Salaries/Account Executive vs Sales Development Representative

Account Executive vs Sales Development Representative Salary

Side-by-side 2026 salary comparison across entry-level, mid-level, and senior pay for Account Executive and Sales Development Representative roles in the US.

Bottom line (mid-level, US median)

Account Executives earn $54,000 (83% more) than Sales Development Representatives on average.

Account Executive vs Sales Development Representative by City

LocationAccount Executive (Mid)Sales Development Representative (Mid)Difference
New York$160K$87K+$73K
Los Angeles$144K$78K+$66K
Chicago$131K$71K+$60K
Dallas$125K$68K+$57K
Houston$124K$67K+$57K
Washington D.C.$150K$82K+$68K
Philadelphia$128K$69K+$59K
Atlanta$125K$68K+$57K

Sales

Account Executive

Own a quota and close net-new revenue with mid-market and enterprise customers.

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Sales

Sales Development Representative

Prospect and qualify pipeline for the sales org with outbound outreach.

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