Virtual receptionist in Roanoke, VA: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Roanoke than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $34,240 a year1: 7.6% below the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 and 9.9% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #380 of 521 areas. About 980 virtual receptionists work here, 4% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Roanoke, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Roanoke against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | $27,610 | $34,240 | $43,100 | |
| Virginia | $28,800 | $37,060 | $47,220 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Roanoke earns $29,200–$37,440. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $43,100, only 1.6 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 $8,240 wide, against $12,210 across Virginia and $11,170 nationally: employers in Roanoke 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 | $27,610 | $2,301 | $13.27 | $35,626 |
| 25th percentile | $29,200 | $2,433 | $14.04 | $37,677 |
| Median | $34,240 | $2,853 | $16.46 | $44,181 |
| 75th percentile | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 | $48,310 |
| 90th percentile | $43,100 | $3,592 | $20.72 | $55,613 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,200 over it, while the 25th sits $5,040 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $4,129 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Roanoke, and the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 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 Roanoke
At the $34,240 median, a local hire costs about $44,181 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $9,941 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 Roanoke
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke; project coordinators have the highest, at $91,170.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +31.7% | 1,230 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +23.5% | 70 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +13.6% | 80 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.8% | 1,580 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 980 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke (-9.9%), between HR assistants (-9.4%) and project coordinators (-10.9%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Roanoke, 5.5% across Virginia and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $33,940 in Lynchburg to $37,220 in Harrisonburg, a gap of $3,280 a year. All 2 areas in Virginia with more virtual receptionists than Roanoke also pay more, among them Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($35,470) and Richmond, VA ($36,400).
| Area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +4.6% | 310 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | +3.6% | 4,370 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +2.8% | 640 | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +2.0% | 370 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 270 | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 980 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -0.9% | 560 |
Roanoke against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Roanoke is #166 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, Wilmington and Sherman-Denison pay just above Roanoke and Bloomington and Sebring just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Roanoke. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +25.0% | 980 | jobs | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +20.6% | 990 | jobs | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +0.1% | 320 | pay | |
| Wilmington, NC | +0.1% | 1,210 | pay | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 980 | ||
| Bloomington, IN | -0.0% | 410 | pay | |
| Sebring, FL | -0.1% | 210 | pay | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -0.3% | 990 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Roanoke, VA?
About $44,181 a year at the median, or $3,682 a month: $34,240 in pay plus about $9,941 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Roanoke?
The median was $34,240 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,610, the 90th $43,100, and the middle half earned $29,200 to $37,440.
Is Roanoke cheaper than the rest of Virginia for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $34,240 against $37,060 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area at $34,940, the next down Lynchburg at $33,940.
How many virtual receptionists work in Roanoke?
BLS counts about 980 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Virginia total of 23,360. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Richmond have more in Virginia.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Roanoke?
No: $3,030 a year less at the median. The medians are $34,240 and $37,270.
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.