A $50,000 employee often costs more than $88,000 a year once you add taxes, benefits, equipment, and overhead. Here is the honest side by side breakdown, grounded in SHRM, BLS, and KFF 2025 data.
| Compare | KeenlyVAs Virtual Assistant | In House Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantFrom $899 per month part time, $1,599 full time, all included | In House EmployeeRoughly $5,600 to $7,400 per month in true cost on a $50,000 salary |
| True cost means salary plus taxes, benefits, paid time off, equipment, and overhead (SHRM: 1.25 to 1.4 times salary). | ||
| Annual true cost | KeenlyVAs Virtual Assistant$10,788 to $19,188 per year | In House Employee$66,800 to $108,000 per year |
| Payroll taxes | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantNot your responsibility, you are not the employer | In House EmployeeAbout $5,500 to $7,000 per year on a $50,000 salary |
| Health insurance | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantNot applicable | In House Employee$8,435 per year for single coverage (KFF 2025) |
| Paid time off | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantNo paid time off costs, backup coverage arranged | In House EmployeeAbout $5,400 to $6,900 per year for 28 to 36 paid days |
| Equipment and software | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantProvided, your VA works with a full setup | In House Employee$1,133 to $3,633 per year |
| Office space | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantNone needed | In House Employee$3,000 to $7,500 per year, even in a hybrid setup |
| Recruitment and onboarding | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantIncluded, the agency handles matching and onboarding | In House Employee$4,700 per hire plus training time (SHRM) |
| Time to start | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantWithin 48 hours | In House Employee4 to 8 weeks, typical |
| If it does not work out | KeenlyVAs Virtual AssistantReplacement guarantee included | In House EmployeeRehire process, often 50 to 200 percent of annual salary |
On a $50,000 salary, an in house employee costs $66,800 to $108,000 per year once taxes, benefits, paid time off, equipment, and overhead are counted. A full time KeenlyVAs VA starts at $1,599 per month, or $19,188 per year, everything included. That is tens of thousands in savings every year, often $47,000 to $97,000 depending on the plan and the employee's true cost, with support starting within 48 hours instead of 4 to 8 weeks.
An in house employee is the better pick when the role needs constant in person presence, deep company context for sensitive decisions, or physical work on site. For the admin, scheduling, follow up, research, and digital tasks that fill most owners' days, a KeenlyVAs VA delivers the same work at a fraction of the true cost.
Partner with KeenlyVAs and let us handle the details, streamline your workflow, and keep your business moving forward.