Virtual receptionist in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL: cost vs in-house
For this job Tampa-St. Petersburg sits right at the Florida figure, with a median of $36,640 a year1. That is about level with the Florida statewide median of $36,810, and 3.6% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #227 of 521 areas. About 10,290 virtual receptionists work here, 16% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $30,160 | $36,640 | $46,480 | |
| Florida | $28,850 | $36,810 | $46,480 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Tampa-St. Petersburg earns $33,280–$40,630. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $46,480, 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 $7,350 wide, against $8,860 across Florida and $11,170 nationally: employers in Tampa-St. Petersburg 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 | $30,160 | $2,513 | $14.50 | $38,916 |
| 25th percentile | $33,280 | $2,773 | $16.00 | $42,942 |
| Median | $36,640 | $3,053 | $17.62 | $47,277 |
| 75th percentile | $40,630 | $3,386 | $19.53 | $52,426 |
| 90th percentile | $46,480 | $3,873 | $22.35 | $59,974 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $3,360 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $3,990, or about $5,148 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg, and the Florida statewide median of $36,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tampa-St. Petersburg
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 $10,637 to the $36,640 median and brings it to $47,277 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg; project coordinators have the highest, at $97,780.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +34.3% | 650 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +19.5% | 16,350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +16.4% | 34,150 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +5.1% | 1,460 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 10,290 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg (-3.6%), between bookkeepers (-1.1%) and paralegals (-4.4%). The typical role here is at -4.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tampa-St. Petersburg, 6.0% across Florida and 6.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $34,100 in Tallahassee to $39,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $4,900 a year. The one area in Florida with more virtual receptionists, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($37,570), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.3% | 4,380 | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | +0.3% | 850 | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.1% | 1,160 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 10,290 | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | -0.6% | 530 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -0.8% | 1,470 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -1.0% | 7,550 |
Tampa-St. Petersburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tampa-St. Petersburg is #14 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 Florida, Akron and Austin-Round Rock pay just above Tampa-St. Petersburg and Missoula and Chambersburg just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Tampa-St. Petersburg. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +4.3% | 11,100 | jobs | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +3.7% | 8,780 | jobs | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | +0.1% | 7,480 | pay | |
| Akron, OH | +0.1% | 2,120 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 10,290 | ||
| Missoula, MT | -0.1% | 170 | pay | |
| Chambersburg, PA | -0.1% | 400 | pay | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -0.5% | 8,700 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL?
About $47,277 a year at the median, or $3,940 a month: $36,640 in pay plus about $10,637 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
The median was $36,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,160, the 90th $46,480, and the middle half earned $33,280 to $40,630.
Is Tampa-St. Petersburg cheaper than the rest of Florida for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $36,640 against $36,810 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Port St. Lucie at $36,680, the next down Sebastian-Vero Beach at $36,430.
How many virtual receptionists work in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
BLS counts about 10,290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the Florida total of 63,280. Only Miami-Fort Lauderdale has more in Florida.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
No: $1,870 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,640 and $38,510.
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.