Virtual receptionist in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA: cost vs in-house
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $35,650 a year1 is 3.2% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $36,810, and 6.2% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #294 of 521 areas. About 1,620 virtual receptionists work here, 4% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | $23,600 | $35,650 | $45,390 | |
| Pennsylvania | $24,820 | $36,810 | $48,310 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $45,390 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre earns $29,070–$39,140. The mean ($34,960) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,070 wide, against $12,230 across Pennsylvania and $11,170 nationally: employers in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre 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 | $23,600 | $1,967 | $11.35 | $30,452 |
| 25th percentile | $29,070 | $2,422 | $13.98 | $37,510 |
| Median | $35,650 | $2,971 | $17.14 | $46,000 |
| 75th percentile | $39,140 | $3,262 | $18.82 | $50,503 |
| 90th percentile | $45,390 | $3,782 | $21.82 | $58,568 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,490 over it, while the 25th sits $6,580 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $4,503 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 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $36,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre
At the $35,650 median, a local hire costs about $46,000 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,350 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 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre; project coordinators have the highest, at $91,820.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +23.6% | 1,000 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +22.4% | 70 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +17.8% | 3,610 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +4.4% | 200 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,620 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre (-6.2%), between customer support specialists (-6.2%) and administrative assistants (-6.9%). The typical role here is at -10.0%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 8.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, 6.6% across Pennsylvania and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $32,210 in Erie to $38,030 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $5,820 a year. All 5 areas in Pennsylvania with more virtual receptionists than Scranton-Wilkes-Barre also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($38,030) and Pittsburgh, PA ($36,300).
| Area | Median | vs Scranton-Wilkes-Barre | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | +2.1% | 1,160 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +1.8% | 6,100 | |
| Lebanon, PA | +1.0% | 250 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | this area | 1,620 | |
| Gettysburg, PA | -1.0% | 180 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 1,060 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 860 |
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre is #97 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 Pennsylvania, Panama City-Panama City Beach and Pensacola-Ferry Pass pay just above Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Hagerstown-Martinsburg and Springfield just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Scranton-Wilkes-Barre | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +15.1% | 1,550 | jobs | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +9.8% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +0.1% | 1,210 | pay | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | +0.1% | 610 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | this area | 1,620 | ||
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -0.1% | 790 | pay | |
| Springfield, OH | -0.1% | 280 | pay | |
| Knoxville, TN | -0.1% | 1,620 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA?
About $46,000 a year at the median, or $3,833 a month: $35,650 in pay plus about $10,350 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
The median was $35,650 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,600, the 90th $45,390, and the middle half earned $29,070 to $39,140.
Is Scranton-Wilkes-Barre cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $35,650 against $36,810 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Lebanon at $36,010, the next down Gettysburg at $35,280.
How many virtual receptionists work in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
BLS counts about 1,620 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Pennsylvania total of 37,830. 5 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Lancaster, with about 1,730.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
No: $1,560 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,650 and $37,210.
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.