Virtual receptionist in McAllen-Edinburg, TX: cost vs in-house
Of the 32 areas in Texas with BLS pay data for this job, McAllen-Edinburg has the lowest median: $28,530 a year1. That is 19.0% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210, and 24.9% below the US median of $38,010. It is the lowest-paying of the 521 US areas with data for this job. About 1,780 virtual receptionists work here, 2% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in McAllen-Edinburg against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | $21,690 | $28,530 | $37,960 | |
| Texas | $24,700 | $35,210 | $47,380 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in McAllen-Edinburg earns $24,460–$33,910. The top tenth earns $37,960 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,450 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in McAllen-Edinburg 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 | $21,690 | $1,808 | $10.43 | $27,987 |
| 25th percentile | $24,460 | $2,038 | $11.76 | $31,561 |
| Median | $28,530 | $2,378 | $13.72 | $36,813 |
| 75th percentile | $33,910 | $2,826 | $16.30 | $43,755 |
| 90th percentile | $37,960 | $3,163 | $18.25 | $48,981 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,070 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,380, or about $6,942 once benefits are added. 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 above the 90th percentile in McAllen-Edinburg, and the Texas statewide median of $35,210 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles. An offer at the national rate would beat what nine in ten local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in McAllen-Edinburg
At the $28,530 median, a local hire costs about $36,813 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $8,283 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 McAllen-Edinburg
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg; project coordinators have the highest, at $69,910.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +29.5% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +27.5% | 2,230 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +25.6% | 8,270 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +13.8% | 370 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,780 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg (-24.9%), between paralegals (-24.7%) and recruiters (-29.4%). The typical role here is at -21.6%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost less in McAllen-Edinburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 6.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in McAllen-Edinburg, 5.0% across Texas and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $28,530 in McAllen-Edinburg to $37,280 in Midland, a gap of $8,750 a year. All 5 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than McAllen-Edinburg also pay more, among them Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ($37,060) and Houston-Pasadena, TX ($35,350).
| Area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | +7.6% | 450 | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | +6.8% | 340 | |
| El Paso, TX | +3.3% | 1,950 | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | +2.8% | 90 | |
| Laredo, TX | +2.1% | 630 | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | +0.7% | 1,070 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 1,780 |
McAllen-Edinburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, McAllen-Edinburg is #87 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. No US metro area pays virtual receptionists less than McAllen-Edinburg; the table shows the next lowest outside Texas. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +38.1% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Lancaster, PA | +28.9% | 1,730 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MS | +20.4% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | +5.7% | 1,180 | pay | |
| Dothan, AL | +5.4% | 400 | pay | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | +4.6% | 480 | pay | |
| Gadsden, AL | +3.2% | 180 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 1,780 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in McAllen-Edinburg, TX?
About $36,813 a year at the median, or $3,068 a month: $28,530 in pay plus about $8,283 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in McAllen-Edinburg?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $28,530 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $21,690, the 90th $37,960, and the middle half earned $24,460 to $33,910.
Is McAllen-Edinburg the cheapest area in Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes. Its median of $28,530 is the lowest of 32 areas in Texas. Brownsville-Harlingen is next at $28,720.
How many virtual receptionists work in McAllen-Edinburg?
BLS counts about 1,780 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Texas total of 78,330. 5 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is El Paso, with about 1,950.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in McAllen-Edinburg?
No: $3,950 a year less at the median. The medians are $28,530 and $32,480.
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.