OTE, base:variable splits, accelerator structures, and quota-to-OTE ratios for B2B SaaS sales roles. Sourced from Bridge Group, Visdum (1,000+ companies), Everstage, and Pavilion. Key shift: SDR OTEs compressed 5% while enterprise AE OTEs held steady; AE base:variable split shifted to 44:56 (more variable); 82% of companies now use accelerators. [src1]
Data vintage: H2 2024 through H1 2025 from 1,000+ SaaS companies.
Key shift: Base:variable split for AEs shifted to 44:56 (more variable-heavy). 82% of companies now offer accelerated commissions above quota.
| Segment | Median OTE | 25th %ile | 75th %ile | Top Decile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMB SDR | $72K | $58K | $85K | $100K |
| Mid-Market SDR | $82K | $68K | $95K | $115K |
| Enterprise SDR | $95K | $78K | $115K | $135K |
Trend: Down 5% from 2024. [src1, src4]
| Segment | Median OTE | 25th %ile | 75th %ile | Top Decile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMB AE | $120K | $95K | $150K | $185K |
| Mid-Market AE | $175K | $140K | $210K | $260K |
| Enterprise AE | $250K | $195K | $310K | $400K |
| Strategic AE | $320K | $260K | $400K | $500K+ |
| Role | Median OTE | 25th %ile | 75th %ile | Top Decile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Manager | $200K | $160K | $250K | $300K |
| Sales Director | $260K | $210K | $320K | $380K |
| VP of Sales | $350K | $280K | $430K | $520K |
| CRO | $450K | $350K | $550K | $700K+ |
| Role | Median | Range | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDR/BDR | 65:35 | 60:40 to 70:30 | Higher base — developing skills |
| SMB AE | 55:45 | 50:50 to 60:40 | Balanced — high-volume motion |
| Mid-Market AE | 50:50 | 45:55 to 55:45 | Classic AE split |
| Enterprise AE | 45:55 | 40:60 to 50:50 | More variable — larger deals |
| Sales Manager | 60:40 | 55:45 to 65:35 | Coaching role — team attainment |
| VP/CRO | 55:45 | 50:50 to 65:35 | Strategic — org-level targets |
| Attainment | Median Multiplier | 25th %ile | 75th %ile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-50% | 0.5x-0.75x | 0.5x | 1.0x |
| 50-100% | 1.0x | 1.0x | 1.0x |
| 100-120% | 1.3x | 1.2x | 1.5x |
| 120-150% | 1.5x | 1.3x | 2.0x |
| 150%+ | 2.0x | 1.5x | 3.0x |
82% of companies now offer accelerators. [src1, src5]
| Role | Median | Healthy Range | Alarm |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMB AE | 4.5x | 3.5x-6.0x | <3.0x or >7.0x |
| Mid-Market AE | 5.0x | 4.0x-6.5x | <3.5x or >8.0x |
| Enterprise AE | 4.5x | 3.5x-6.0x | <3.0x or >7.0x |
[src4]
| Geography | Multiplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SF / Bay Area | 1.35-1.50x | Highest comp market |
| NYC | 1.25-1.40x | Finance + tech intersection |
| Seattle / Austin / Denver | 1.10-1.20x | Growing tech hubs |
| US National (baseline) | 1.0x | Baseline for benchmarks |
| London / UK | 0.85-0.95x | Lower base, similar OTE |
| EMEA (non-UK) | 0.75-0.90x | Varies widely |
| India (GCCs) | 0.30-0.45x | SDR and inside sales |
[src2]
| Rule | Threshold | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Manager OTE Floor | >= 1.3x top AE OTE | Below 1.3x: promotion economics broken |
| SDR-to-AE Bump | AE OTE >= 1.4x SDR OTE | Below 1.4x: promotion not attractive |
| Total Comp / Revenue | 15-25% of revenue | Above 30%: eating margin |
| Commission Rate | 8-12% of ACV | Standard SaaS new business rate |
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median SDR OTE | $82K | $80K | $78K | ↓ -5% |
| Mid-Market AE OTE | $170K | $173K | $175K | ↑ +3% |
| Enterprise AE OTE | $245K | $248K | $250K | ↑ +2% |
| AE Base:Variable | 48:52 | 46:54 | 44:56 | → more variable |
| Companies with Accelerators | 72% | 78% | 82% | ↑ standard |
Fetch when a user asks about sales compensation ranges, needs to design or audit a comp plan, benchmarks against industry data, plans hiring budgets, or evaluates quota-to-OTE alignment.