Sales salaries
SDR Salary in 2026
The short answer
US sales development representatives earn a median base of $60,000 and median on-target earnings of $88,800, according to RepVue's trailing-year salary reports (October 2026).
Built In's US tech-employer data is closely aligned: an average base of $57,921 and average total cash of $83,110. The two sources measure different things — RepVue reports medians from self-reported tech-sales profiles, Built In reports averages — so their agreement is a stronger signal than either figure alone.
OTE is pay at 100% of quota, not observed average earnings. Actual take-home depends on attainment, and SDR attainment varies widely by company and segment.
Reported salary figures, by source
Every figure links to the source that published it. Sources differ in population, geography, date and whether variable pay is included, so the “What it measures” column matters as much as the figure. We do not blend these into an average of averages.
| Source | Reported figure | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| RepVue | $60,000 base / $88,800 OTE | Median base and median on-target earnings, tech-sales oriented, trailing-year salary reports · as of 25 Oct 2026 |
| Built In | $57,921 base / $83,110 total | Average base and average total cash compensation, US tech employers · as of 2026 |
Why SDR figures are unusually consistent
SDR is the most standardised role in tech sales: short cycles, similar quotas, similar plans. That is why RepVue and Built In land within a few thousand dollars of each other on base — a pattern you will not see on the leadership pages.
- Median versus average. RepVue reports medians, Built In reports averages. For SDRs the two nearly coincide because the pay distribution is narrow; for senior roles they diverge.
- OTE versus total cash. RepVue's $88,800 is on-target earnings — pay at full quota. Built In's $83,110 is reported total cash, which reflects actual attainment. The gap between them is roughly what sub-100% average attainment would predict.
What moves SDR pay
Segment matters more than seniority for SDRs. Outbound enterprise SDR roles pay above inbound SMB roles because the job is harder to staff and the meetings are worth more. The OTE-to-base split is typically more variable-heavy than closing roles at the same company, because the role is designed as a proving ground.
The SDR role is also the standard entry point to the account executive track — see the account executive salary page for what the next step pays.
Where the SDR role meets pre-sales
SDRs book the meetings; sales engineers run the technical evaluation that follows. If you are benchmarking a whole sales team, our national sales engineer salary benchmark covers the pre-sales side from verified offers.
Related salary data
- Account executive salary
The role SDRs are promoted into
- Sales engineer salary (US)
The pre-sales benchmark from our own offer data
- SE vs AE pay
How the two roles' pay compares
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Frequently asked questions
How much does an SDR make in the US?
RepVue reports a median base of $60,000 and median OTE of $88,800 (October 2026, trailing-year reports). Built In reports an average base of $57,921 and average total cash of $83,110. OTE is pay at full quota, not guaranteed earnings.
What is a typical SDR base/commission split?
The sourced figures imply roughly two-thirds base, one-third variable at target — $60,000 base against $88,800 OTE. Individual plans vary by company and segment.
Is SDR a good first sales job?
It is the standard entry point to tech sales: the role is designed to be learned in months, and the usual promotion path is to account executive, where median OTE is $200,000 according to RepVue.