An SDR isn't paid a flat salary — they're paid a base salary plus a variable, activity-driven component, so "how much do SDRs make" is really two questions: what's the base, and what's the structure on top of it. For an entry-level SDR in the US (2026), that structure lands at roughly a $50,000 base and about a $90,000 on-target (OTE) — a base-heavy split where the variable, earned at 100% of quota, is the smaller ~$40,000 slice. The exact number shifts by metro, industry, and company size, and the variable half is only paid if you actually hit quota. This page explains the structure, how to read a split, and where to pull the current market number for your role and city.
The structure first — here is the asset
Every SDR comp plan is the same shape. Read it as three pieces:
- Base salary. The fixed part you're paid regardless of performance. SDR comp is base-heavy compared to later account executive roles, because the job is weighted toward consistent activity while you're still ramping.
- Variable / commission. The part tied to your output — for an SDR, usually a flat fee per qualified meeting or per booked meeting. You only earn it at attainment.
- OTE (on-target earnings). Base plus the variable at 100% of quota. OTE is the headline number a recruiter quotes — and it is not a guarantee (what OTE is).
The two numbers that matter are the split (how much is base vs. variable) and what attainment is realistic (whether reps actually hit quota) — not just the OTE total.
Where the current market number comes from
A defensible "how much do SDRs make" number has to be dated and sourced — it changes by market, company size, industry, and release vintage. Two sources are the ones this course trusts:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS) — tracks Sales Representatives of Services (SOC 41-3091), the closest occupation proxy for SDR-type roles. Pull the median for your metro from the current release; the figure moves every year.
- Bridge Group (Sales Development Benchmarks) — publishes SDR-specific comp and quota benchmarks by year, which is where the sales-development-specific numbers come from.
When you research, don't anchor to a single number — check the latest OEWS median for SOC 41-3091 in your city and the newest Bridge Group SDR benchmark, then build a range. That range, not a single figure quoted from memory, is what you take into a salary conversation.
Read the split and the realistic attainment, not the headline
Two offers can quote the same OTE and be completely different jobs. An SDR plan is base-heavy (the variable is a smaller slice than an AE's), but the exact split still varies: one shop runs a strong base with a modest per-meeting bonus; another loads more onto the variable and expects higher volume. The base is your floor, so for a first job the base-heavy plan is usually the lower-risk one — you're learning, and you don't want your rent riding on meetings you haven't learned to book yet.
The second number to chase is realistic attainment: what share of reps actually hit quota, and what does the commission half of OTE really pay in the average month? A plan where most reps land near quota is worth more than a fat OTE that almost nobody reaches. Ask it directly, and read the commission structure and the comp-plan fine print before you sign — because the gap between the OTE on the job post and what you actually collect is where most of the disappointment lives. For the full picture of how the pieces add up, see what OTE really is.