Virtual receptionist in Montgomery, AL: cost vs in-house
Montgomery is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $30,740 a year1 is 5.7% below the Alabama statewide median of $32,590, and 19.1% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally that is #488 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 750 people in this job here, 7% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Montgomery, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Montgomery against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, AL | $22,490 | $30,740 | $39,880 | |
| Alabama | $22,830 | $32,590 | $40,730 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $39,880, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Montgomery earns $27,600–$36,150. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $8,550 wide, between the figure for Alabama ($8,540) 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 | $22,490 | $1,874 | $10.81 | $29,019 |
| 25th percentile | $27,600 | $2,300 | $13.27 | $35,613 |
| Median | $30,740 | $2,562 | $14.78 | $39,665 |
| 75th percentile | $36,150 | $3,012 | $17.38 | $46,645 |
| 90th percentile | $39,880 | $3,323 | $19.17 | $51,458 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,410 over the median, the 25th only $3,140 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,981 a year in employer cost. 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 Montgomery, and the Alabama statewide median of $32,590 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 Montgomery
At the $30,740 median, a local hire costs about $39,665 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $8,925 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 Montgomery
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Montgomery; project coordinators have the highest, at $91,080.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +31.0% | 4,060 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +20.2% | 2,500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +18.7% | 1,110 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +13.6% | 80 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 750 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #11 of the 16 roles we track in Montgomery (-19.1%), between customer support specialists (-17.4%) and payroll specialists (-20.3%). The typical role here is at -15.5%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost less in Montgomery than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 4.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Montgomery, 4.8% across Alabama and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Alabama
Across the 16 areas of Alabama with data for this job, the median runs from $29,450 in Gadsden to $35,610 in Birmingham, a gap of $6,160 a year. Of the 3 areas in Alabama with more virtual receptionists than Montgomery, 1 pays less: Mobile, AL ($30,710).
| Area | Median | vs Montgomery | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +3.8% | 190 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | +3.3% | 460 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +2.8% | 330 | |
| Montgomery, AL | this area | 750 | |
| Mobile, AL | -0.1% | 880 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -0.4% | 510 | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -0.5% | 330 |
Montgomery against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Montgomery is #229 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 Alabama, Clarksville and Sumter pay just above Montgomery and Abilene and Jacksonville just below. All four are within $320 a year of the median in Montgomery. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Montgomery | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +41.2% | 750 | jobs | |
| Kenosha, WI | +39.6% | 750 | jobs | |
| Asheville, NC | +17.1% | 750 | jobs | |
| Sumter, SC | +1.0% | 180 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.7% | 450 | pay | |
| Montgomery, AL | this area | 750 | ||
| Abilene, TX | -0.2% | 450 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -0.5% | 270 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Montgomery, AL?
About $39,665 a year at the median, or $3,305 a month: $30,740 in pay plus about $8,925 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Montgomery?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $30,740 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $22,490, the 90th $39,880, and the middle half earned $27,600 to $36,150.
Is Montgomery cheaper than the rest of Alabama for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $30,740 against $32,590 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Auburn-Opelika at $31,600, the next down Mobile at $30,710.
How many virtual receptionists work in Montgomery?
BLS counts about 750 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Alabama total of 10,460. 3 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is Mobile, with about 880.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Montgomery?
No: $4,190 a year less at the median. The medians are $30,740 and $34,930.
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.