Virtual receptionist in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
The Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $31,500 a year1 is 10.5% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210, and 17.1% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#467 of 521). BLS counts about 690 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | $21,420 | $31,500 | $42,840 | |
| Texas | $24,700 | $35,210 | $47,380 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $42,840 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of virtual receptionists in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area earns $27,720–$37,130. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,410 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Northwestern Region of Texas 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 | $27,720 | $2,310 | $13.33 | $35,768 |
| Median | $31,500 | $2,625 | $15.14 | $40,645 |
| 75th percentile | $37,130 | $3,094 | $17.85 | $47,910 |
| 90th percentile | $42,840 | $3,570 | $20.60 | $55,277 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $3,780 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,630, or about $7,265 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 between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area, and the Texas statewide median of $35,210 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 Northwestern Region of Texas 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 $9,145 to the $31,500 median and brings it to $40,645 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 Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $94,960.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +18.7% | 1,500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +17.3% | 500 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +16.1% | 120 | |
| HR Assistant | +11.6% | 150 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 690 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #12 of the 16 roles we track in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area (-17.1%), between customer support specialists (-16.5%) and executive assistants (-19.0%). The typical role here is at -15.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 4.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area, 5.0% across Texas and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. Of the 17 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area, 4 pay less, the largest of them El Paso, TX ($29,460), McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($28,530) and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX ($28,720).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | +1.5% | 900 | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +1.0% | 1,270 | |
| Lubbock, TX | +0.2% | 1,130 | |
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | this area | 690 | |
| San Angelo, TX | -1.0% | 300 | |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 660 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -1.3% | 790 |
the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area is #249 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 Texas, Alexandria and Auburn-Opelika pay just above the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area and Owensboro and Monroe just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +42.5% | 690 | jobs | |
| Spartanburg, SC | +10.9% | 690 | jobs | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | +8.9% | 690 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +0.3% | 330 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | +0.0% | 400 | pay | |
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | this area | 690 | ||
| Owensboro, KY | -0.6% | 310 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | -0.8% | 600 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro)?
About $40,645 a year at the median, or $3,387 a month: $31,500 in pay plus about $9,145 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $31,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $21,420, the 90th $42,840, and the middle half earned $27,720 to $37,130.
Is the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $31,500 against $35,210 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Lubbock at $31,550, the next down San Angelo at $31,200.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 690 in the May 2025 survey. 17 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is Waco, with about 730.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than an HR assistant in the Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetro area?
No: $3,640 a year less at the median. The medians are $31,500 and $35,140.
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.