Virtual receptionist in Worcester, MA: cost vs in-house
Worcester pays virtual receptionists less than Massachusetts as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $41,720 a year1: 4.9% below the Massachusetts statewide median of $43,870 and 9.8% above the US median of $38,010. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#59 of 521). BLS counts about 1,940 people in this job here, 10% of the Massachusetts total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Worcester, MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Worcester against Massachusetts and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | $35,460 | $41,720 | $51,440 | |
| Massachusetts | $35,790 | $43,870 | $54,270 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Worcester earns $37,060–$45,780. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $51,440, 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 $8,720 wide, against $9,650 across Massachusetts and $11,170 nationally: employers in Worcester 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 | $35,460 | $2,955 | $17.05 | $45,755 |
| 25th percentile | $37,060 | $3,088 | $17.82 | $47,819 |
| Median | $41,720 | $3,477 | $20.06 | $53,832 |
| 75th percentile | $45,780 | $3,815 | $22.01 | $59,071 |
| 90th percentile | $51,440 | $4,287 | $24.73 | $66,374 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,660 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,060, or about $5,239 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 25th percentile and the median in Worcester, and the Massachusetts statewide median of $43,870 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Worcester
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 $12,112 to the $41,720 median and brings it to $53,832 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 Worcester
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Worcester; project coordinators have the highest, at $100,290.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +14.8% | 100 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +14.0% | 4,740 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +13.4% | 2,860 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +10.4% | 150 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 1,940 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Worcester (+9.8%), between administrative assistants (+10.3%) and customer support specialists (+6.2%). The typical role here is at +6.2%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Worcester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 6.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Worcester, 4.9% across Massachusetts and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Massachusetts
Across the 7 areas of Massachusetts with data for this job, the median runs from $40,770 in Springfield to $45,820 in Barnstable Town, a gap of $5,050 a year. The one area in Massachusetts with more virtual receptionists, Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH ($43,930), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Worcester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +9.8% | 670 | |
| Massachusetts (Nonmetro) | +7.7% | 200 | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +5.3% | 14,320 | |
| Pittsfield, MA | +0.4% | 360 | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +0.1% | 410 | |
| Worcester, MA | this area | 1,940 | |
| Springfield, MA | -2.3% | 1,240 |
Worcester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Worcester is #83 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Massachusetts, Providence-Warwick and Spokane-Spokane Valley pay just above Worcester and Oshkosh-Neenah and El Centro just below. All four are within $280 a year of the median in Worcester. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Worcester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +0.2% | 2,370 | pay | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +0.0% | 5,550 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | this area | 1,940 | ||
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -0.0% | 780 | pay | |
| El Centro, CA | -0.7% | 160 | pay | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -2.8% | 1,980 | jobs | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -11.5% | 1,970 | jobs | |
| El Paso, TX | -29.4% | 1,950 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Worcester, MA?
About $53,832 a year at the median, or $4,486 a month: $41,720 in pay plus about $12,112 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Worcester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $41,720 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,460, the 90th $51,440, and the middle half earned $37,060 to $45,780.
Is Worcester cheaper than the rest of Massachusetts for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,720 against $43,870 statewide. The next area up in Massachusetts is Amherst Town-Northampton at $41,770, the next down Springfield at $40,770.
How many virtual receptionists work in Worcester?
BLS counts about 1,940 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Massachusetts total of 18,970. Only Boston-Cambridge has more in Massachusetts.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Worcester?
No: $4,320 a year less at the median. The medians are $41,720 and $46,040.
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.