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The differences between call agents and virtual assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a call agent, becoming a virtual assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a virtual assistant has an average salary of $39,915, which is higher than the $28,192 average annual salary of a call agent.
The top three skills for a call agent include customer service, inbound calls and telephone calls. The most important skills for a virtual assistant are data entry, customer service, and email management.
| Call Agent | Virtual Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $28,192 | $39,915 |
| Hourly rate | $13.55 | $19.19 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 208,872 | 49,508 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 40 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A call agent works at call centers where they are primarily in charge of handling inbound and outbound calls. They are usually responsible for offering products and services to clients, answering questions, discussing product specifications, arranging payment plans, and negotiating contracts, building positive relationships in the process. They may also handle complaints, troubleshoot issues, provide step-by-step instructions, and refer them to other services when necessary. Moreover, a call agent maintains records of all transactions and produces detailed reports, coordinating with managers regularly.
Virtual Assistants are remote workers who work with clients that need assistance. They usually do administrative or clerical activities such as managing soft copies of a document, writing e-mail correspondences, managing calendars, scheduling appointments, and other activities. They manage the e-mail of their clients and respond to inquiries and other messages. They also manage phone calls by answering calls, taking messages, and dialing for their clients. Virtual Assistants may also be asked to handle travel-related tasks of their clients, such as creating itineraries, booking flights, and booking hotels.
Call agents and virtual assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Call Agent | Virtual Assistant | |
| Average salary | $28,192 | $39,915 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Chewy | IBM |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a call agent and a virtual assistant in terms of educational background:
| Call Agent | Virtual Assistant | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between call agents' and virtual assistants' demographics:
| Call Agent | Virtual Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6% | Male, 12.4% Female, 87.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |