Sales Development Representative Salary: Your 2026 Guide

As a sales development representative, you'll work in sales, but you won't be the person who closes them. You'll be responsible for getting things started and focusing on outreach. You’ll find potential customers and help them through the pipeline so sales representatives can come in and complete the sale. This status means you must be adaptable, resilient, and a skilled communicator. An effective sales development rep can also withstand rejection, sometimes, a lot of it.

The sales development representative's salary can range significantly. Several factors can influence pay, such as the job's location, your education level, and how much experience you have. Commission can also play a role in how much you make. 

Explore the job and various factors that can impact how much you can expect to earn to help you better understand this career choice.

What is a sales development representative?

This type of sales professional, sometimes called an SDR, focuses on outreach. Rather than closing a sale, you search for and contact potential customers through prospecting or lead generation. 

Your ultimate goal is generating new business and clients for your organization, keeping the sales pipeline filled so the sales team can make the sale. You can do this by identifying the ideal customer for your products and services and showing potential customers how that product or service can help them solve a problem. You may also find yourself setting up meetings and following up with customers after initial contact. 

As a sales development representative, you might work in an office environment, or you may work remotely. You can work across many industries, and some companies will offer on-the-job training to the right candidate. 

SDRs must be good at building relationships, both with clients and colleagues. Excellent communication and empathy skills are essential. You’ll need to be an active listener and able to adapt to any situation. Because many people do not react positively to sales, resilience and a willingness to overcome objections are valuable traits.

How much does a sales development representative make?

Glassdoor data from 2026 shows that the median total pay for a sales development representative is $104,000 [1]. However, you may discover many other factors that influence how much you make in this role.

Factors that impact sales development representative salary

Exactly how much you make as a sales development representative will have a lot to do with the company or organization you work for, as well as whether you earn a commission. However, some other factors can influence your salary overall as a sales professional, such as how much education you have, your geographic location, past experience, and the industry in which you work.

Education 

Often, a company wants its SDRs to have a bachelor's degree, usually in business or a related field. According to Zippia, 83% of people in this role have a bachelor's degree, 8% have an associate degree, and 4% have a master's degree. The average annual earnings associated with each degree level are as follows [2]:

• Associate degree: $45,112

• Bachelor's degree: $57,816

• Master's degree: $64,750

Experience

Experience can also affect how much you make as a sales development representative. Many people start with an entry-level SDR job, though you can also gain experience in other related customer service or sales roles.

The following are the various salaries associated with different levels of experience for a sales development representative, according to Glassdoor [1]:

Keep in mind that this table only shows base pay. It does not include additional income you may earn, like tips, commissions, or bonuses.

Industry

Sales professionals work across almost all industries. However, industries growing at the fastest rates often have the greatest need for new hires. Technology and software development, like big data and cybersecurity, often top the list. Other industries needing sales professionals include finance, health care and pharmaceuticals, transportation, construction, and certain consumer goods, like wellness and packaged goods.

Take a look at some median total pays for sales development representatives in various industries, according to Glassdoor [1]: 

• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology: $87,461

• Information technology: $86,803

• Energy, mining, and utilities: $79,926

• Real estate: $78,167

• Education: $77,631

Location

Where you live and work can also affect how much you make as a sales development representative. Working in certain cities might earn you a higher wage than working in certain states. Take a look at the 10 highest-paying states for this type of work and the average salary for each one, according to Zippia [3]: 

1. Alaska: $71,945

2. North Dakota: $66,264

3. Massachusetts: $66,156

4. Vermont: $65,556

5. New Jersey: $65,221

6. Maine: $64,831

7. Wyoming: $64,106

8. New Hampshire: $64,073

9. Connecticut: $63,827

10. Rhode Island: $62,732

The following lists the top 10 cities in the United States with the highest average salaries for sales development representatives [3]:

1. Boston, Massachusetts: $66,202

2. Portland, Maine: $64,895

3. Hartford, Connecticut: $63,914

4. Providence, Rhode Island: $62,786

5. Seattle, Washington: $61,532

6. Albany, New York: $61,251

7. Baltimore, Maryland: $59,468

8. Detroit, Michigan: $59,048

9. Kansas City, Kansas: $58,397

10. Des Moines, Iowa: $57,784

Job outlook

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there will be an average of 142,100 manufacturing and wholesale sales representative job openings each year between 2024 and 2034. However, the field is expected to grow just 1 percent in that timeframe, which is slower than the average rate across all industries. While automation technologies may limit the growth of sales roles, demand for sales development representatives should remain steady as the number of products and technologies that need sales professionals and the total volume of sales rise in all industries [4]. 

Getting started with Coursera

The salary you take home as a sales development representative can vary according to where you work, your skills and experience, and the commission you make due to your sales performance. Continuing your education can help you grow your career as a sales development representative. It can also look great on your resume and give you confidence in your job search. 

Consider online sales courses on Coursera, offered by some of the biggest names in business and education worldwide. Examples include Fundamentals of Technology Sales by the University of Maryland, College Park, Groundwork for Success in Sales Development from Salesforce, or Fundamentals of Sales and Marketing, with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women.