Virtual receptionist in Utica-Rome, NY: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Utica-Rome than in New York or the country as a whole. The median is $36,810 a year1: 14.6% below the New York statewide median of $43,080 and 3.2% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #214 of 521. About 710 virtual receptionists work here, 1% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Utica-Rome, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Utica-Rome against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | $32,240 | $36,810 | $47,210 | |
| New York | $34,740 | $43,080 | $59,140 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Utica-Rome earns $34,720–$41,850. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $47,210, 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 $7,130 wide, against $11,610 across New York and $11,170 nationally: employers in Utica-Rome 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 | $32,240 | $2,687 | $15.50 | $41,600 |
| 25th percentile | $34,720 | $2,893 | $16.69 | $44,800 |
| Median | $36,810 | $3,068 | $17.70 | $47,497 |
| 75th percentile | $41,850 | $3,488 | $20.12 | $54,000 |
| 90th percentile | $47,210 | $3,934 | $22.70 | $60,916 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,040 over the median, the 25th only $2,090 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $6,503 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 Utica-Rome, and the New York statewide median of $43,080 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Utica-Rome
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 $10,687 to the $36,810 median and brings it to $47,497 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 Utica-Rome
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Utica-Rome; project coordinators have the highest, at $100,430.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +22.9% | 1,770 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +22.2% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +18.4% | 690 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +5.7% | 70 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 710 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Utica-Rome (-3.2%), between administrative assistants (-3.0%) and HR assistants (-3.4%). The typical role here is at -4.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Utica-Rome, 5.9% across New York and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $36,160 in Watertown-Fort Drum to $44,690 in New York-Newark, a gap of $8,530 a year. All 9 areas in New York with more virtual receptionists than Utica-Rome also pay more, among them New York-Newark, NY-NJ ($44,690) and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($38,960).
| Area | Median | vs Utica-Rome | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | +5.6% | 890 | |
| Rochester, NY | +4.7% | 2,840 | |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | +1.7% | 1,010 | |
| Elmira, NY | +1.5% | 200 | |
| Binghamton, NY | +0.5% | 600 | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | this area | 710 | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -1.8% | 230 |
Utica-Rome against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Utica-Rome is #240 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside New York, Ogden and Nashville-Murfreesboro pay just above Utica-Rome and Lancaster and Provo-Orem just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Utica-Rome. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Utica-Rome | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | +23.6% | 720 | jobs | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.9% | 720 | jobs | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +0.0% | 4,040 | pay | |
| Ogden, UT | +0.0% | 2,050 | pay | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | this area | 710 | ||
| Lancaster, PA | -0.1% | 1,730 | pay | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | -0.1% | 2,650 | pay | |
| Idaho Falls, ID | -5.5% | 720 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Utica-Rome, NY?
About $47,497 a year at the median, or $3,958 a month: $36,810 in pay plus about $10,687 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Utica-Rome?
The median was $36,810 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,240, the 90th $47,210, and the middle half earned $34,720 to $41,850.
Is Utica-Rome cheaper than the rest of New York for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,810 against $43,080 statewide. The next area up in New York is Binghamton at $37,010, the next down Watertown-Fort Drum at $36,160.
How many virtual receptionists work in Utica-Rome?
BLS counts about 710 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the New York total of 65,010. 9 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area, with about 760.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Utica-Rome?
No: $2,100 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,810 and $38,910.
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.