SDR Salary in Australia (2026): Base, OTE and Real Cost
SDR Salary in Australia (2026): Base, OTE and Real Cost
Updated November 2026. What sales development representatives earn in Australia, how their pay is structured, and what an SDR actually costs to employ once everything is added up.
If you are about to hire your first sales development representative, the salary is the easy part to find and the least useful number on its own. Two job ads for "SDR" can sit 30,000 AUD apart, one may include super while the other doesn't, and neither tells you what the role costs your business by the end of the year.
I'm Jamie Partridge, founder of Uplift Sales. We run phone-led outsourced SDR programmes for B2B technology companies from Sydney, so I spend a lot of time helping founders and sales leaders decide whether to hire SDRs or outsource the work. This guide pulls together the public salary data for Australia, explains how SDR pay is structured, and walks through the full cost of employment.
The short answer
| Typical range (AUD) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary, tech SDR | 75,000 - 95,000 | Excludes super |
| On-target earnings (OTE) | 100,000 - 120,000 | Base plus commission at 100% of quota |
| Entry-level or non-tech SDR | 55,000 - 75,000 | Smaller companies, outside tech |
| Superannuation | 12% on top | ATO super guarantee rate from 1 July 2025 |
| Fully loaded cost to employ | 150,000 - 180,000 / year | Salary, super, commission, tax, tools, management, ramp, turnover |
The ranges above are a synthesis of the sources in the next section. Treat them as a guide for budgeting, not a quote for a specific role.
What the salary data says
There is no single authoritative number for SDR pay in Australia. Each source measures something slightly different, so it's worth seeing them side by side.
| Source | What it measures | Figure (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Walters Salary Guide 2026 | Recruiter-placed roles, NSW, base excluding super and bonus | Inside Sales Executive 85,000 - 105,000; Sales Executive 75,000 - 95,000; Account Executive 85,000 - 105,000 |
| RepVue | Self-reported by sales reps, mostly tech and SaaS | Median base about 80,000; median OTE about 116,000 |
| Glassdoor | Self-reported total pay, all industries | Median about 95,000; middle half 75,500 - 121,000 |
| SEEK | Salary ranges disclosed by employers in job ads | Commonly 60,000 - 80,000 advertised |
| Payscale | Self-reported, small sample (11 profiles) | Average base about 60,000; total pay 54,000 - 79,000 |
A few things explain the spread:
- Industry matters most. RepVue's respondents are mostly in tech and SaaS, where SDRs carry bigger deal values and pay is higher. SEEK and Payscale include agencies, retail, services and smaller businesses.
- Base versus total pay. Glassdoor's figure is total pay, which includes commission. Robert Walters and RepVue's base figure exclude it.
- Super is handled inconsistently. Robert Walters states its figures exclude super. SEEK notes that some employers include super and benefits in advertised ranges and others don't.
- Sample sizes are small. Payscale's figure rests on 11 profiles, and Glassdoor's city cuts on a few dozen. Use them as a sense check, not a benchmark.
For a B2B technology company hiring an SDR to call into Australian businesses, the RepVue and Robert Walters figures are the most relevant. That is why the short answer above uses a base of 75,000 to 95,000 AUD.
Base salary vs OTE: how SDR pay is structured
Almost every SDR role in Australian tech is paid as a base salary plus variable commission. The combined figure at 100% of quota is called on-target earnings, or OTE.
The split
Most SDR plans run at roughly 70% base, 30% variable. RepVue's medians reflect this: a base of about 80,000 AUD against an OTE of about 116,000 AUD puts base at around 69% of OTE. On an 80,000 AUD base, that means 30,000 to 35,000 AUD of variable pay is on the table if the SDR hits quota.
Some companies push the split towards 60/40 to reward volume. Others go to 80/20 when the role involves long enterprise cycles and fewer, bigger meetings. A heavier variable component attracts hunters but makes pay less predictable, which can hurt retention in the first few months while the SDR is still ramping.
What SDRs are paid on
The best plans pay on outcomes the sales team actually values:
- Meetings held, not just booked, so no-shows don't earn commission
- Opportunities accepted by sales, where an AE confirms the meeting met the agreed qualification bar
- Pipeline or closed revenue as a smaller kicker, so SDRs care about fit as well as volume
Paying on dials or booked meetings alone tends to fill calendars with meetings your AEs don't want. If you're building a plan from scratch, our sales comp plan builder and OTE calculator help you test different splits and quotas.
Accelerators and ramp
Many plans add accelerators above quota, for example a higher rate per meeting beyond 100% attainment. Most also include a ramped quota or a guaranteed draw for the first two or three months, because a new SDR rarely hits full quota while they are still learning the product and the market.
