How to Calculate the ROI of a Virtual Assistant

A VA is an investment, so measure it like one. Most owners only count payroll savings, which badly understates the return. Here’s a fuller model.

Part 1: Cost savings

Compare the VA’s fully loaded cost to the alternative, usually a local hire.

Savings = (local wage × hours × (1 + overhead %)) − (VA wage × hours + fees)

Example: 20 hours/week, local $20/hour with 25% overhead, VA at $9/hour on a managed plan.

• Local: 1,040 hours × $20 × 1.25 = $26,000
• VA: 1,040 × $9 + $2,000 placement + $3,600 management = $14,960
• Year-one savings: $11,040, higher in year two once the placement fee is behind you

Try your numbers in the VA cost calculator.

Part 2: Time recaptured

This is the part owners forget. If the VA takes 15 hours/week of tasks you were doing yourself, what’s that time worth?

Time value = hours freed × your effective hourly value × % reinvested

If your effective value is $150/hour, you free 15 hours, and you reinvest even half of that into revenue work:

15 × $150 × 50% × 50 weeks = $56,250 per year

Be honest about the “reinvested” percentage. Freed time spent scrolling isn’t ROI. Freed time spent with clients is.

Part 3: Revenue gained

Some VA roles directly generate revenue:

• Speed-to-lead: contacting inquiries within minutes instead of hours generally lifts conversion.
• Database nurture: monthly touchpoints to past clients drive repeat and referral business.
• Review requests: more reviews tend to improve local search visibility and conversion.
• Collections: consistent invoice follow-up shortens days-to-pay.

Measure with a simple before/after: track leads contacted, appointments set, reviews earned, and collections for 90 days before and after the VA starts.

Putting it together

Total ROI = (cost savings + time value + revenue gained − VA cost) ÷ VA cost

Even with conservative assumptions, most well-scoped VA roles return several dollars per dollar spent. The ones that don’t usually fail for one of three reasons:

1. The role was never defined (write a scorecard)
2. Onboarding was rushed (use a 30-day plan)
3. The owner never let go of the tasks

Track it monthly

Add three numbers to your monthly review: hours delegated, revenue-linked activities completed, and owner hours reinvested. If those trend up, your VA is working.

Ready to put a number on it? Start your match and we’ll scope a role around the highest-ROI tasks in your business.