Compensation
Market data- p25
- $100,000
- median
- $170,000
- p75
- $240,000
Annual base, USD, from public postings · based on n=429 · Updated September 2026. How we calculate this
Loading
Career & pay · sales
Account Executive
Market data for this role — salary, demand, and skills. See live openings below.
Account executives are the primary revenue drivers at most software and services companies, managing client relationships and closing deals. With a median salary of $165,000 and over 1,500 active openings across 345 companies, AE roles remain among the most in-demand positions in sales.
I want this job
Get hired as a Account Executive
Take the role-specific skills assessment, score instantly, and get matched to the companies hiring now.
Take the assessment →Free · ~12 min · no résumé needed
I’m hiring one
Hire a vetted Account Executive
Every Account Executive on diiirect is skills-assessed and human-reviewed. Hire direct — no agencies, no middle layer.
Post a role →Post in minutes · only vetted, assessed applicants
About the role
What a Account Executive does
What account executives actually do
An account executive owns the full sales cycle for a set of assigned accounts or territories. On any given day, this means prospecting for new leads, qualifying opportunities, running discovery calls, preparing proposals, negotiating terms, and closing deals. Once a deal closes, many AEs also own the early relationship with the customer—ensuring a smooth handoff to customer success or implementation teams.
The role sits at the intersection of revenue generation and customer relationship management. You're not just hitting a number; you're building trust with buyers, understanding their business problems, and positioning your product as the solution. This requires both persistence and empathy—knowing when to push and when to listen.
Day-to-day activities vary by company stage and sales model. At a startup, you might spend 40% of your time on outbound prospecting, 30% on calls and demos, and 30% on admin and forecasting. At a larger company with inbound leads, the mix shifts: perhaps 20% prospecting, 50% managing qualified opportunities, and 30% on process and reporting. Either way, you're in front of customers constantly.
Why demand is so high
With 1,517 active postings across 345 companies, account executive roles are among the most widely hired positions in tech and B2B services. This reflects a simple economic reality: sales is how companies grow revenue, and AEs are the primary engine. Every SaaS company, every services firm, every B2B vendor needs people who can close deals.
The high volume of openings also signals turnover. Sales is a results-driven role with clear metrics—hit quota or don't. This creates both opportunity and churn. Companies are constantly hiring to backfill departures and to scale teams as they grow. For candidates, this means steady demand and multiple options.
Compensation and what it means
The median AE salary is $165,000 annually, with the 25th percentile at $99,150 and the 75th percentile at $237,500. This wide range reflects real differences in company size, industry, geography, and individual performance.
At the lower end ($99k–$130k), you'll typically find AEs at early-stage startups, regional firms, or in lower-cost markets. These roles often have higher commission upside—base might be 50–60% of total comp, with the rest earned through hitting or exceeding quota.
At the median ($165k), you're looking at mid-market companies or well-funded startups in major metros. Base and variable are often closer to 60/40 or 55/45.
At the upper end ($237k+), you're in enterprise sales at established companies, or you're a top performer at a high-velocity sales organization. These roles often have higher bases ($120k–$150k) and significant upside if you hit or exceed quota.
The wide spread also reflects geography and cost of living. An AE in San Francisco or New York will earn more than one in Austin or Denver, all else equal. And it reflects experience: a first-time AE fresh from SDR (sales development representative) might land at $99k, while a proven closer with a track record might command $180k+.
One important note: the figures above are base salary. Total compensation—base plus commission, bonus, and equity—is typically 30–50% higher. If the median base is $165k, median total comp is likely $200k–$250k, depending on quota attainment and company structure.
Skills that matter
Successful AEs share a few core competencies:
**Discovery and listening.** The best AEs ask good questions and shut up. They uncover what the customer actually needs, not what the AE wants to sell. This skill separates mediocre AEs from great ones.
**Resilience.** Sales is rejection. You'll hear "no" far more than "yes." Candidates who thrive are those who don't take it personally and keep moving forward.
**Comfort with ambiguity.** Early in a deal, you rarely have all the information. You need to make decisions and move forward with incomplete data. This requires judgment and confidence.
**Product knowledge.** You don't need to be a technician, but you need to know what your product does, how it compares to competitors, and how it solves real customer problems. You'll spend time learning this on the job, but candidates who come in with some domain knowledge move faster.
**Process discipline.** Quota is a number, but it's hit through consistent activity and process. Logging calls, updating the CRM, forecasting accurately, and following your sales methodology matter. Companies hire for this because it's learnable and it drives results.
**Negotiation.** Deals rarely close at list price. You need to know what you can negotiate (price, terms, scope) and what you can't. This comes partly from training and partly from experience.
How to get hired
Most companies hire AEs from one of three pipelines: internal promotion from SDR or sales development roles, lateral hires from other sales organizations, or recruiting from adjacent fields (consulting, customer success, account management).
If you're coming from outside sales, emphasize any experience with complex sales cycles, relationship building, or quota attainment. If you've sold anything—software, services, advertising, even as a freelancer—that's relevant. Companies care less about the specific product and more about your ability to close deals and manage a process.
For interviews, expect a mix of behavioral questions ("Tell me about a deal you lost and what you learned"), role-plays ("Walk me through how you'd approach this prospect"), and sales acumen questions ("How would you position our product against competitor X?"). Prepare concrete examples of deals you've closed, objections you've overcome, and how you've managed your territory or pipeline.
