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Receptionist Cost Calculator

Work out what an in-house receptionist really costs once payroll taxes and benefits are included, what each staffed hour costs, and how many people it would take to cover the phones around the clock.

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Employer taxes, insurance, paid time off, retirement.

Example values

Annual cost

$46,800

Monthly cost
$3,900
People for 24/7 cover
4.2
Where the money goes each year
  • Wages$37,44080%
  • Taxes & benefits$9,36020%

These are example values, not industry figures. Adjust the controls to match your business.

Free, no sign-up. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

How it works

Annual cost = hourly wage × paid hours per week × paid weeks × (1 + payroll taxes and benefits %). People for 24/7 cover = 168 ÷ paid hours per week, before vacations, sick days and breaks, so the real number is higher.

Comparing options? Try the answering cost comparison, or see how much of the week your phones are unstaffed with the after-hours coverage calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What's included in the cost of a receptionist?

Wages plus the employer's share of payroll taxes and any benefits, such as health insurance, paid time off and retirement contributions. Enter those extras as a percentage of wages to get the fully loaded cost.

Why does 24/7 coverage need so many people?

A week has 168 hours. One full-time employee covers roughly 40 of them, before vacations and sick days, so continuous coverage takes several people.