Virtual receptionist in Memphis, TN-MS: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Memphis than in Tennessee or the country as a whole. The median is $34,530 a year1: 1.1% below the Tennessee statewide median of $34,910 and 9.2% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #364 of 521. About 2,100 virtual receptionists work here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Memphis, TN-MS-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Memphis against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | $24,110 | $34,530 | $46,010 | |
| Tennessee | $25,400 | $34,910 | $45,980 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Memphis earns $29,600–$39,090. The top tenth earns $46,010 or more, 1.9 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 $9,490 wide, against $10,460 across Tennessee and $11,170 nationally: employers in Memphis 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 | $24,110 | $2,009 | $11.59 | $31,110 |
| 25th percentile | $29,600 | $2,467 | $14.23 | $38,194 |
| Median | $34,530 | $2,878 | $16.60 | $44,555 |
| 75th percentile | $39,090 | $3,258 | $18.79 | $50,439 |
| 90th percentile | $46,010 | $3,834 | $22.12 | $59,368 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,560 a year in pay and about $5,884 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,930 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 Memphis, and the Tennessee statewide median of $34,910 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Memphis
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 $10,025 to the $34,530 median and brings it to $44,555 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 Memphis
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Memphis; project coordinators have the highest, at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +27.7% | 9,360 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +19.5% | 550 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +18.1% | 540 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +15.7% | 7,180 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 2,100 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Memphis (-9.2%), between marketing specialists (-9.1%) and paralegals (-9.6%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 3.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Memphis, 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. The one area in Tennessee with more virtual receptionists, Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($36,810), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +6.6% | 4,040 | |
| Knoxville, TN | +3.2% | 1,620 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | +1.6% | 1,090 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 2,100 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -1.7% | 470 | |
| Jackson, TN | -1.9% | 270 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -4.7% | 340 |
Memphis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Memphis is #77 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, Dalton and Springfield pay just above Memphis and Louisville and Jefferson City just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Memphis. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden, UT | +6.6% | 2,050 | jobs | |
| Akron, OH | +6.2% | 2,120 | jobs | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +2.4% | 2,140 | jobs | |
| Springfield, MO | +0.2% | 1,470 | pay | |
| Dalton, GA | +0.1% | 340 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 2,100 | ||
| Louisville, KY-IN | -0.0% | 3,330 | pay | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -0.1% | 410 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Memphis, TN-MS?
About $44,555 a year at the median, or $3,713 a month: $34,530 in pay plus about $10,025 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Memphis?
The median was $34,530 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,110, the 90th $46,010, and the middle half earned $29,600 to $39,090.
Is Memphis cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $34,530 against $34,910 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Chattanooga at $35,070, the next down Kingsport-Bristol at $33,940.
How many virtual receptionists work in Memphis?
BLS counts about 2,100 in the May 2025 survey. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro has more in Tennessee.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Memphis?
No: $5,410 a year less at the median. The medians are $34,530 and $39,940.
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.