Virtual receptionist in Winchester, VA-WV: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Winchester than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $36,090 a year1: 2.6% below the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 and 5.1% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #271 of 521 areas. About 380 virtual receptionists work here.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Winchester, VA-WV. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Winchester against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester, VA-WV | $28,770 | $36,090 | $46,020 | |
| Virginia | $28,800 | $37,060 | $47,220 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Winchester earns $31,620–$40,630. The top tenth earns $46,020 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,010 wide, against $12,210 across Virginia and $11,170 nationally: employers in Winchester 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 | $28,770 | $2,398 | $13.83 | $37,123 |
| 25th percentile | $31,620 | $2,635 | $15.20 | $40,800 |
| Median | $36,090 | $3,008 | $17.35 | $46,568 |
| 75th percentile | $40,630 | $3,386 | $19.53 | $52,426 |
| 90th percentile | $46,020 | $3,835 | $22.12 | $59,381 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,470 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,540, or about $5,858 once benefits are added. 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 Winchester, and the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Winchester
At the $36,090 median, a local hire costs about $46,568 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,478 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 Winchester
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Winchester; project coordinators have the highest, at $96,810.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +27.4% | 650 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +23.2% | 1,130 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +18.3% | 410 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +8.4% | 30 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 380 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Winchester (-5.1%), between bookkeepers (-4.2%) and project coordinators (-5.4%). The typical role here is at -6.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 6.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Winchester, 5.5% across Virginia and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $33,940 in Lynchburg to $37,220 in Harrisonburg, a gap of $3,280 a year. Of the 8 areas in Virginia with more virtual receptionists than Winchester, 5 pay less, the largest of them Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($35,470), Roanoke, VA ($34,240) and the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area ($35,210).
| Area | Median | vs Winchester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +2.9% | 720 | |
| Richmond, VA | +0.9% | 3,550 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +0.3% | 300 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | this area | 380 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 590 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -0.7% | 310 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -1.7% | 4,370 |
Winchester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Winchester is #373 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, St. George and Jackson pay just above Winchester and Fayetteville-Springdale and Lebanon just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Winchester. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Winchester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | +3.1% | 380 | jobs | |
| Odessa, TX | +0.3% | 380 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MI | +0.1% | 280 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | +0.0% | 810 | pay | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | this area | 380 | ||
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | -0.0% | 2,530 | pay | |
| Lebanon, PA | -0.2% | 250 | pay | |
| Florence, SC | -8.2% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Winchester, VA-WV?
About $46,568 a year at the median, or $3,881 a month: $36,090 in pay plus about $10,478 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Winchester?
The median was $36,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,770, the 90th $46,020, and the middle half earned $31,620 to $40,630.
Is Winchester cheaper than the rest of Virginia for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,090 against $37,060 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Staunton-Stuarts Draft at $36,200, the next down the Southside Virginia nonmetro area at $35,920.
How many virtual receptionists work in Winchester?
BLS counts about 380 in the May 2025 survey. 8 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is Harrisonburg, with about 390.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Winchester?
No: $3,020 a year less at the median. The medians are $36,090 and $39,110.
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.