Overview
Head of Sales Salary Overview
- Bottom 25% Average
$95,119
Early-stage startups
- Middle 50% Average
$145,886
Growth companies
- Top 25% Average
$189,115
Late-stage/public companies
Heads of Sales at SaaS companies own the entire sales function, from strategy to execution. They manage Directors of Sales, Sales Managers, and cross-functional partnerships with Account Management. The role typically reports to the CRO or CEO.
Head of Sales compensation combines a strong base with significant variable pay tied to company-level revenue targets. The role is a direct path to VP of Sales or CRO. View all SaaS salary benchmarks.
Quartile bands
Detailed Head of Sales Compensation Breakdown
Top 25%
$189,115
26 salaries
Middle 50%
$145,886
49 salaries
Bottom 25%
$95,119
21 salaries
Percentile Band | Average Base Salary | # of salaries |
|---|---|---|
| Top 25% | $189,115 | 26 salaries |
| Middle 50% | $145,886 | 49 salaries |
| Bottom 25% | $95,119 | 21 salaries |
Key insights
What Drives Higher Head of Sales Pay?
Total revenue responsibility and quota ownership
Organization size and number of direct/indirect reports
Company stage — growth-stage values sales leadership most
Enterprise sales track record and deal complexity
Head of Sales Compensation Structure
Base salary is 50–60% of OTE (on-target earnings)
Variable pay tied to company revenue and growth targets
Equity grants significant at growth-stage (0.1–0.5%)
Accelerators for exceeding annual revenue targets
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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