In-House EA vs VA Calculator
A full-time in-house executive assistant earning $65,000 in salary costs closer to $89,500/year once you add benefits and overhead. A virtual assistant covering 20 hours per week costs roughly $12,500/year. This calculator shows your exact numbers side by side.
How these numbers are calculated
In-house cost = salary + (salary x benefits rate) + annual overhead. Benefits typically include employer payroll taxes (7.65% FICA), health insurance contributions, retirement matching, and paid time off accrual. The default 30% rate is a conservative estimate for a US employer.
AVA cost uses the standard-period rate (months 2-6) since that's the typical steady-state. Rates by weekly hours:
- 5 hrs/wk: $14.99/hr
- 10-20 hrs/wk: $13.99/hr
- 25-40 hrs/wk: $11.99/hr
Monthly cost = rate x hours/week x 4.33 weeks. Annual cost = monthly x 12.
This comparison assumes the VA handles the same scope of tasks as the in-house EA. If you need 40 hrs/wk of VA coverage, the cost gap narrows but AVA is still typically 30-40% cheaper once benefits and overhead are factored in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the true cost of an in-house executive assistant?
The true cost goes beyond salary. You also pay payroll taxes, health insurance, retirement contributions, PTO, equipment, software licenses, and office space. A $65,000 salary EA typically costs $85,000-$95,000 per year all-in.
How many hours per week does a VA actually replace?
It depends on what you need done. Most clients start at 10-20 hours per week to cover inbox management, scheduling, and data tasks. Some scale to 30-40 hours for full executive support. You can adjust up or down as needs change, which you cannot do with an in-house hire.
Is a VA actually comparable to an in-house EA?
For most administrative, scheduling, research, and operations tasks, yes. Avila VA places bilingual college-educated VAs who have already been working in these roles. The key difference is flexibility - you pay for the hours you actually need, and you are not locked into a 40-hour week.
Ready to make the switch?
Tell us what you need handled and we'll match you with a bilingual VA who's already done it before.
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