In short
- Freshers: about ₹4.5–8 LPA including variable pay at B2B SaaS companies. Public data puts typical entry-level base pay around ₹4–6 LPA.
- With 1–4 years of relevant experience (Senior SDR level): about ₹8–14 LPA.
- Account Executives: about ₹12–22 LPA OTE (on-target earnings: salary plus full variable pay).
- Pay varies a lot by company, city, funding stage and whether you sell to Indian or overseas customers.
On this page
Typical ranges at a glance
| Role | Typical experience | Typical pay |
|---|---|---|
| SDR / BDR | 0–2 years | ₹4.5–8 LPA incl. variable |
| Senior SDR / SDR team lead | 1.5–3 years | ₹8–14 LPA |
| Account Executive | 2–4 years | ₹12–22 LPA OTE |
| Senior / Enterprise AE | 4–7 years | ₹20–35 LPA OTE |
| Sales manager / Head of sales | 6+ years | ₹30–50 LPA OTE |
These are typical market ranges based on public salary data and job postings, listed under Sources. They're not a promise of what any one person will earn.
What public data says
- PayScale's entry-level SDR data for India shows an average base salary of about ₹4.4 lakh a year in 2026, with the top 10% above about ₹8 lakh.
- Career guides that track Indian tech sales roles put fresher SDR fixed pay at roughly ₹4–7 LPA, and ₹6–9 LPA CTC in tier-1 cities for candidates with strong English and LinkedIn profiles.
- Job postings vary. One remote SDR role advertised a paid training period followed by ₹4–6 LPA based on performance.
- Some salary sites report much higher medians, above ₹13 lakh base. These usually reflect experienced SDRs or roles selling to US customers, so treat them as the upper end.
Fixed vs variable pay
Most SDR offers split pay into a fixed salary and a variable part (incentives or commission) linked to meetings booked or pipeline created. Splits like 70:30 (fixed to variable) are common, but they vary. On-target earnings (OTE) is what you'd earn if you hit 100% of your target.
When you compare offers, compare the fixed part and the OTE separately, and ask how many people on the team hit their target last quarter.
What pushes pay up
- Selling to US or European customers, which often pays more and sometimes means late shifts
- Tier-1 cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurugram, Pune and Hyderabad
- Funded startups and established SaaS companies, compared with very early-stage ones
- Measurable sales results from previous jobs, even in B2C
- Comfort with the tools teams use, including a CRM and AI tools
How it compares with consumer sales
Fresher tele-calling and consumer sales jobs often advertise around ₹15,000–25,000 a month fixed (roughly ₹1.8–3 LPA), with incentives on top. That gap is one reason many people with 1–4 years in B2C sales look at SDR roles as their next step.
Questions people ask
What is the starting salary of an SDR in India?
Typically around ₹4.5–8 LPA including variable pay at B2B SaaS companies, with entry-level base pay often around ₹4–6 LPA. It depends on the company, the city and your background.
What does OTE mean?
On-target earnings: your fixed salary plus the full variable pay you'd earn if you hit 100% of your target.
How often are SDR incentives paid?
Many companies pay variable pay monthly or quarterly, based on meetings booked or pipeline created. Check the plan details before you accept an offer.
Sources
- PayScale: Entry-level SDR salary in India
- PayScale: SDR salary in India
- JobRise: Tech sales jobs in India (SDR and AE)
- RepVue: SDR salaries in India
- Telemploy: Telecaller salary guide India 2026
Want structured training for this?
The AI SDR & GTM Certification Program is a 3-month, hour-a-day online program that trains you for SDR jobs at B2B SaaS companies and helps you run your job search.