Virtual receptionist in Rochester, MN: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Rochester than in Minnesota or the country as a whole. The median is $36,570 a year1: 2.5% below the Minnesota statewide median of $37,510 and 3.8% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #232 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 420 people in this job here, 4% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Rochester, MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rochester against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | $27,550 | $36,570 | $50,900 | |
| Minnesota | $28,320 | $37,510 | $50,540 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Rochester earns $28,180–$44,400. The top tenth earns $50,900 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,220 wide, wider than in Minnesota as a whole ($12,930) and the US ($11,170), so what a virtual receptionist earns in Rochester depends more on the employer.
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 | $27,550 | $2,296 | $13.25 | $35,548 |
| 25th percentile | $28,180 | $2,348 | $13.55 | $36,361 |
| Median | $36,570 | $3,048 | $17.58 | $47,187 |
| 75th percentile | $44,400 | $3,700 | $21.35 | $57,290 |
| 90th percentile | $50,900 | $4,242 | $24.47 | $65,677 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,390 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,830, or about $10,103 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 median and the 75th percentile in Rochester, and the Minnesota statewide median of $37,510 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
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 $10,617 to the $36,570 median and brings it to $47,187 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 Rochester
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 14 roles we track in Rochester; project coordinators have the highest, at $106,270.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +65.5% | 200 | |
| Bookkeeper | +59.6% | 790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +44.6% | 1,000 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +28.7% | 1,250 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 420 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #13 of the 14 roles we track in Rochester (-3.8%), between paralegals (-2.6%) and sales development representatives (-4.2%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost less in Rochester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 5.6% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Rochester, 4.3% across Minnesota and 6.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $35,350 in Duluth to $39,570 in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, a gap of $4,220 a year. Of the 4 areas in Minnesota with more virtual receptionists than Rochester, 2 pay less: Duluth, MN-WI ($35,350) and the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area ($36,160).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato, MN | +3.8% | 190 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +3.4% | 310 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | +1.8% | 380 | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 420 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 540 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -3.3% | 170 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -3.3% | 550 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #348 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Dover and Great Falls pay just above Rochester and Raleigh-Cary and San Antonio-New Braunfels just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | +1.9% | 420 | jobs | |
| Great Falls, MT | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Dover, DE | +0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 420 | ||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -0.1% | 3,690 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -0.1% | 7,950 | pay | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -7.4% | 420 | jobs | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | -9.9% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Rochester, MN?
About $47,187 a year at the median, or $3,932 a month: $36,570 in pay plus about $10,617 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Rochester?
The median was $36,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,550, the 90th $50,900, and the middle half earned $28,180 to $44,400.
Is Rochester cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,570 against $37,510 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is St. Cloud at $37,210, the next down the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area at $36,160.
How many virtual receptionists work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 420 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Minnesota total of 11,800. 4 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area, with about 540.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Rochester?
No: $10,480 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,570 and $47,050.
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.