How Can I Hire an EA Without Paying $80k

I wanted EA-level support, but I didn’t want a full-time salary commitment for work that realistically came in bursts. Some weeks, my calendar exploded, travel piled up, and inbox decisions mattered. Other weeks were quiet. Paying $80k+ for constant availability felt misaligned with how I actually worked.

What finally clicked was this:

You don’t need a traditional EA salary to get executive-level support. You need the right support model.

Here’s how to get EA-quality outcomes without locking yourself into a high fixed cost.

Step 1: Understand what you’re actually paying $80k+ for

A traditional in-house EA salary covers more than execution.

It usually includes:

Physical presence

Real-time responsiveness

Undefined scope (“whatever comes up”)

Idle availability

Benefits, payroll taxes, office costs

That makes sense if:

Your day is constantly reactive

You need in-person coordination.

Work shows up unpredictably every hour.

But if your work comes in bursts, calendar spikes, travel windows, heavy meeting weeks—this model is inefficient.

Practical takeaway

Most executives overpay because they buy availability when they only need ownership.

Step 2: Switch from “presence” to “ownership”

EA-level support is about owning executive workflows, not sitting nearby.

Ownership looks like:

Calendar protection with rules

Inbox triage and summaries

Travel planning and coordination

Meeting prep and follow-ups

Tracking open loops and decisions

Weekly executive summaries

Presence looks like:

Waiting for instructions

Reacting in real time

Filling gaps with busywork

Practical takeaway

Ownership scales. Presence gets expensive fast.

Step 3: Use an Executive Virtual Assistant (EVA) instead of a traditional EA

An Executive Virtual Assistant delivers the same outcomes without the overhead.

Why this works:

Remote by default

Operates on documented rules

Executes asynchronously

Paid for output, not proximity

Easy to scale hours up or down

Typical cost reality:

Part-time EVA → far below $80k

Full-time remote EVA → still well under traditional EA cost

The mindset shift

You’re not hiring “someone to help.”

You’re hiring someone to run the executive support system.

Step 4: Start part-time (almost no one needs full-time EA support)

Most executives need:

2–4 hours/day of focused support

Calendar and inbox ownership

Travel coordination during peak weeks

A weekly planning and summary cadence

Starting part-time lets you:

Pay only for active value

Prove ROI before expanding.

Avoid paying for idle time.

If demand grows, increase hours, not salary bands.

Practical takeaway

Full-time is a scale decision, not a starting point.

Step 5: Consider a managed EA service (not a solo hire)

Managed EA services provide:

Pre-trained executive support

Coverage guarantees

Backup support

Defined SLAs

Predictable monthly pricing

Why does this keep costs lower:

No recruiting or ramp-up

No single-point-of-failure

Faster time to value

This works well if:

You want reliability over long-term familiarity

You prefer outcomes to employee management.

You want flexibility month to month.

Step 6: Define the scope tightly to prevent budget creep

EA budgets balloon when the scope is vague.

Avoid:

“Help me with everything.”

Real-time interruptions all day

Undefined decision boundaries

Define instead:

Calendar rules (buffers, priorities, limits)

Inbox rules (what they send vs draft)

Travel standards

Escalation triggers

Summary cadence

Practical takeaway

Clarity is what keeps EA support affordable.

Step 7: Hire with a scorecard, not a job description

EA scorecard (copy/paste)

Role: Executive Assistant / Executive Virtual Assistant

Coverage: [hours + time zone]

30-day outcomes

Zero double-bookings

Calendar buffers enforced

Inbox triaged daily

Travel booked accurately

Weekly executive summary sent

Open loops tracked and followed up on

If a candidate or service can’t commit to outcomes like these, they’re not EA-level, no matter the title.

Step 8: Use a paid test before committing

A paid test saves you from expensive mismatches.

Give them:

A messy calendar week

A mock inbox

Travel constraints

Your scheduling rules

Ask for:

A cleaned schedule

Draft responses

A priority summary

Escalation notes

If they can do this well, you don’t need to pay $80k+.

When paying $80k+ actually does make sense

To be clear, high-salary EAs are worth it when:

You need constant, real-time support

In-person coordination is critical.

Your work is highly reactive all day.

You want long-term, in-office continuity.

If that’s not your reality, don’t buy that model.

Summary: EA-level support without the EA-level price

If I were hiring again and wanted executive support without an $80k+ commitment, I’d focus on ownership, not presence.

My non-negotiables

Remote or hybrid-remote model

Part-time or flexible start

Clear ownership boundaries

Outcome-based scorecard

Paid test before scaling

When you align the support model to how your work actually happens in bursts, not constantly, you get the same executive leverage without the salary drag.