In doing a cost/benefit analysis to compare a Virtual Assistant (VA) to hiring a full-time employee (FTE), you may look at the per hour rate and on the surface think that you can hire a full-time employee more cheaply. A Virtual Assistant rate is typically from $35 – $50 per hour based on the time worked. A full-time employee is typically paid for 40 hours per week at a rate of around $15 – $25 per hour plus overtime.