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Cross-industry · Business & operations

Virtual assistant: salary vs freelance rates

A virtual assistant handles defined administrative workflows remotely. They create value by keeping recurring tasks, records, schedules, and follow-ups reliable so a client can spend attention on the work that needs their judgment.

U.S. employee wage reference

$47,540 / year

Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive · May 2025 national median

Illustrative freelance rate

$68.79 / hour

To replace this wage plus $15K benefits, with 1,200 billable hours/year, $20K business costs, and no percentage fees. Before personal taxes.

The wage is for the named occupation; the hourly rate is a planning calculation, not a surveyed freelance price for this specialty. Adjust the assumptions below.

Calculate my freelance rate →

Skills that make the work valuable

  • Inbox and calendar workflows
  • Document and record organization
  • Task tracking and follow-up
  • Remote access hygiene

Build proof, not just a list

Create a fictional client's weekly administration system with a task board, calendar rules, inbox labels, and escalation notes. Show how you would handle conflicting requests and avoid unnecessary access.

How to price this work as a freelancer

Build packages around named workflows and a realistic monthly capacity allowance. Define response windows, urgent requests, and approval boundaries. Client onboarding, context switching, and secure tools reduce usable hours; an availability promise can limit other work even when the client sends fewer tasks than expected.

Start with the income you need to replace

Required hourly rate = (target salary + benefits budget + annual business expenses) ÷ (annual billable hours × share of revenue retained after fees).

For illustration, $100/hour × 25 billable hours/week × 48 working weeks = $120,000 revenue. After $20,000 in business expenses, that leaves $100,000 profit before personal taxes. Replacing a $100,000 salary plus $15,000 in benefits under those assumptions takes $112.50/hour, with no percentage fees.

These are editable planning assumptions, not rates surveyed for virtual assistant work. Your personal taxes, location, contract terms, and workload still affect the comparison.

Employee or freelancer?

Working as an employee

Employment can provide predictable priorities, access, and training within one organization. Evaluate whether remote work expectations include specific coverage hours or rapid responses that constrain your schedule.

Running a freelance business

A freelance assistant can combine clients and specialize in a repeatable workflow. Too many small accounts create switching costs, so price communication and onboarding alongside the visible administrative tasks.

Where this career could take you

  1. 01Administrative assistant
  2. 02Virtual assistant specialist
  3. 03Operations assistant or virtual assistance practice owner

An example path, with room for lateral moves or specialization. Progression depends on opportunities and demonstrated work; these steps do not imply a timetable or salary increase.

Try one small next step

Design a weekly administrative checklist for a fictional solo business, time a sample task batch, and identify which steps require approval or sensitive access.