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Remote hiring savings calculator
Introduction.
When companies explore hiring remote employees, the first question is usually the same:
How much could we save on salary?
The Remote Hiring Savings Calculator gives a transparent first estimate. Choose a role and an experience level, and the calculator suggests a monthly base salary in US dollars for a US hire and for a professional in the Philippines. It then shows the difference, including Worldclassly's one-time placement fee.
It is built for founders, hiring managers and finance teams who want a quick view of base-salary savings for one hire. The suggested salaries are illustrative assumptions, not quotes or offers. You can replace either one with your own figure under “Adjust salary assumptions”.
How the calculator works.
The calculator compares one US hire with one professional in the Philippines:
• US annual base salary = US monthly base salary × 12
• Philippine annual base salary = Philippine monthly base salary × 12
• Placement fee = 25% of the first 12 months of Philippine base salary, paid once. Bonuses, allowances and other compensation are not part of the fee calculation
• First-year estimated savings = US annual base salary − (Philippine annual base salary + placement fee)
• Ongoing annual base-salary difference = US annual base salary − Philippine annual base salary
Both savings figures are also shown as a percentage of the US annual base salary, rounded to one decimal place. If a figure is zero or negative, the calculator shows it as it is.
The suggested US salary is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage for the closest US occupation: the 25th percentile for Junior (2–3 years), the median for Mid-level (4–5 years) and the 75th percentile for Senior (6+ years). BLS does not publish wages by years of experience, so these percentiles are a proxy.
The suggested Philippine salary is the lower end, midpoint or upper end of the role's published salary range. These are modelled scenarios within that range, not measured salaries for each experience level or an average of our placements.
Change the role or the level and every figure updates at once. Your own figures replace the estimates until you change the role or level, or choose “Reset to estimates”.
Salary assumptions by role.
The calculator suggests these monthly base salaries. US figures are the BLS OEWS May 2025 annual wage for the mapped occupation (national; retrieved 29 October 2026) at the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile, divided by 12 and rounded to the nearest $50. Philippine figures are the lower end, midpoint and upper end of each role's published salary range. Both are illustrative assumptions, not quotes, offers or measured salaries for each experience level.
| Role | US monthly (Junior / Mid-level / Senior) | Philippine monthly (Junior / Mid-level / Senior) | US occupation and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | $3,650 / $4,200 / $5,100 | $1,100 / $1,400 / $1,700 | Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (43-3031). Junior: published candidates have 5+ years. |
| Customer Service Specialist | $3,050 / $3,750 / $4,300 | $1,000 / $1,250 / $1,500 | Customer Service Representatives (43-4051). Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Ecommerce Admin | $3,050 / $3,750 / $4,550 | $1,200 / $1,475 / $1,750 | Office Clerks, General (43-9061). Provisional US occupation. Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Executive Assistant | $5,100 / $6,400 / $7,850 | $1,200 / $1,600 / $2,000 | Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants (43-6011). Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Marketing Manager | $4,850 / $6,550 / $9,050 | $1,800 / $2,025 / $2,250 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (13-1161). Provisional US occupation. Junior: published candidates have 5+ years. Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Operations Manager | $6,050 / $8,800 / $13,950 | $1,500 / $1,850 / $2,200 | General and Operations Managers (11-1021). Provisional US occupation. Junior: published candidates have 5+ years. Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Real Estate VA | $3,200 / $3,900 / $4,550 | $1,200 / $1,600 / $2,000 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (43-6014), real estate industry (NAICS 531). Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Sales Manager | $8,350 / $12,350 / $17,300 | $2,000 / $2,250 / $2,500 | Sales Managers (11-2022). Provisional US occupation. The role page's FAQ quotes $2,250–$2,750 a month; the estimate uses the salary-guide range. |
| SEO specialist | $4,850 / $6,550 / $9,050 | $1,500 / $2,000 / $2,500 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (13-1161). Junior: published candidates have 4+ years. Senior: beyond the published 3–5 years. |
| Shopify Specialist | $5,350 / $7,700 / $10,500 | $1,200 / $1,700 / $2,200 | Web Developers (15-1254). Provisional US occupation. Senior: beyond the published 2–5 years. |
| Social Media Manager | $4,700 / $6,250 / $8,350 | $1,200 / $1,600 / $2,000 | Public Relations Specialists (27-3031). Provisional US occupation. Junior: published candidates have 4+ years. |
| Virtual Assistant | $3,250 / $3,950 / $4,850 | $1,100 / $1,800 / $2,500 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (43-6014). |
A worked example.
With the illustrative example from our pricing page, $6,000 and $1,500 a month:
• US annual base salary: $6,000 × 12 = $72,000
• Philippine annual base salary: $1,500 × 12 = $18,000
• One-time placement fee: 25% of $18,000 = $4,500
• Non-refundable recruitment deposit, credited toward the fee: $500
• Remaining fee balance after a successful placement: $4,500 − $500 = $4,000
• Total recruitment fee: $500 + $4,000 = $4,500
• First-year Philippine cost: $18,000 + $4,500 = $22,500
• First-year estimated savings: $72,000 − $22,500 = $49,500 (68.8%)
• Ongoing annual base-salary difference: $72,000 − $18,000 = $54,000 (75%)
These are the same figures as the example on our pricing page. They illustrate the method; they are not an average of past placements.
What the estimate includes and excludes.
Included: the two monthly base salaries shown (the estimates for the role, or your own figures), and Worldclassly's one-time placement fee for one hire.
Not included: payroll taxes, benefits, insurance, bonuses and allowances, equipment, software, office costs, payment and currency-transfer fees, payroll or employer-of-record services, recruitment costs for a US hire, and any other employment-related expenses. These vary by business and by how you employ the person, so add your own figures when you plan a budget.
To begin your search, we charge a $500 non-refundable recruitment deposit. If you hire a candidate through Worldclassly, the full $500 is credited toward your placement fee. It is never added on top: the total recruitment fee equals the placement fee, and the first-year cost counts it once. The calculator assumes a successful hire. The ongoing figure is the difference in base salary only: it excludes future recruitment costs and other employment-related expenses.
Why payroll savings matter.
Base salary is the most direct cost to compare between two hires, which is why the calculator starts there. A lower salary cost per hire can mean:
• Lower operating expenses
• Increased hiring capacity (more people for the same budget)
• Stronger cash flow and runway extension for startups
• Higher ROI per employee
• Faster ability to scale teams in sales, support, marketing, design, operations, and more.
Because the estimate leaves out costs that differ from business to business, treat it as a starting point, not a full budget.
Why companies hire remote talent through Worldclassly.
Worldclassly specializes in sourcing vetted remote professionals with a proven minimum of 2+ years of experience, no entry-level candidates. This ensures that payroll savings do not come at the cost of quality or performance.
Our clients use Worldclassly because they want to:
• Reduce payroll cost without compromising talent quality
• Access a wider global talent pool
• Hire faster through a specialized remote headhunting process
• Work with professionals who already know how to deliver in remote environments
Every candidate we present is pre-vetted, experienced, and ready to contribute quickly.
What makes Worldclassly different.
Remote hiring only works when the talent is strong enough to deliver high performance from day one.
That is why we at Worldclassly:
• Sources only proven, experienced professionals (2+ years)
• Runs deep skill and experience validation
• Presents only a small, highly selective shortlist
• Ensures you hire with confidence, not compromise
Payroll savings matter, but consistency, reliability, and quality are what make those savings sustainable.
When to use the calculator.
The 'remote hiring savings calculator' is useful when you need:
• A quick first business case for remote hiring
• A simple comparison to discuss with finance
• A starting point for budgeting next quarter or next year
• A clear figure for startup runway planning
• A starting point for discussions with leadership or investors
In less than a minute, you get an estimate based on salary assumptions for the role, or on your own figures. It is an estimate for one hire at a constant salary, not financial, tax or legal advice. To discuss a specific role, see our role pages or contact us.