Virtual receptionist in Springfield, IL: cost vs in-house
Springfield is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $36,500 a year1 is 2.4% below the Illinois statewide median of $37,400, and 4.0% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #238 of 521. About 670 virtual receptionists work here, 2% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Springfield, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Springfield against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | $31,200 | $36,500 | $46,680 | |
| Illinois | $31,200 | $37,400 | $48,350 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Springfield earns $32,640–$41,470. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $46,680, 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 $8,830 wide, against $9,750 across Illinois and $11,170 nationally: employers in Springfield 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 | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $32,640 | $2,720 | $15.69 | $42,116 |
| Median | $36,500 | $3,042 | $17.55 | $47,097 |
| 75th percentile | $41,470 | $3,456 | $19.94 | $53,510 |
| 90th percentile | $46,680 | $3,890 | $22.44 | $60,232 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $4,970 a year in pay and about $6,413 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $3,860 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 median and the 75th percentile in Springfield, and the Illinois statewide median of $37,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Springfield
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 $10,597 to the $36,500 median and brings it to $47,097 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 Springfield
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Springfield; project coordinators have the highest, at $100,030.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +30.3% | 1,290 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +21.2% | 170 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +18.8% | 1,330 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +10.2% | 1,510 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 670 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #9 of the 16 roles we track in Springfield (-4.0%), between project coordinators (-2.2%) and executive assistants (-4.0%). The typical role here is at -3.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 5.6% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Springfield, 6.6% across Illinois and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 12 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $33,920 in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area to $38,060 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $4,140 a year. Of the 8 areas in Illinois with more virtual receptionists than Springfield, 4 pay less, the largest of them Peoria, IL ($35,970), the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($33,920) and the East Central Illinois nonmetro area ($34,770).
| Area | Median | vs Springfield | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | +2.6% | 1,000 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +1.0% | 760 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 930 | |
| Springfield, IL | this area | 670 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 930 | |
| Peoria, IL | -1.5% | 1,010 | |
| Decatur, IL | -2.2% | 260 |
Springfield against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Springfield is #254 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Macon-Bibb County and Las Vegas-Henderson pay just above Springfield and St. Louis and Muskegon-Norton Shores just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Springfield. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Springfield | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +25.5% | 670 | jobs | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | +9.1% | 670 | jobs | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | +0.1% | 8,030 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +0.0% | 570 | pay | |
| Springfield, IL | this area | 670 | ||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -0.1% | 8,700 | pay | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -0.1% | 320 | pay | |
| Jonesboro, AR | -10.8% | 670 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Springfield, IL?
About $47,097 a year at the median, or $3,925 a month: $36,500 in pay plus about $10,597 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Springfield?
The median was $36,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $46,680, and the middle half earned $32,640 to $41,470.
Is Springfield cheaper than the rest of Illinois for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,500 against $37,400 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the South Illinois nonmetro area at $36,790, the next down the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area at $36,400.
How many virtual receptionists work in Springfield?
BLS counts about 670 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Illinois total of 40,370. 8 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Champaign-Urbana, with about 760.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Springfield?
No: $3,730 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,500 and $40,230.
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.