Virtual receptionist in Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL: cost vs in-house
Palm Bay-Melbourne is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $36,350 a year1 is 1.2% below the Florida statewide median of $36,810, and 4.4% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #248 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,470 people in this job here, 2% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Palm Bay-Melbourne against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | $28,900 | $36,350 | $44,230 | |
| Florida | $28,850 | $36,810 | $46,480 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Palm Bay-Melbourne earns $31,600–$39,220. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $44,230, only 1.5 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $7,620 wide, against $8,860 across Florida and $11,170 nationally: employers in Palm Bay-Melbourne 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 | $28,900 | $2,408 | $13.89 | $37,290 |
| 25th percentile | $31,600 | $2,633 | $15.19 | $40,774 |
| Median | $36,350 | $3,029 | $17.48 | $46,903 |
| 75th percentile | $39,220 | $3,268 | $18.86 | $50,606 |
| 90th percentile | $44,230 | $3,686 | $21.26 | $57,071 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $2,870 over it, while the 25th sits $4,750 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $3,703 more a year with benefits. 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne, and the Florida statewide median of $36,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Palm Bay-Melbourne
At the $36,350 median, a local hire costs about $46,903 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,553 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Palm Bay-Melbourne; project coordinators have the highest, at $103,870.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +26.3% | 2,330 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +11.1% | 2,510 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.5% | 180 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +3.9% | 4,700 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,470 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Palm Bay-Melbourne (-4.4%), between administrative assistants (-3.4%) and data entry specialists (-5.5%). The typical role here is at -7.4%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Palm Bay-Melbourne than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Palm Bay-Melbourne, 5.5% across Florida and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $34,100 in Tallahassee to $39,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $4,900 a year. Of the 6 areas in Florida with more virtual receptionists than Palm Bay-Melbourne, 1 pays less: Orlando-Kissimmee, FL ($36,290).
| Area | Median | vs Palm Bay-Melbourne | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.9% | 1,160 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | +0.8% | 10,290 | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | +0.2% | 530 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | this area | 1,470 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -0.2% | 7,550 | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | -1.5% | 1,410 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -1.8% | 1,210 |
Palm Bay-Melbourne against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Palm Bay-Melbourne is #104 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 Florida, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Reading pay just above Palm Bay-Melbourne and Cleveland and South Bend-Mishawaka just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Palm Bay-Melbourne. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Palm Bay-Melbourne | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | +7.8% | 1,500 | jobs | |
| Reading, PA | +0.1% | 1,160 | pay | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | +0.1% | 530 | pay | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | this area | 1,470 | ||
| Cleveland, OH | -0.1% | 5,700 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Huntsville, AL | -3.5% | 1,470 | jobs | |
| Springfield, MO | -4.8% | 1,470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL?
About $46,903 a year at the median, or $3,909 a month: $36,350 in pay plus about $10,553 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Palm Bay-Melbourne?
The median was $36,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,900, the 90th $44,230, and the middle half earned $31,600 to $39,220.
Is Palm Bay-Melbourne cheaper than the rest of Florida for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,350 against $36,810 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Sebastian-Vero Beach at $36,430, the next down Orlando-Kissimmee at $36,290.
How many virtual receptionists work in Palm Bay-Melbourne?
BLS counts about 1,470 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Florida total of 63,280. 6 areas in Florida have more; the closest in size is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, with about 2,270.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Palm Bay-Melbourne?
No: $1,410 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,350 and $37,760.
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.