Access proven frameworks and ready-to-use tools to land $120k-$200k+ sales roles and drive boardroom-level impact—up 6% from 2025 market adjustments.
Highest Potential On-Target Earnings (OTE)
$360,000
Role: Enterprise Account Executive (AE)
Average Remote Sales OTE (Across Key Roles)
$176,571
Average OTE across SDR, BDR, AE, and Sales Manager positions—up 6% from 2025 reflecting market stabilization.
This chart visually breaks down the average On-Target Earnings (OTE) for each sales role, clearly differentiating the stable Base Salary from the performance-based Variable Commission. Use this data to benchmark your current compensation and prepare for 2026 negotiations.
For key Account Executive roles (SMB, Mid-Market, and Enterprise), the 50/50 OTE split remains the established industry standard for remote sales compensation in 2026. This means your Base Salary and your at-quota Variable Commission are designed to be equal.
This model ensures security with the Base while providing massive upside through the Variable component. Knowing this split is crucial before you start your next salary negotiation—especially with companies adjusting comp structures post-market correction.
Always aim to protect your Base Salary. A competitive base ensures financial security. If the proposed variable pay is disproportionately high, it can signal an extremely aggressive or unattainable quota. In 2026, expect bases to be 5-8% higher than 2025 benchmarks.
The true value of the Variable component lies in the quota reality. Investigate the average attainment rates and accelerator tiers. An "inflated" OTE is worthless if the quota is unrealistic—ask for proof of rep attainment data from the past 4 quarters.
Sales Manager OTE is typically weighted more towards the Base Salary (often 60/40 or 70/30). Their variable pay is based on team performance, requiring less risk on individual performance. Expect manager bases to be $125k-$135k in 2026.
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