Virtual receptionist in Toledo, OH: cost vs in-house
Toledo pays virtual receptionists more than Ohio as a whole but less than the country. The median is $36,710 a year1: 2.2% above the Ohio statewide median of $35,920 and 3.4% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #222 of 521 areas. About 1,900 virtual receptionists work here, 6% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Toledo, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Toledo against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo, OH | $27,190 | $36,710 | $46,110 | |
| Ohio | $26,070 | $35,920 | $46,840 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $46,110, 1.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Toledo earns $30,120–$40,700. The mean ($36,460) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $10,580 wide, between the figure for Ohio ($9,610) and the US figure ($11,170).
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 | $27,190 | $2,266 | $13.07 | $35,084 |
| 25th percentile | $30,120 | $2,510 | $14.48 | $38,865 |
| Median | $36,710 | $3,059 | $17.65 | $47,368 |
| 75th percentile | $40,700 | $3,392 | $19.57 | $52,516 |
| 90th percentile | $46,110 | $3,842 | $22.17 | $59,497 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,990 over it, while the 25th sits $6,590 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,148 more a year with benefits. 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 Toledo, and the Ohio statewide median of $35,920 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Toledo
At the $36,710 median, a local hire costs about $47,368 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,658 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 Toledo
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Toledo; project coordinators have the highest, at $81,940.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +26.5% | 180 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +17.1% | 3,170 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.2% | 1,540 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.5% | 220 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,900 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Toledo (-3.4%), between administrative assistants (-1.6%) and customer support specialists (-4.0%). The typical role here is at -6.9%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Toledo than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 8.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Toledo, 6.0% across Ohio and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $33,170 in Mansfield to $36,910 in Columbus, a gap of $3,740 a year. Of the 5 areas in Ohio with more virtual receptionists than Toledo, 4 pay less, the largest of them Cleveland, OH ($36,320), Cincinnati, OH-KY ($35,250) and Dayton-Kettering, OH ($35,360).
| Area | Median | vs Toledo | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +0.5% | 5,960 | |
| Toledo, OH | this area | 1,900 | |
| Akron, OH | -0.1% | 2,120 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -1.1% | 5,700 | |
| Springfield, OH | -2.9% | 280 | |
| Lima, OH | -3.0% | 370 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -3.7% | 2,140 |
Toledo against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Toledo is #84 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 Ohio, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach and Jacksonville pay just above Toledo and Austin-Round Rock and Port St. Lucie just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Toledo. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Toledo | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +13.6% | 1,940 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.1% | 4,380 | pay | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | +0.1% | 850 | pay | |
| Toledo, OH | this area | 1,900 | ||
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.1% | 7,480 | pay | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | -0.1% | 1,160 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | -3.2% | 1,900 | jobs | |
| Columbia, SC | -3.2% | 1,880 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Toledo, OH?
About $47,368 a year at the median, or $3,947 a month: $36,710 in pay plus about $10,658 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Toledo?
The median was $36,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,190, the 90th $46,110, and the middle half earned $30,120 to $40,700.
Is Toledo cheaper than the rest of Ohio for virtual receptionists?
No, it costs more: a median of $36,710 against $35,920 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Columbus at $36,910, the next down Akron at $36,670.
How many virtual receptionists work in Toledo?
BLS counts about 1,900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Ohio total of 30,850. 5 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Akron, with about 2,120.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Toledo?
No: $2,750 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,710 and $39,460.
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.