Virtual receptionist in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area than in Mississippi or the country as a whole. The median is $30,610 a year1: 1.8% below the Mississippi statewide median of $31,160 and 19.5% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally that is #493 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. About 1,270 virtual receptionists work here, 18% of the Mississippi total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area against Mississippi and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | $21,950 | $30,610 | $42,340 | |
| Mississippi | $22,310 | $31,160 | $42,990 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $42,340 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of virtual receptionists in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area earns $25,710–$35,660. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $9,950 wide, between the figure for Mississippi ($9,640) 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 | $21,950 | $1,829 | $10.55 | $28,323 |
| 25th percentile | $25,710 | $2,142 | $12.36 | $33,174 |
| Median | $30,610 | $2,551 | $14.72 | $39,497 |
| 75th percentile | $35,660 | $2,972 | $17.14 | $46,013 |
| 90th percentile | $42,340 | $3,528 | $20.36 | $54,632 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,050 a year in pay and about $6,516 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,900 in pay. 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 the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area, and the Mississippi statewide median of $31,160 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 the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area
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 $8,887 to the $30,610 median and brings it to $39,497 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 the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area; project coordinators have the highest, at $78,640.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +21.0% | 2,310 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +19.0% | 2,560 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +14.3% | 1,200 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +9.1% | 70 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,270 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area (-19.5%), between data entry specialists (-19.2%) and administrative assistants (-22.1%). The typical role here is at -22.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Mississippi
Across the 7 areas of Mississippi with data for this job, the median runs from $28,760 in the Lower West Mississippi nonmetro area to $34,350 in Jackson, a gap of $5,590 a year. The one area in Mississippi with more virtual receptionists, Jackson, MS ($34,350), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | +12.2% | 1,770 | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | +5.3% | 950 | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,270 | |
| West Delta Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 520 | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -2.5% | 480 | |
| Lower East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -3.8% | 680 | |
| Lower West Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -6.0% | 400 |
the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area is #118 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Mississippi, Tuscaloosa and Abilene pay just above the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area and Jacksonville and Florence-Muscle Shoals just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +23.8% | 1,260 | jobs | |
| Lincoln, NE | +21.0% | 1,260 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +3.9% | 1,270 | jobs | |
| Abilene, TX | +0.3% | 450 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | +0.1% | 510 | pay | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,270 | ||
| Jacksonville, NC | -0.0% | 270 | pay | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -0.1% | 330 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro)?
About $39,497 a year at the median, or $3,291 a month: $30,610 in pay plus about $8,887 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $30,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $21,950, the 90th $42,340, and the middle half earned $25,710 to $35,660.
Is the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Mississippi for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $30,610 against $31,160 statewide. The next area up in Mississippi is Gulfport-Biloxi at $32,220, the next down the West Delta Mississippi nonmetro area at $30,310.
How many virtual receptionists work in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,270 in the May 2025 survey. That is 18% of the Mississippi total of 6,920. Only Jackson has more in Mississippi.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area?
No: $2,790 a year less at the median. The medians are $30,610 and $33,400.
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.