Virtual receptionist in Owensboro, KY: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Owensboro than in Kentucky or the country as a whole. The median is $31,300 a year1: 5.0% below the Kentucky statewide median of $32,940 and 17.7% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally that is #469 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 310 people in this job here, 3% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Owensboro, KY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Owensboro against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro, KY | $25,010 | $31,300 | $42,480 | |
| Kentucky | $23,720 | $32,940 | $44,270 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Owensboro earns $29,570–$37,950. The top tenth earns $42,480 or more, 1.7 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 $8,380 wide, against $10,020 across Kentucky and $11,170 nationally: employers in Owensboro 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 | $25,010 | $2,084 | $12.02 | $32,271 |
| 25th percentile | $29,570 | $2,464 | $14.22 | $38,155 |
| Median | $31,300 | $2,608 | $15.05 | $40,387 |
| 75th percentile | $37,950 | $3,162 | $18.25 | $48,968 |
| 90th percentile | $42,480 | $3,540 | $20.42 | $54,813 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,650 over the median, the 25th only $1,730 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,581 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 Owensboro, and the Kentucky statewide median of $32,940 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 Owensboro
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 $9,087 to the $31,300 median and brings it to $40,387 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 Owensboro
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 14 roles we track in Owensboro; project coordinators have the highest, at $79,320.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +48.3% | 560 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +44.6% | 920 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +25.8% | 470 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +18.4% | 520 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 310 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in Owensboro (-17.7%), between administrative assistants (-17.2%) and recruiters (-17.8%). The typical role here is at -17.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.3% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Owensboro, 4.8% across Kentucky and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $29,640 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $34,520 in Louisville, a gap of $4,880 a year. Of the 7 areas in Kentucky with more virtual receptionists than Owensboro, 2 pay less: the Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($29,680) and the East Kentucky nonmetro area ($29,640).
| Area | Median | vs Owensboro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah, KY-IL | +2.7% | 240 | |
| South Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | +2.5% | 840 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +1.4% | 390 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | +0.2% | 520 | |
| Owensboro, KY | this area | 310 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 740 | |
| East Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.3% | 370 |
Owensboro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Owensboro is #416 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Kentucky, Alexandria and Lubbock pay just above Owensboro and Monroe and Columbus just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Owensboro. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Owensboro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | +13.8% | 310 | jobs | |
| Albany, GA | +9.7% | 310 | jobs | |
| Williamsport, PA | +8.0% | 310 | jobs | |
| Lubbock, TX | +0.8% | 1,130 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | +0.6% | 400 | pay | |
| Owensboro, KY | this area | 310 | ||
| Monroe, LA | -0.2% | 600 | pay | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -0.3% | 910 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Owensboro, KY?
About $40,387 a year at the median, or $3,366 a month: $31,300 in pay plus about $9,087 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Owensboro?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $31,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $25,010, the 90th $42,480, and the middle half earned $29,570 to $37,950.
Is Owensboro cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $31,300 against $32,940 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is the West Kentucky nonmetro area at $31,360, the next down the Central Kentucky nonmetro area at $29,680.
How many virtual receptionists work in Owensboro?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Kentucky total of 9,290. 7 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is the East Kentucky nonmetro area, with about 370.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Owensboro?
No: $5,770 a year less at the median. The medians are $31,300 and $37,070.
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.