Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between call center specialists 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 center specialist, 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 $33,289 average annual salary of a call center specialist.
The top three skills for a call center specialist include strong customer service, patients and customer service. The most important skills for a virtual assistant are data entry, customer service, and email management.
| Call Center Specialist | Virtual Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $33,289 | $39,915 |
| Hourly rate | $16.00 | $19.19 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 228,936 | 49,508 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 40 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A call center specialist is responsible for providing the customers with the highest quality service by responding to their inquiries and concerns and resolving their complaints. Call center specialists assist the customers in taking their orders, processing payments, and verifying transaction details. They may also sell new goods and services to the customers according to their needs and budget limitations to generate more revenue resources for the business and enhance the brand's image. A call center specialist must have excellent communication and computer skills to navigate databases and update customer's information accurately.
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 center specialists and virtual assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Call Center Specialist | Virtual Assistant | |
| Average salary | $33,289 | $39,915 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $43,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Hospice of Marion County | IBM |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a call center specialist and a virtual assistant in terms of educational background:
| Call Center Specialist | Virtual Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between call center specialists' and virtual assistants' demographics:
| Call Center Specialist | Virtual Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3% | Male, 12.4% Female, 87.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 56.5% 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% |