Virtual receptionist in St. Louis, MO-IL: cost vs in-house
For this job St. Louis sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $36,470 a year1. That is 2.0% above the Missouri statewide median of $35,740, and 4.1% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #239 of 521. It is the largest market for the job in Missouri: about 8,700 people.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area St. Louis, MO-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in St. Louis against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $30,550 | $36,470 | $47,500 | |
| Missouri | $29,230 | $35,740 | $46,660 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in St. Louis earns $33,640–$41,590. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $47,500, only 1.6 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 $7,950 wide, against $7,990 across Missouri and $11,170 nationally: employers in St. Louis 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 | $30,550 | $2,546 | $14.69 | $39,419 |
| 25th percentile | $33,640 | $2,803 | $16.17 | $43,406 |
| Median | $36,470 | $3,039 | $17.53 | $47,058 |
| 75th percentile | $41,590 | $3,466 | $20.00 | $53,665 |
| 90th percentile | $47,500 | $3,958 | $22.84 | $61,290 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,120 over the median, the 25th only $2,830 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,606 a year in employer cost. 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. Louis, and the Missouri statewide median of $35,740 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in St. Louis
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 $10,588 to the $36,470 median and brings it to $47,058 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 St. Louis
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in St. Louis; project coordinators have the highest, at $100,510.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +25.6% | 23,760 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +25.1% | 6,570 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +23.6% | 450 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.3% | 910 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 8,700 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in St. Louis (-4.1%), between administrative assistants (-2.8%) and HR assistants (-5.2%). The typical role here is at -2.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in St. Louis, 6.8% across Missouri and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. No other area in Missouri has as many virtual receptionists, and 10 of the other 11 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs St. Louis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +2.0% | 6,750 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | this area | 8,700 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -3.5% | 320 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -4.7% | 330 | |
| Springfield, MO | -5.2% | 1,470 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -5.4% | 410 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -5.8% | 510 |
St. Louis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, St. Louis is #16 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 Missouri, Springfield and Macon-Bibb County pay just above St. Louis and Muskegon-Norton Shores and Sebastian-Vero Beach just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in St. Louis. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs St. Louis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | +35.6% | 8,510 | jobs | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +4.2% | 8,780 | jobs | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +3.1% | 8,660 | jobs | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +0.1% | 570 | pay | |
| Springfield, IL | +0.1% | 670 | pay | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | this area | 8,700 | ||
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -0.0% | 320 | pay | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | -0.1% | 530 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in St. Louis, MO-IL?
About $47,058 a year at the median, or $3,922 a month: $36,470 in pay plus about $10,588 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in St. Louis?
The median was $36,470 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,550, the 90th $47,500, and the middle half earned $33,640 to $41,590.
Is St. Louis cheaper than the rest of Missouri for virtual receptionists?
No, it costs more: a median of $36,470 against $35,740 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Kansas City at $37,210, the next down St. Joseph at $35,190.
How many virtual receptionists work in St. Louis?
BLS counts about 8,700 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Missouri has as many.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in St. Louis?
No: $2,660 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,470 and $39,130.
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.