What Are Businesses Actually Paying for Virtual Assistants?
If you have searched "how much does a virtual assistant cost" recently, you have probably seen numbers ranging from $3/hour to $75/hour. That spread is not helpful. Here is what the market actually looks like in 2026 for New York businesses looking for reliable remote support.
The Three Pricing Tiers
Freelancer platforms ($5 to $25/hour): Sites like Upwork and Fiverr connect you with individual contractors. Rates vary wildly based on experience and location. The catch: you handle vetting, onboarding, and management yourself. If someone quits, you start from scratch.
Full-service VA agencies ($8 to $20/hour): Agencies like Remote Staff NY pre-vet candidates, handle payroll, and provide replacements if something does not work out. Our rates start at $8.99/hour for a dedicated, full-time assistant. You get the support without the HR headaches.
Specialized or US-based VAs ($25 to $75/hour): Executive assistants, bookkeepers with CPA knowledge, or HIPAA-trained medical VAs command premium rates. Domestic VAs based in the US tend to charge $25 and up.
What Drives the Price?
- Specialization: A general admin VA costs less than one trained in medical billing or legal research
- Hours per week: Full-time commitments (40 hrs/week) often come at lower hourly rates than part-time
- Agency vs. freelancer: Agencies cost slightly more per hour but include vetting, backup coverage, and management
- Location: VAs based in the Philippines or Latin America cost significantly less than US-based assistants
The Real Math for New York Businesses
A full-time in-office admin in Queens or Long Island costs $45,000 to $55,000 in salary alone. Add payroll taxes, health insurance, office space, and equipment, and you are looking at $65,000 to $80,000 per year. A full-time VA at $8.99/hour works out to roughly $18,700 per year. That is a savings of over 60%.
The question is not whether a VA is affordable. It is whether you can afford not to have one.