Virtual receptionist in Lincoln, NE: cost vs in-house
Lincoln is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $37,050 a year1 is 2.1% below the Nebraska statewide median of $37,860, and 2.5% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #196 of 521. BLS counts about 1,260 people in this job here, 19% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Lincoln, NE. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lincoln against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | $28,080 | $37,050 | $46,830 | |
| Nebraska | $29,070 | $37,860 | $47,350 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $46,830, 1.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Lincoln earns $31,870–$42,280. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $10,410 wide, between the figure for Nebraska ($8,780) 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 | $28,080 | $2,340 | $13.50 | $36,232 |
| 25th percentile | $31,870 | $2,656 | $15.32 | $41,123 |
| Median | $37,050 | $3,088 | $17.81 | $47,806 |
| 75th percentile | $42,280 | $3,523 | $20.33 | $54,555 |
| 90th percentile | $46,830 | $3,902 | $22.51 | $60,426 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,230 a year in pay and about $6,748 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,180 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 Lincoln, and the Nebraska statewide median of $37,860 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lincoln
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 $10,756 to the $37,050 median and brings it to $47,806 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 Lincoln
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Lincoln; executive assistants have the highest, at $65,410.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +23.7% | 930 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +11.8% | 2,540 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +11.7% | 330 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +3.2% | 60 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,260 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Lincoln (-2.5%), between paralegals (-2.3%) and bookkeepers (-5.4%). The typical role here is at -8.6%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Lincoln than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 6.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lincoln, 6.8% across Nebraska and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $35,840 in the South Nebraska nonmetro area to $38,740 in Omaha, a gap of $2,900 a year. The one area in Nebraska with more virtual receptionists, Omaha, NE-IA ($38,740), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Lincoln | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +4.6% | 3,330 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +3.4% | 560 | |
| Grand Island, NE | +0.9% | 250 | |
| Lincoln, NE | this area | 1,260 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 240 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -3.3% | 1,010 |
Lincoln against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lincoln is #121 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 Nebraska, Indianapolis-Carmel and Dallas-Fort Worth pay just above Lincoln and Santa Fe and Tucson just below. All four are within $10 a year of the median in Lincoln. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lincoln | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +2.3% | 1,260 | jobs | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | +1.2% | 1,250 | jobs | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | +0.0% | 21,380 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +0.0% | 5,830 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | this area | 1,260 | ||
| Santa Fe, NM | -0.0% | 400 | pay | |
| Tucson, AZ | -0.0% | 2,730 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -14.1% | 1,270 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Lincoln, NE?
About $47,806 a year at the median, or $3,984 a month: $37,050 in pay plus about $10,756 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Lincoln?
The median was $37,050 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,080, the 90th $46,830, and the middle half earned $31,870 to $42,280.
Is Lincoln cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,050 against $37,860 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is Grand Island at $37,400, the next down the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area at $36,150.
How many virtual receptionists work in Lincoln?
BLS counts about 1,260 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Nebraska total of 6,750. Only Omaha has more in Nebraska.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Lincoln?
No: $1,190 a year less at the median. The medians are $37,050 and $38,240.
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.