Virtual Assistant vs. In-House Employee

Hiring in-house means paying wages plus benefits, payroll taxes, equipment and office space. A managed virtual assistant is one flat monthly price. Here is how the two compare, using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data.

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Side-by-side

	In-house employee	Managed virtual assistant
Pay structure	Hourly wage or salary plus benefits and payroll taxes	Flat monthly plan: $495/mo part-time, $995/mo full-time
Benefits & payroll taxes	Paid by you	Included — none added on top
Hiring & onboarding	Job posts, interviews, training — you run it	Matched in 24–72 hours; account manager runs onboarding
If it isn't a fit	Restart recruiting	Replacement guarantee at no additional cost
Commitment	Employment obligations	Month-to-month, 30-day notice
In-person tasks	Yes	No — remote work only
Coverage when out sick	Usually none	Backup VA coverage included

What an in-house admin assistant earns

Mean annual wage ranges from $37,530 (MS) to $57,920 (DC) before benefits. A full-time managed VA is $11,940/year. See the figures for your city on our locations page.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024 (admin assistants, SOC 43-6014).

When in-house employee makes sense

The job needs someone physically on site (front desk, mail, inventory).
You want to build long-term internal headcount and culture.

When managed virtual assistant makes sense

The work happens on a computer or phone: inbox, calendar, CRM, follow-up, data entry.
You need help now, without a months-long hiring process.
You want a predictable monthly cost instead of payroll plus benefits.

Common questions

How much does an in-house admin assistant cost?

Across U.S. states, the BLS mean wage for administrative assistants (SOC 43-6014) ranges widely by state. Wages are roughly 70% of total compensation for private-industry workers, so benefits add more on top. Our city cost pages show the figures for your area.

What does a managed virtual assistant cost?

Plans start at $6/hr. Part-time is $495/mo and full-time is $995/mo, with an account manager, QA, backup coverage and the replacement guarantee included. No setup fees.