Virtual receptionist in Winston-Salem, NC: cost vs in-house
For this job Winston-Salem sits right at the North Carolina figure, with a median of $35,360 a year1. That is about level with the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440, and 7.0% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #315 of 521. BLS counts about 1,210 people in this job here, 6% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Winston-Salem, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Winston-Salem against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | $23,000 | $35,360 | $45,010 | |
| North Carolina | $23,270 | $35,440 | $46,210 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $45,010 or more, 2.0 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 Winston-Salem earns $29,120–$39,500. The mean ($34,720) 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 only $10,380 wide, against $10,930 across North Carolina and $11,170 nationally: employers in Winston-Salem 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 | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11.06 | $29,677 |
| 25th percentile | $29,120 | $2,427 | $14.00 | $37,574 |
| Median | $35,360 | $2,947 | $17.00 | $45,626 |
| 75th percentile | $39,500 | $3,292 | $18.99 | $50,968 |
| 90th percentile | $45,010 | $3,751 | $21.64 | $58,077 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,140 over it, while the 25th sits $6,240 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,342 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 Winston-Salem, and the North Carolina statewide median of $35,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Winston-Salem
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 $10,266 to the $35,360 median and brings it to $45,626 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 Winston-Salem
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem; project coordinators have the highest, at $79,560.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +27.4% | 170 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +23.9% | 130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +9.3% | 190 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +8.6% | 3,770 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,210 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem (-7.0%), between marketing specialists (-6.9%) and recruiters (-9.7%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 4.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Winston-Salem, 3.8% across North Carolina and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $30,600 in Jacksonville to $36,550 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $5,950 a year. Of the 3 areas in North Carolina with more virtual receptionists than Winston-Salem, 1 pays less: Greensboro-High Point, NC ($34,070).
| Area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | +2.5% | 300 | |
| Asheville, NC | +1.8% | 750 | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +1.8% | 880 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 1,210 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.5% | 1,120 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -1.8% | 190 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | -1.8% | 150 |
Winston-Salem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Winston-Salem is #127 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 North Carolina, Dayton-Kettering and Albuquerque pay just above Winston-Salem and Duluth and Gainesville just below. All four are within $10 a year of the median in Winston-Salem. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, SD | +7.4% | 1,240 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +0.9% | 1,210 | jobs | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +0.0% | 3,010 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +0.0% | 2,140 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 1,210 | ||
| Duluth, MN-WI | -0.0% | 550 | pay | |
| Gainesville, FL | -0.0% | 810 | pay | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -7.6% | 1,190 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Winston-Salem, NC?
About $45,626 a year at the median, or $3,802 a month: $35,360 in pay plus about $10,266 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Winston-Salem?
The median was $35,360 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $23,000, the 90th $45,010, and the middle half earned $29,120 to $39,500.
Is Winston-Salem cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for virtual receptionists?
About the same: a median of $35,360 against $35,440 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Durham-Chapel Hill at $35,990, the next down the Western North Carolina nonmetro area at $34,840.
How many virtual receptionists work in Winston-Salem?
BLS counts about 1,210 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the North Carolina total of 20,080. 4 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Wilmington, with about 1,210.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Winston-Salem?
No: $3,050 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,360 and $38,410.
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.