What my own Upwork history shows
On Upwork alone, the account shows 158 jobs posted, 116 hires, including 29 active contracts at the time of capture, 4,469 hourly contract hours, and a $5.58/hour average hourly rate paid. The same screenshot shows $27K total spent and a 4.98/5 client rating across 77 reviews. Last verified from the supplied screenshot: September 2, 2026.
The $5.58/hour figure is a historical account average across tracked hourly contracts. It is not a promise that every strong candidate can or should be hired at $5.58 today, and it should not be shown without the 4,469+ hour context.
A current long-term example: Ann
Ann has worked with me since 2022. For most of that time she was paid $5/hour, while her responsibilities grew from general VA work into content, SEO and AI visibility workflows, WordPress and Squarespace publishing, social media, Google Business Profile posts, reporting, design work, and client communication.
In 2026 I gave her an unrequested raise to $5.40/hour. The lesson is not that every VA should cost $5.40. The lesson is that rate, trust, capability, retention, and role growth have to be considered together.
Current 2026 advertised examples from OnlineJobs.ph
These are advertised job-post examples, not verified accepted compensation and not official market averages. Sample last checked August 29, 2026.
What pushes a rate higher
- Stronger written and spoken English.
- Direct client responsibility and the ability to handle difficult conversations.
- Independent judgment and lower supervision requirements.
- Advanced software knowledge or technical specialization.
- Strategy ownership rather than task execution only.
- Difficult time-zone requirements.
- Documented results and a strong track record.
- The ability to work across multiple systems and improve processes rather than simply follow them.
What this means for your budget
Start with the job, not a target wage. Decide what the person must own, how much training you can provide, how much client communication is involved, and which skills must already be present.
The cheapest viable applicant is not automatically the best economic hire. A contractor who communicates well, solves problems without constant supervision, and stays for years can be worth substantially more than the difference between two hourly rates.
Want to do the hiring yourself?
Use the Role Guides for position-specific screening ideas, or book
Advisory if you want help deciding how to scope and price the role.