Virtual receptionist in Texarkana, TX-AR: cost vs in-house
Texarkana is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $30,470 a year1 is 13.5% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210, and 19.8% below the US median of $38,010. Only 24 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 340 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Texarkana, TX-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Texarkana against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $24,460 | $30,470 | $38,710 | |
| Texas | $24,700 | $35,210 | $47,380 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $38,710, 1.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Texarkana earns $27,880–$35,390. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $7,510 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in Texarkana 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 | $24,460 | $2,038 | $11.76 | $31,561 |
| 25th percentile | $27,880 | $2,323 | $13.40 | $35,974 |
| Median | $30,470 | $2,539 | $14.65 | $39,316 |
| 75th percentile | $35,390 | $2,949 | $17.01 | $45,665 |
| 90th percentile | $38,710 | $3,226 | $18.61 | $49,948 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $4,920 over the median, the 25th only $2,590 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,348 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Texarkana, and the Texas statewide median of $35,210 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 Texarkana
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 $8,846 to the $30,470 median and brings it to $39,316 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 Texarkana
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 15 roles we track in Texarkana; project coordinators have the highest, at $74,590.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +23.0% | 670 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +18.4% | 740 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +16.0% | 310 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.0% | 60 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 340 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in Texarkana (-19.8%), between customer support specialists (-19.4%) and data entry specialists (-21.1%). The typical role here is at -21.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Texarkana, 5.0% across Texas and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $28,530 in McAllen-Edinburg to $37,280 in Midland, a gap of $8,750 a year. Of the 26 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than Texarkana, 4 pay less, the largest of them El Paso, TX ($29,460), McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($28,530) and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX ($28,720).
| Area | Median | vs Texarkana | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 640 | |
| Border Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 180 | |
| Abilene, TX | +0.7% | 450 | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | this area | 340 | |
| El Paso, TX | -3.3% | 1,950 | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -3.7% | 90 | |
| Laredo, TX | -4.4% | 630 |
Texarkana against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Texarkana is #398 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Florence-Muscle Shoals and Jacksonville pay just above Texarkana and Beckley and Lafayette just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in Texarkana. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Texarkana | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glens Falls, NY | +29.4% | 350 | jobs | |
| Dalton, GA | +13.5% | 340 | jobs | |
| Valdosta, GA | +2.4% | 340 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +0.4% | 270 | pay | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +0.4% | 330 | pay | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | this area | 340 | ||
| Beckley, WV | -1.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Lafayette, LA | -1.0% | 1,180 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Texarkana, TX-AR?
About $39,316 a year at the median, or $3,276 a month: $30,470 in pay plus about $8,846 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Texarkana?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $30,470 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,460, the 90th $38,710, and the middle half earned $27,880 to $35,390.
Is Texarkana cheaper than the rest of Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $30,470 against $35,210 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Abilene at $30,690, the next down El Paso at $29,460.
How many virtual receptionists work in Texarkana?
BLS counts about 340 in the May 2025 survey. 26 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is Odessa, with about 380.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Texarkana?
No: $2,140 a year less at the median. The medians are $30,470 and $32,610.
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.