If you're early in your career, the SDR-to-AE path is the most common. SDR roles (also called BDRs or sales development reps) are entry points into sales. You'll spend 1–2 years qualifying leads and booking meetings for AEs. If you perform well, you'll be promoted to AE. This path is predictable and well-trodden.
How to hire well
For companies, the challenge is that sales performance is hard to predict. Resume credentials matter less than attitude, coachability, and hunger. Look for candidates who have:
- **A track record of hitting targets**, even if the product or industry is different. Quota attainment is the best predictor of future quota attainment. - **Longevity in previous roles.** If someone has bounced between jobs every 18 months, dig into why. Sometimes it's legitimate (company folded, bad fit). Sometimes it's a red flag. - **Curiosity about your business.** Candidates who've done homework on your product, market, and competitors tend to ramp faster. - **Coachability.** Sales is a learnable skill. Candidates who are open to feedback and willing to follow your process tend to succeed.
Onboarding matters. New AEs need clear territory or account assignments, a ramp plan (often 3–6 months to full quota), and regular coaching. Companies that invest in onboarding see better retention and faster productivity.
The market right now
With 1,517 active postings, it's a candidate-friendly market for AEs. You have options. This means you can be selective about company, product, and leadership. It also means you can negotiate on base salary, commission structure, and territory.
For companies, the volume of openings reflects both growth and churn. If you're hiring, you're competing for talent. This means offering competitive comp, clear paths to advancement, and good leadership. It also means being realistic about ramp time and quota expectations.
The breadth of hiring (345 companies) shows that AE demand spans industries and company sizes. There's no single "hot" sector; demand is broad. This is good for candidates—you're not betting on one industry or trend.
By seniority · global median
Intern$18,088
Junior$29,393+$11,305
Mid$175,000+$145,607
Senior$175,000
Staff$76,874
Principal$94,962+$18,088
Director$108,528+$13,566
VP$135,660+$27,132
C-level$180,880+$45,220
Where would you land?
~50th percentile — about $170,000 would out-earn an estimated 50% of Account Executives.
Estimated from the p25–p75 band. For orientation, not an offer.
Open positions
Live Account Executive roles
The most recent openings tracked across the market. Apply directly — no middle layer.
- Account Executive, Product - TerminalStripeChicagotoday
- Account Executive, AI Startups - GrowerStripeNew Yorktoday
- Strategic Account Executive, AI SalesStripeSan Francisco, CAtoday
- Account Executive, Currency ManagementStripeSingaporetoday
- Account Executive, MidMarket (LATAM)intercomUSA, RemoteRemotetoday
- Account Executive, MidMarketintercomChicago, Illinoistoday
- Account Executive, MidMarketintercomSan Francisco, Californiatoday
- Account Executive, CommercialintercomChicago, Illinoistoday
- Account Executive, CommercialintercomSan Francisco, Californiatoday
- Sr. Solution Sales Executive – State & Local Government (OT / Cyber-Physical Systems), US WestServiceNowPhoenix, Arizona, UStoday
- Sr. Solution Sales Executive – State & Local Government (OT / Cyber-Physical Systems), US WestServiceNowLos Angeles, CALIFORNIA, UStoday
- Sr. Solution Sales Executive – State & Local Government (OT / Cyber-Physical Systems), US WestServiceNowDallas, Texas, UStoday
Openings elsewhere
Live Account Executive openings
Roles from other companies hiring Account Executives right now, sourced straight from their own job boards.
- Account Executive, Product - TerminalStripeChicago
- Account Executive, AI Startups - GrowerStripeNew York
- Strategic Account Executive, AI SalesStripeSan Francisco, CA
- Account Executive, Currency ManagementStripeSingapore
- Account Executive, MidMarket (LATAM)intercomUSA, Remote
- Account Executive, MidMarketintercomChicago, Illinois
- Account Executive, MidMarketintercomSan Francisco, California
- Account Executive, CommercialintercomChicago, Illinois
- Account Executive, CommercialintercomSan Francisco, California
- Sr. Solution Sales Executive – State & Local Government (OT / Cyber-Physical Systems), US WestServiceNowPhoenix, Arizona, US
Who's hiring
Top companies hiring Account Executives
Where it pays
Compensation by region
Median annual base in USD by region. Hiring globally widens the band you can recruit from — and the arbitrage you can capture.
Regionp25Medianp75Source
US$60,000$100,000$140,000Market data
CA$45,026$52,972$62,507Estimated
GB$42,830$50,388$59,458Estimated
UY$24,160$28,424$33,540Estimated
MX$23,062$27,132$32,016Estimated
BR$21,964$25,840$30,491Estimated
CR$21,964$25,840$30,491Estimated
CL$21,964$25,840$30,491Estimated
AR$18,669$21,964$25,918Estimated
CO$18,669$21,964$25,918Estimated
PE$17,571$20,672$24,393Estimated
Good to know
Frequently asked
What's the salary range for a Account Executive?
The median Account Executive salary is $170,000. Most Account Executive roles pay between $100,000 and $240,000 (USD, annual), based on 429 salary observations.
Which companies hire Account Executives?
Companies actively hiring Account Executives include Stripe, Salesforce, Datadog, Databricks, Cloudflare, MongoDB.
How do I get hired as a Account Executive on diiirect?
Apply directly to 1,622 open Account Executive postings on diiirect — no recruiters, no middle layer. Companies review your profile and hire you directly.
Hiring kit
Templates for hiring Account Executives
Looking for Account Executive work?
Apply directly to top companies on diiirect. No middle layer.
Salary and demand figures are derived from public job postings and the BLS OEWS baseline. Read how we calculate this.