Virtual receptionist in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
The Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $30,540 a year1 is 6.7% below the Louisiana statewide median of $32,750, and 19.7% below the US median of $38,010. Only 25 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 410 people in this job here, 3% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | $21,420 | $30,540 | $39,120 | |
| Louisiana | $21,420 | $32,750 | $44,410 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area earns $26,380–$35,480. The top tenth earns $39,120 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 $9,100 wide, against $9,160 across Louisiana and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Northeast Louisiana 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 | $21,420 | $1,785 | $10.30 | $27,639 |
| 25th percentile | $26,380 | $2,198 | $12.68 | $34,039 |
| Median | $30,540 | $2,545 | $14.68 | $39,406 |
| 75th percentile | $35,480 | $2,957 | $17.06 | $45,781 |
| 90th percentile | $39,120 | $3,260 | $18.81 | $50,477 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,940 a year in pay and about $6,374 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,160 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area, and the Louisiana statewide median of $32,750 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 the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area
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 $8,866 to the $30,540 median and brings it to $39,406 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 the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $94,020.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +30.4% | 550 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +21.0% | 1,100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +17.5% | 50 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +10.9% | 490 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 410 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #3 of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area (-19.7%), between payroll specialists (-17.6%) and accountants (-19.8%). The typical role here is at -22.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 9.2% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area, 7.6% across Louisiana and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $29,520 in the Central Louisiana nonmetro area to $35,750 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $6,230 a year. Of the 10 areas in Louisiana with more virtual receptionists than the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area, 3 pay less: Lafayette, LA ($30,170), the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area ($29,680) and the Central Louisiana nonmetro area ($29,520).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LA | +3.1% | 400 | |
| Monroe, LA | +2.3% | 600 | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +1.7% | 590 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 410 | |
| Lafayette, LA | -1.2% | 1,180 | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -2.8% | 550 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -3.3% | 420 |
the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area is #358 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 Louisiana, Florence-Muscle Shoals and Jacksonville pay just above the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area and Texarkana and Beckley just below. All four are within $360 a year of the median in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +36.8% | 410 | jobs | |
| Jefferson City, MO | +13.0% | 410 | jobs | |
| Bloomington, IN | +12.1% | 410 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +0.2% | 270 | pay | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 410 | ||
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -0.2% | 340 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | -1.2% | 350 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro)?
About $39,406 a year at the median, or $3,284 a month: $30,540 in pay plus about $8,866 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $30,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $21,420, the 90th $39,120, and the middle half earned $26,380 to $35,480.
Is the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $30,540 against $32,750 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is Houma-Bayou Cane at $31,060, the next down Lafayette at $30,170.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Louisiana total of 12,820. 10 areas in Louisiana have more; the closest in size is the Central Louisiana nonmetro area, with about 420.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area?
No: $3,330 a year less at the median. The medians are $30,540 and $33,870.
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.