Virtual receptionist in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
No other area in Missouri pays virtual receptionists less than the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area. The median is $33,280 a year1, 6.9% below the Missouri statewide median of $35,740 and 12.4% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#414 of 521). BLS counts about 890 people in this job here, 5% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | $28,600 | $33,280 | $42,170 | |
| Missouri | $29,230 | $35,740 | $46,660 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area earns $29,810–$36,560. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $42,170, 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 $6,750 wide, against $7,990 across Missouri and $11,170 nationally: employers in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area 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 | $28,600 | $2,383 | $13.75 | $36,903 |
| 25th percentile | $29,810 | $2,484 | $14.33 | $38,465 |
| Median | $33,280 | $2,773 | $16.00 | $42,942 |
| 75th percentile | $36,560 | $3,047 | $17.58 | $47,174 |
| 90th percentile | $42,170 | $3,514 | $20.27 | $54,413 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $3,470 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $3,280, or about $4,232 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area, and the Missouri statewide median of $35,740 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 the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area
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 $9,662 to the $33,280 median and brings it to $42,942 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 the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $79,430.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +15.8% | 90 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +11.7% | 1,920 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +11.6% | 1,500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +10.6% | 620 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 890 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area (-12.4%), between data entry specialists (-6.8%) and HR assistants (-12.5%). The typical role here is at -21.4%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area, 6.8% across Missouri and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $33,280 in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area to $37,210 in Kansas City, a gap of $3,930 a year. All 4 areas in Missouri with more virtual receptionists than the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area also pay more, among them St. Louis, MO-IL ($36,470) and Kansas City, MO-KS ($37,210).
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | +3.7% | 410 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | +3.2% | 510 | |
| Columbia, MO | +2.2% | 730 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | +2.1% | 1,060 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | +1.7% | 440 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | +1.3% | 550 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 890 |
the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area is #195 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 Missouri, Las Cruces and Decatur pay just above the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area and Mansfield and Morgantown just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | +34.1% | 890 | jobs | |
| Bend, OR | +28.7% | 890 | jobs | |
| Decatur, AL | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Las Cruces, NM | +0.0% | 620 | pay | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 890 | ||
| Mansfield, OH | -0.3% | 290 | pay | |
| Morgantown, WV | -0.3% | 600 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | -3.2% | 890 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro)?
About $42,942 a year at the median, or $3,578 a month: $33,280 in pay plus about $9,662 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $33,280 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,600, the 90th $42,170, and the middle half earned $29,810 to $36,560.
Is the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area the cheapest area in Missouri for virtual receptionists?
Yes. Its median of $33,280 is the lowest of 12 areas in Missouri. The North Missouri nonmetro area is next at $33,710.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 890 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Missouri total of 18,890. 4 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is the Central Missouri nonmetro area, with about 1,060.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area?
No: $3,530 a year less at the median. The medians are $33,280 and $36,810.
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.