Virtual receptionist in the Maryland nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
The Maryland nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $37,340 a year1 is 2.0% below the Maryland statewide median of $38,100, and 1.8% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #181 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 900 people in this job here, 5% of the Maryland total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Maryland nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Maryland nonmetro area against Maryland and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | $31,320 | $37,340 | $47,070 | |
| Maryland | $31,750 | $38,100 | $49,180 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in the Maryland nonmetro area earns $32,940–$41,400. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $47,070, only 1.5 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 $8,460 wide, against $9,890 across Maryland and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Maryland nonmetro area 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 | $31,320 | $2,610 | $15.06 | $40,413 |
| 25th percentile | $32,940 | $2,745 | $15.84 | $42,503 |
| Median | $37,340 | $3,112 | $17.95 | $48,181 |
| 75th percentile | $41,400 | $3,450 | $19.90 | $53,419 |
| 90th percentile | $47,070 | $3,922 | $22.63 | $60,735 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,060 a year in pay and about $5,239 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,400 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 the Maryland nonmetro area, and the Maryland statewide median of $38,100 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Maryland nonmetro area
At the $37,340 median, a local hire costs about $48,181 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,841 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 the Maryland nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in the Maryland nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $90,490.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +20.9% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +19.4% | 670 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +1.8% | 40 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +1.6% | 1,540 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 900 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in the Maryland nonmetro area (-1.8%), between e-commerce order specialists (+2.1%) and administrative assistants (-2.5%). The typical role here is at -8.1%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in the Maryland nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Maryland nonmetro area, 6.0% across Maryland and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maryland
Across the 5 areas of Maryland with data for this job, the median runs from $35,630 in Hagerstown-Martinsburg to $38,100 in Lexington Park, a gap of $2,470 a year. The one area in Maryland with more virtual receptionists, Baltimore-Columbia, MD ($37,600), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Maryland nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | +2.0% | 460 | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +0.7% | 8,660 | |
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | this area | 900 | |
| Salisbury, MD | -3.0% | 330 | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -4.6% | 790 |
the Maryland nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Maryland nonmetro area is #183 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Maryland, Corvallis and Elmira pay just above the Maryland nonmetro area and Lansing-East Lansing and Midland just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in the Maryland nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Maryland nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmira, NY | +0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Corvallis, OR | +0.1% | 280 | pay | |
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | this area | 900 | ||
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -0.0% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Midland, TX | -0.2% | 590 | pay | |
| Amarillo, TX | -9.2% | 900 | jobs | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -14.4% | 900 | jobs | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -16.4% | 910 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Maryland (Nonmetro)?
About $48,181 a year at the median, or $4,015 a month: $37,340 in pay plus about $10,841 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in the Maryland nonmetro area?
The median was $37,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,320, the 90th $47,070, and the middle half earned $32,940 to $41,400.
Is the Maryland nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Maryland for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,340 against $38,100 statewide. The next area up in Maryland is Baltimore-Columbia at $37,600, the next down Salisbury at $36,210.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Maryland nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Maryland total of 18,390. Only Baltimore-Columbia has more in Maryland.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in the Maryland nonmetro area?
No: $580 a year less at the median. The medians are $37,340 and $37,920.
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.