Base salary, OTE, and commission benchmarks for SDRs by city, experience level, and industry. Use this to set budgets, benchmark offers, and find SDRs in your range.
Find SDRs in your budget → Salary benchmarker toolExperience is the primary driver of base salary. These are US national averages for B2B SaaS SDRs:
| Experience Level | Base Salary | OTE at 100% Quota | Commission Split | Avg. Quota (meetings/wk) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level (0–1 yr) | $45,000–$52,000 | $65,000–$75,000 | 60/40 (base/var) | 6–8 qualified meetings |
| Mid-level (1–3 yr) | $52,000–$65,000 | $80,000–$95,000 | 65/35 | 8–12 qualified meetings |
| Senior SDR (3–5 yr) | $65,000–$80,000 | $95,000–$120,000 | 70/30 | 10–15 qualified meetings |
| Lead / Sr. SDR (5+ yr) | $75,000–$95,000 | $110,000–$140,000 | 70/30 | 12–18 qualified meetings |
Source: Payscale, ZipRecruiter, Shortlist internal data, April 2026
Location is the second biggest salary driver. Major tech hubs carry significant premiums over national averages:
| City | Mid-Level Base | Mid-Level OTE | Premium vs. National Avg. |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $65,000–$80,000 | $95,000–$120,000 | +20–30% |
| New York, NY | $62,000–$75,000 | $90,000–$110,000 | +15–20% |
| Seattle, WA | $60,000–$72,000 | $87,000–$105,000 | +10–15% |
| Boston, MA | $58,000–$70,000 | $85,000–$100,000 | +10% |
| Austin, TX | $55,000–$68,000 | $82,000–$98,000 | +5–8% |
| Chicago, IL | $54,000–$66,000 | $80,000–$95,000 | +3–6% |
| Atlanta, GA | $50,000–$62,000 | $74,000–$89,000 | National avg. |
| Denver, CO | $52,000–$64,000 | $77,000–$92,000 | +2–5% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $54,000–$66,000 | $80,000–$95,000 | +4–7% |
| Remote (US) | $52,000–$65,000 | $78,000–$95,000 | National avg. |
| Raleigh / Durham, NC | $48,000–$60,000 | $70,000–$87,000 | -5% |
| Phoenix, AZ | $48,000–$59,000 | $70,000–$85,000 | -5% |
Industry significantly affects SDR compensation. Sectors with complex products, compliance requirements, or larger deal sizes pay more:
| Industry | Base vs. SaaS Avg. | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity | +10–15% | Technical complexity, high deal values, compliance knowledge required |
| Fintech | +10–15% | Regulatory knowledge, financial buyer personas, longer cycles |
| Enterprise SaaS | +8–12% | Complex stakeholders, longer ramp, higher value per meeting |
| B2B SaaS (mid-market) | Baseline | Standard comp structure |
| DevTools / PLG | +0–5% | High equity upside at early stage offsets slightly lower cash |
| HR Tech | -0–5% | Buyer is internal (HR), lower deal values than enterprise |
| MarTech | -0–5% | Crowded space, competitive sourcing but commodity comp |
| HealthTech | -5–10% | Long sales cycles, compliance constraints on outreach |
| Media / Ad Tech | -5–10% | Lower deal values, agency-heavy buying, shorter tenure |
SDR commission is almost always activity-based (meetings set, pipeline generated) rather than revenue-based. Here are the three most common structures:
Fixed $ amount per qualified meeting that holds. Most common at early-stage companies. Simple, transparent, easy to model. Typical range: $75–$250 per meeting depending on deal size.
% of variable unlocked based on % of meeting quota hit. Common at mid-market companies. 100% quota = 100% variable. Accelerators (110%+ = 115–120% variable) motivate overperformance.
% of pipeline generated credited to SDR, paid when meetings advance past stage 2. Aligns SDR incentives with AE close rates. More complex to model, but better for quality over quantity.
For companies hiring remotely outside the US. Figures in USD equivalent:
| Location | Base Salary (USD equiv.) | OTE (USD equiv.) |
|---|---|---|
| London, UK | $45,000–$60,000 | $65,000–$90,000 |
| Toronto, Canada | $42,000–$55,000 | $62,000–$82,000 |
| Dublin, Ireland | $40,000–$54,000 | $58,000–$78,000 |
| Sydney, Australia | $42,000–$56,000 | $62,000–$84,000 |
| Berlin, Germany | $35,000–$48,000 | $50,000–$70,000 |
| Bogotá, Colombia | $18,000–$28,000 | $28,000–$44,000 |
| Medellín, Colombia | $16,000–$26,000 | $26,000–$40,000 |
| Mexico City, Mexico | $18,000–$30,000 | $28,000–$46,000 |
| São Paulo, Brazil | $20,000–$32,000 | $30,000–$48,000 |
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