How much should I pay a SaaS sales rep?

SaaS sales rep base: $50K–$80K entry-level. Total comp (base + commission): $80K–$150K+ for experienced reps. B2B SaaS tends higher due to longer cycles.

What is the typical SaaS engineering salary?

SaaS engineering base salaries: junior $80K–$120K, mid-level $120K–$160K, senior/staff $150K–$220K+. Total comp may be higher with equity and bonuses.

How often should I review compensation benchmarks?

Review at least twice a year — during annual comp planning and mid-year. Falling behind market rates for 6+ months increases attrition risk.

Should I pay contractors more than employees?

Contractor rates are typically 20–40% higher to cover benefits, taxes, and equipment. But total employment cost narrows the gap when benefits are included.

How does headcount growth affect my burn rate and runway?

Each hire adds fully-loaded cost (salary + benefits + taxes) to monthly burn. Three $150K hires could add $50K+/month. Model the runway impact before committing.

People & Hiring

Real SaaS salary data across engineering, sales, product, and leadership roles. Quartile-based benchmarks (P25, median, P75) from hundreds of companies. Free — no signup required.

SaaS Salary Benchmarks

Free SaaS salary benchmarks with real pay data. Quartile-based compensation benchmarks across sales, engineering, product, customer success, and leadership roles. Includes medians, quartiles, and typical ranges (P25–P75).

Why Salary Benchmarking Matters for SaaS Companies

Compensation is typically 60–80% of a SaaS company's total spend, making it the single largest factor in your burn rate. Getting compensation wrong hurts in both directions: underpaying causes attrition and missed hires, while overpaying shortens your runway and reduces capital efficiency.

The SaaS Salary Benchmarks tool provides real compensation data from hundreds of SaaS companies, broken into quartiles so you can see exactly where your offers fall relative to the market.

How to Use Salary Benchmarks Effectively

Start by identifying the roles you are hiring for and comparing your current offers against the median and P25–P75 range. If you are a seed-stage company competing for senior engineering talent, you may need to offer above-median base pay or supplement with equity to stay competitive.

For sales roles, benchmark both base salary and on-target earnings (OTE) since commission structures vary widely. An SDR at $60K base with $90K OTE looks different from one at $50K base with $100K OTE, even though total comp is similar.

Review the SaaS Salary Benchmarks at least twice a year — during annual compensation planning and before any major hiring push.

Compensation Planning and Runway

Every hire directly affects how long your cash lasts. A senior engineer at $180K/year adds $15K/month to your burn rate — more with benefits, equipment, and payroll taxes. Before committing to a hire, model the impact on your runway.

This is where salary benchmarks and burn rate calculations work together: benchmarks tell you the market rate, and the burn rate calculator shows you how that hire changes your financial position. Founders who plan headcount against runway avoid the painful situation of hiring aggressively and then needing emergency funding on bad terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

SaaS sales rep base salaries typically range from $50K–$80K for entry-level roles, with total compensation (base + commission) reaching $80K–$150K+ for experienced reps. B2B SaaS sales salaries tend to be higher due to longer cycles and larger deal sizes. Check the SaaS Salary Benchmarks for current quartile data broken down by role and seniority.

SaaS engineering salaries by seniority: junior engineers $80K–$120K, mid-level $120K–$160K, senior/staff $150K–$220K+. These are base salary figures — total compensation may include equity, bonuses, and benefits. Use the SaaS Salary Benchmarks for detailed P25/median/P75 breakdowns.

Review benchmarks at least twice a year — once during annual compensation planning and once mid-year before any major hiring push. The SaaS market moves fast, and falling behind market rates for 6+ months increases your risk of losing top performers to competitors offering more.

Contractor hourly rates are typically 20–40% higher than equivalent employee rates because contractors cover their own benefits, taxes, equipment, and downtime between projects. However, total cost of employment (including employer-side benefits, insurance, and payroll taxes) often makes the effective rates closer than they first appear.

Each new hire increases your monthly burn by their fully-loaded cost (salary + benefits + taxes + equipment). Three hires at $150K salary each could add $50K+/month to your burn rate, potentially cutting months off your runway. Use the Salary Benchmarks to plan realistic compensation budgets, then plug those numbers into the Burn Rate Calculator to see the runway impact before you commit to new headcount.

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