Virtual receptionist in Wausau, WI: cost vs in-house
Wausau pays virtual receptionists less than Wisconsin as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $39,670 a year1: 3.6% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $41,150 and 4.4% above the US median of $38,010. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#87 of 521). About 790 virtual receptionists work here, 3% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Wausau, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wausau against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | $28,550 | $39,670 | $48,620 | |
| Wisconsin | $29,530 | $41,150 | $50,030 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $48,620, 1.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Wausau earns $35,780–$45,630. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,850 wide, against $10,570 across Wisconsin and $11,170 nationally: employers in Wausau 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 | $28,550 | $2,379 | $13.73 | $36,839 |
| 25th percentile | $35,780 | $2,982 | $17.20 | $46,168 |
| Median | $39,670 | $3,306 | $19.07 | $51,187 |
| 75th percentile | $45,630 | $3,802 | $21.94 | $58,877 |
| 90th percentile | $48,620 | $4,052 | $23.38 | $62,735 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $5,960 over the median, the 25th only $3,890 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $7,690 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 25th percentile and the median in Wausau, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $41,150 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Wausau
At the $39,670 median, a local hire costs about $51,187 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,517 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 Wausau
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 15 roles we track in Wausau; project coordinators have the highest, at $88,940.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +17.4% | 220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +16.6% | 1,000 | |
| Paralegal | +14.9% | 130 | |
| HR Assistant | +14.6% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 790 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 15 roles we track in Wausau (+4.4%); paralegals come last (-27.5%). The typical role here is at -7.2%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Wausau than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 13.4% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Wausau, 9.2% across Wisconsin and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $38,630 in Janesville-Beloit to $45,430 in Sheboygan, a gap of $6,800 a year. Of the 8 areas in Wisconsin with more virtual receptionists than Wausau, 2 pay less: the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($38,890) and the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area ($39,530).
| Area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fond du Lac, WI | +1.8% | 470 | |
| Appleton, WI | +1.6% | 1,170 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +1.5% | 2,160 | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 790 | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 950 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 400 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.0% | 1,530 |
Wausau against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wausau is #218 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Bakersfield-Delano and Albany-Schenectady pay just above Wausau and Redding and Bangor just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Wausau. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +0.3% | 2,650 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +0.1% | 1,180 | pay | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 790 | ||
| Redding, CA | -0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | -0.1% | 360 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -8.8% | 790 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -10.2% | 790 | jobs | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -21.6% | 790 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Wausau, WI?
About $51,187 a year at the median, or $4,266 a month: $39,670 in pay plus about $11,517 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Wausau?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,670 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,550, the 90th $48,620, and the middle half earned $35,780 to $45,630.
Is Wausau cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,670 against $41,150 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area at $40,260, the next down the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area at $39,530.
How many virtual receptionists work in Wausau?
BLS counts about 790 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Wisconsin total of 25,580. 8 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, with about 950.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than an HR assistant in Wausau?
No: $5,780 a year less at the median. The medians are $39,670 and $45,450.
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.