“Is a virtual assistant from India actually cheaper?” is the right question to ask — but comparing an hourly VA rate with a salary only tells half the story. An employee costs you far more than their wage. Here's a simple, honest way to compare, using official US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.
Step 1: The wage of a US administrative employee
According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants was $48,310 in May 2025; the lowest 10% earned less than $35,360 and the highest 10% more than $77,720. Executive assistants earned more — a median of $76,590. (Source: BLS)
Step 2: Add benefits and payroll costs
Wages are only part of what an employer pays. The BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) survey shows that for US private-industry workers in June 2026, benefits made up 30.0% of total compensation (paid leave, insurance, retirement and legally required benefits such as Social Security and Medicare).
For office and administrative support occupations in private industry, total employer cost averaged $36.73 per hour worked — $25.22 in wages plus $11.51 in benefits. (Source: BLS ECEC, Table 4)
Step 3: Don't forget the costs that aren't on the payslip
- Recruiting time — job posts, screening, interviews and onboarding (often weeks of your time).
- Equipment and software — laptop, licences, phone.
- Office space — if they're not remote.
- Idle time — you pay full-time even in quiet weeks.
- Turnover risk — if they leave, you start again.
Step 4: What you pay for a VA from India
VA pricing varies widely, from freelance marketplaces to fully managed agencies. Broadly, you'll see three models:
| Model | What you get | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer (marketplace) | Often the lowest hourly rate; you hire and manage directly | You do the vetting, training and backup planning; marketplace fees may apply |
| Managed VA agency | Vetted VA, account manager, replacement and backup cover | Check what's included (QA, replacements, notice period) |
| Full-time dedicated VA | One VA working your hours, every working day | Best value per hour if you can keep them busy |
For a concrete reference point, our own plans at the time of writing range from 20 hours a month to full-time (160 hours), working out at roughly $5.30–6.45 per hour depending on the plan ($129/month for 20 hours up to $849/month full-time) — with vetting, account management and replacement included. See current pricing.
A worked example
Say you need about 40 hours a month of admin help (roughly 9–10 hours a week).
- US in-house (part-time) at the BLS average employer cost: 40 × $36.73 ≈ $1,469/month — before recruiting time, equipment and management overhead.
- Managed VA from India on our Growth plan: 40 hours for $229/month (≈ $5.70/hour), with no benefits, payroll taxes or equipment on your side.
That's a difference of roughly $1,200+ per month in this example. Your numbers will vary — try them in our VA savings calculator.
The bigger win is usually not the saving — it's what you do with the 40 hours you get back.
When a local hire is the better choice
A VA isn't always the answer. Hire locally when the role needs a physical presence (front desk, handling mail or stock), regular in-person client meetings, or specific local licences. Many businesses do both: a local team for in-person work and a VA for everything that can be done online.
Hidden costs to check before you hire any VA
- Time-zone fit — will they work your hours or only overlap a little?
- Replacement policy — what happens if it isn't a fit?
- Backup cover — who does the work when your VA is on leave?
- Data security — NDA, password manager, access removal at the end.
- Notice period and minimum term — avoid long lock-ins.
- Payment fees — card, PayPal or Wise fees on international payments.
The bottom line
Using BLS data, an in-house US administrative employee costs about $36.73 per hour worked once benefits are included, before recruiting and overhead. A well-run VA from India typically costs a fraction of that, with flexibility to scale hours up or down. The right choice depends on your tasks — but for remote, repeatable work, a VA is hard to beat.
Book a free 15-minute call and we'll estimate your hours and costs together.
Figures quoted from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wage data; Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026). VA pricing examples are illustrative and may change.
