Virtual receptionist in Shreveport-Bossier City, LA: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Shreveport-Bossier City than in Louisiana or the country as a whole. The median is $31,910 a year1: 2.6% below the Louisiana statewide median of $32,750 and 16.0% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#453 of 521). About 1,140 virtual receptionists work here, 9% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Shreveport-Bossier City, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Shreveport-Bossier City against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $20,230 | $31,910 | $43,680 | |
| Louisiana | $21,420 | $32,750 | $44,410 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $43,680 or more, 2.2 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 Shreveport-Bossier City earns $27,460–$36,760. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $9,300 wide, between the figure for Louisiana ($9,160) and the US figure ($11,170).
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 | $20,230 | $1,686 | $9.73 | $26,103 |
| 25th percentile | $27,460 | $2,288 | $13.20 | $35,432 |
| Median | $31,910 | $2,659 | $15.34 | $41,174 |
| 75th percentile | $36,760 | $3,063 | $17.67 | $47,432 |
| 90th percentile | $43,680 | $3,640 | $21.00 | $56,361 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,850 a year in pay and about $6,258 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,450 in pay. 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 Shreveport-Bossier City, and the Louisiana statewide median of $32,750 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 Shreveport-Bossier City
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 $9,264 to the $31,910 median and brings it to $41,174 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 Shreveport-Bossier City
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Shreveport-Bossier City; project coordinators have the highest, at $79,890.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +20.9% | 2,200 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +17.5% | 200 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +15.7% | 390 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +14.2% | 2,760 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,140 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Shreveport-Bossier City (-16.0%), between accountants (-15.8%) and payroll specialists (-16.3%). The typical role here is at -18.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Shreveport-Bossier City, 7.5% across Louisiana and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $29,520 in the Central Louisiana nonmetro area to $35,750 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $6,230 a year. Of the 3 areas in Louisiana with more virtual receptionists than Shreveport-Bossier City, 1 pays less: Lafayette, LA ($30,170).
| Area | Median | vs Shreveport-Bossier City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +12.0% | 2,930 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | +5.8% | 2,610 | |
| Hammond, LA | +0.7% | 280 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | this area | 1,140 | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -0.5% | 1,000 | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -0.9% | 570 | |
| Alexandria, LA | -1.3% | 400 |
Shreveport-Bossier City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Shreveport-Bossier City is #138 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Louisiana, Beaumont-Port Arthur and Tyler pay just above Shreveport-Bossier City and Anniston-Oxford and Huntington-Ashland just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Shreveport-Bossier City. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Shreveport-Bossier City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +14.9% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Reading, PA | +14.0% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.6% | 810 | pay | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | +0.2% | 900 | pay | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | this area | 1,140 | ||
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -0.1% | 1,050 | pay | |
| Lubbock, TX | -1.1% | 1,130 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Shreveport-Bossier City, LA?
About $41,174 a year at the median, or $3,431 a month: $31,910 in pay plus about $9,264 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Shreveport-Bossier City?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $31,910 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $20,230, the 90th $43,680, and the middle half earned $27,460 to $36,760.
Is Shreveport-Bossier City cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $31,910 against $32,750 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is Hammond at $32,130, the next down Slidell-Mandeville at $31,760.
How many virtual receptionists work in Shreveport-Bossier City?
BLS counts about 1,140 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Louisiana total of 12,820. 3 areas in Louisiana have more; the closest in size is Lafayette, with about 1,180.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Shreveport-Bossier City?
No: $4,530 a year less at the median. The medians are $31,910 and $36,440.
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.