Virtual receptionist in Pittsfield, MA: cost vs in-house
Pittsfield pays virtual receptionists less than Massachusetts as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $41,890 a year1: 4.5% below the Massachusetts statewide median of $43,870 and 10.2% above the US median of $38,010. Only 51 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. About 360 virtual receptionists work here, 2% of the Massachusetts total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Pittsfield, MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Pittsfield against Massachusetts and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | $34,490 | $41,890 | $51,040 | |
| Massachusetts | $35,790 | $43,870 | $54,270 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Pittsfield earns $36,390–$45,300. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $51,040, 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 $8,910 wide, against $9,650 across Massachusetts and $11,170 nationally: employers in Pittsfield 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 | $34,490 | $2,874 | $16.58 | $44,503 |
| 25th percentile | $36,390 | $3,032 | $17.50 | $46,955 |
| Median | $41,890 | $3,491 | $20.14 | $54,052 |
| 75th percentile | $45,300 | $3,775 | $21.78 | $58,452 |
| 90th percentile | $51,040 | $4,253 | $24.54 | $65,858 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,410 over it, while the 25th sits $5,500 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $4,400 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 25th percentile and the median in Pittsfield, and the Massachusetts statewide median of $43,870 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Pittsfield
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 $12,162 to the $41,890 median and brings it to $54,052 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 Pittsfield
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 15 roles we track in Pittsfield; project coordinators have the highest, at $104,640.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +19.3% | 600 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +16.8% | 530 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +11.3% | 30 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +6.6% | 680 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 360 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #3 of the 15 roles we track in Pittsfield (+10.2%), between data entry specialists (+12.8%) and bookkeepers (+9.2%). The typical role here is at +2.0%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Pittsfield than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 6.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Pittsfield, 4.9% across Massachusetts and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Massachusetts
Across the 7 areas of Massachusetts with data for this job, the median runs from $40,770 in Springfield to $45,820 in Barnstable Town, a gap of $5,050 a year. Of the 5 areas in Massachusetts with more virtual receptionists than Pittsfield, 3 pay less: Worcester, MA ($41,720), Springfield, MA ($40,770) and Amherst Town-Northampton, MA ($41,770).
| Area | Median | vs Pittsfield | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +9.4% | 670 | |
| Massachusetts (Nonmetro) | +7.3% | 200 | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +4.9% | 14,320 | |
| Pittsfield, MA | this area | 360 | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | -0.3% | 410 | |
| Worcester, MA | -0.4% | 1,940 | |
| Springfield, MA | -2.7% | 1,240 |
Pittsfield against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Pittsfield is #389 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Massachusetts, Stockton-Lodi and Boulder pay just above Pittsfield and Yuba City and Riverside-San Bernardino just below. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Pittsfield | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +2.2% | 980 | pay | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +2.0% | 920 | pay | |
| Pittsfield, MA | this area | 360 | ||
| Yuba City, CA | -0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -0.2% | 6,880 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | -5.4% | 360 | jobs | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -18.5% | 360 | jobs | |
| Greenville, NC | -19.6% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Pittsfield, MA?
About $54,052 a year at the median, or $4,504 a month: $41,890 in pay plus about $12,162 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Pittsfield?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $41,890 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,490, the 90th $51,040, and the middle half earned $36,390 to $45,300.
Is Pittsfield cheaper than the rest of Massachusetts for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,890 against $43,870 statewide. The next area up in Massachusetts is Boston-Cambridge at $43,930, the next down Amherst Town-Northampton at $41,770.
How many virtual receptionists work in Pittsfield?
BLS counts about 360 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Massachusetts total of 18,970. 5 areas in Massachusetts have more; the closest in size is Amherst Town-Northampton, with about 410.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Pittsfield?
No: $2,760 a year less at the median. The medians are $41,890 and $44,650.
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.