and Texarkana pay just above Lafayette and Dothan and Hattiesburg just below. All four are within $320 a year of the median in Lafayette. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lafayette | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +31.6% | 1,180 | jobs | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +29.3% | 1,180 | jobs | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | +8.4% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | +1.0% | 340 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | +0.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Lafayette, LA | this area | 1,180 | ||
| Dothan, AL | -0.4% | 400 | pay | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -1.1% | 480 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Lafayette, LA?
About $38,929 a year at the median, or $3,244 a month: $30,170 in pay plus about $8,759 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Lafayette?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $30,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $18,800, the 90th $41,590, and the middle half earned $23,290 to $35,610.
Is Lafayette cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $30,170 against $32,750 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area at $30,540, the next down the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area at $29,680.
How many virtual receptionists work in Lafayette?
BLS counts about 1,180 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Louisiana total of 12,820. Only New Orleans-Metairie and Baton Rouge have more in Louisiana.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Lafayette?
No: $6,650 a year less at the median. The medians are $30,170 and $36,820.
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.