Virtual receptionist in St. Cloud, MN: cost vs in-house
For this job St. Cloud sits right at the Minnesota figure, with a median of $37,210 a year1. That is about level with the Minnesota statewide median of $37,510, and 2.1% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #189 of 521. About 380 virtual receptionists work here, 3% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area St. Cloud, MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in St. Cloud against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | $26,780 | $37,210 | $48,360 | |
| Minnesota | $28,320 | $37,510 | $50,540 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $48,360, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in St. Cloud earns $32,230–$42,380. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,150 wide, against $12,930 across Minnesota and $11,170 nationally: employers in St. Cloud 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 | $26,780 | $2,232 | $12.88 | $34,555 |
| 25th percentile | $32,230 | $2,686 | $15.50 | $41,587 |
| Median | $37,210 | $3,101 | $17.89 | $48,013 |
| 75th percentile | $42,380 | $3,532 | $20.38 | $54,684 |
| 90th percentile | $48,360 | $4,030 | $23.25 | $62,400 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,980 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,170, or about $6,671 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 St. Cloud, and the Minnesota statewide median of $37,510 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in St. Cloud
At the $37,210 median, a local hire costs about $48,013 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,803 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 St. Cloud
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in St. Cloud; project coordinators have the highest, at $96,390.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +29.6% | 150 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +29.3% | 1,850 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +28.3% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +25.9% | 550 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 380 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in St. Cloud (-2.1%), between recruiters (-1.6%) and HR assistants (-4.7%). The typical role here is at -1.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 4.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in St. Cloud, 4.0% across Minnesota and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 5 areas in Minnesota with more virtual receptionists than St. Cloud, 3 pay less: Duluth, MN-WI ($35,350), the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area ($36,160) and Rochester, MN ($36,570).
| Area | Median | vs St. Cloud | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +2.1% | 8,780 | |
| Mankato, MN | +2.0% | 190 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 310 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | this area | 380 | |
| Rochester, MN | -1.7% | 420 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -2.8% | 540 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -5.0% | 170 |
St. Cloud against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, St. Cloud is #372 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Kansas City and Harrisonburg pay just above St. Cloud and Grand Rapids-Wyoming and Charlottesville just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in St. Cloud. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs St. Cloud | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +0.0% | 6,750 | pay | |
| St. Cloud, MN | this area | 380 | ||
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -0.1% | 3,130 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -0.2% | 720 | pay | |
| Odessa, TX | -2.7% | 380 | jobs | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -3.0% | 380 | jobs | |
| Florence, SC | -11.0% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in St. Cloud, MN?
About $48,013 a year at the median, or $4,001 a month: $37,210 in pay plus about $10,803 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in St. Cloud?
The median was $37,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $26,780, the 90th $48,360, and the middle half earned $32,230 to $42,380.
Is St. Cloud cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $37,210 against $37,510 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area at $37,810, the next down Rochester at $36,570.
How many virtual receptionists work in St. Cloud?
BLS counts about 380 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Minnesota total of 11,800. 5 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 420.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in St. Cloud?
No: $9,630 a year less at the median. The medians are $37,210 and $46,840.
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.