The cost gap
The biggest difference is cost, and it’s larger than the salary suggests. In June 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that benefits made up 30% of total compensation for private-industry workers. So a salary is only about 70% of an employee’s real cost, and benefits add roughly 43% on top of wages.
| Role | Median US wage (May 2025) | Estimated total with benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service representative | $44,770 | about $64,000 |
| Administrative assistant | $47,540 | about $67,900 |
| Bookkeeping clerk | $50,670 | about $72,400 |
| Executive assistant | $76,590 | about $109,400 |
Those totals still leave out recruiting, equipment, software, office space and management time. For comparison, published full-time plans from Philippine VA agencies ran from about $1,750 to $2,000 a month in mid-2026, according to The Close. Our cost guide breaks down what drives VA pricing.
Beyond cost
| In-house US hire | Filipino VA through an agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to hire | Weeks to months | Often days to a few weeks |
| Physical presence | Yes | No |
| Benefits, payroll taxes, equipment | You provide them | Built into the agency price |
| Coverage when out sick | Your problem | Managed services arrange cover |
| Replacing a bad fit | Slow and expensive | Handled by the agency |
| Working hours | Your office hours | Your hours via night shifts, or overnight coverage |
When in-house is the better choice
- The job is physical. Checking patients in, handling inventory, meeting clients face to face.
- The work needs constant in-person collaboration. Some roles depend on being in the room.
- You need someone with a specific US license for the core of the job.
When a virtual assistant is the better choice
- The work happens on a computer and phone. Email, scheduling, CRM, support tickets, bookkeeping, design, marketing.
- You need to move fast. Remote hiring through an agency takes days or weeks, not months.
- Budget matters. You get experienced help for a fraction of an in-house salary.
- You want to test a role before committing to a full-time local hire.
Run your own numbers
Every business is different. Our delegation ROI calculator shows what the tasks on your plate cost in your own time, and what an in-house hire for the same work would cost using the BLS data above.