What pushes SDR pay up or down
Industry and deal size
SDRs selling enterprise software, cybersecurity or infrastructure to senior buyers are paid more than SDRs booking demos for low-priced products. The value of each qualified meeting is higher, and so is the skill needed to get past a CIO's gatekeeper.
Outbound versus inbound
Outbound SDRs who cold call and prospect from scratch usually earn more than inbound SDRs who qualify leads that come to them. Outbound is harder, and the variable component reflects that.
Experience
An SDR in their first sales job sits at the bottom of the range. An SDR with a year or more of hitting quota, especially in your industry, can command the top of it, and is often already looking at their next step to Account Executive.
Location
Most B2B tech SDR roles are in Sydney and Melbourne, and they tend to pay at the upper end of the national range. Public data on city-by-city differences is thin, though. SEEK's location data, for example, shows similar advertised figures across several states. Industry and seniority move pay far more than postcode.
Equity and benefits
Venture-backed startups sometimes offer equity in place of a higher base. Bigger tech companies add benefits such as extra leave, learning budgets and wellbeing allowances. None of these show up in salary surveys, but they affect who accepts your offer.
Work with UpliftSales
Want an outsourced SDR team booking meetings for you?
UpliftSales is an outsourced sales development agency for B2B technology companies in Australia. Cold calling and appointment setting campaigns, meetings booked into your calendar.
What an SDR really costs to employ
Salary is where the budget conversation starts, but it is not what the role costs your business. Our outsourced SDR cost guide puts the fully loaded cost of an in-house SDR in Australia at 150,000 to 180,000 AUD a year. Here is where that comes from.
The cost lines
- Base salary. Roughly 75,000 to 95,000 AUD for a tech SDR.
- Superannuation. 12% of ordinary time earnings, paid on top of salary. Commission paid for ordinary hours generally attracts super too, so check how your plan is set up.
- Variable pay. 25,000 to 35,000 AUD at target.
- Payroll tax. Payable once your total Australian wages pass your state's threshold. Rates and thresholds differ by state, so check with your state revenue office.
- Workers' compensation insurance and leave loading, where applicable.
- Tools and data. CRM seat, dialler, phone numbers, contact data and sales engagement software add up quickly per seat.
- Recruitment. Agency fees, or the time your team spends sourcing and interviewing.
- Management. Someone has to coach the SDR, review calls, and run pipeline meetings. That time has a cost, even if the manager is the founder.
- Ramp. A new SDR typically takes three to six months to reach full productivity. You pay full salary through that period.
- Turnover. SDRs are promoted or move on, often within 12 to 18 months, and the recruitment and ramp costs start again.
A worked example
Here's an illustrative example for one tech SDR in Sydney, using mid-range figures:
| Cost line | AUD per year |
|---|---|
| Base salary | 85,000 |
| Variable pay at target | 30,000 |
| Superannuation at 12% on base and variable | 13,800 |
| Payroll tax, workers' comp and on-costs (estimate) | 7,000 |
| Tools, data and phone (estimate) | 8,000 |
| Recruitment, amortised over expected tenure (estimate) | 8,000 |
| Share of a manager's time (estimate) | 15,000 |
| Total | 166,800 |
That lands in the middle of the 150,000 to 180,000 AUD range before you count the output lost during ramp. Your numbers will differ, so plug your own into our SDR ROI calculator, or use the SDR capacity planner to work out how many SDRs you actually need.
The point is not the exact total. It's that a CFO who budgets "85k for an SDR" will be wrong by roughly double.
Hire in-house or outsource?
Both models work. The right answer depends on where your business is.
Hiring in-house makes sense when:
- You have a proven outbound playbook: a defined ICP, messaging that books meetings, and qualification criteria your AEs trust
- Someone with SDR management experience can coach and run the team
- You need enough capacity to keep several SDRs busy and give them a career path
- Deep product knowledge matters more than speed to market
Outsourcing makes sense when:
- You need meetings in weeks, not after a three-to-six month hire and ramp
- You don't yet know whether outbound phone works for your ICP
- You have no one to manage SDRs, or the founder is still doing the calling
- You want to test a new segment, vertical or region before committing headcount
A lot of teams do both in sequence: start outsourced, use the data to build a playbook that works, then hire in-house with that playbook ready on day one. We go through this in detail in our in-house SDR vs outsourced SDR comparison.
Whichever route you take, compare the options on cost per qualified meeting held, not salary versus monthly fee. A cheaper option that books fewer meetings your AEs actually take is not cheaper.
How Uplift Sales fits in
Uplift Sales provides Sydney-based SDRs who cold call your target accounts during Australian business hours and book qualified meetings into your AE calendars. We are phone only and work exclusively with B2B technology companies.
You get a dedicated outsourced SDR, or part of an SDR's week through our fractional SDR service if you're earlier stage. The calling stack, lists, scripts, coaching and weekly reporting are included, and you keep every script, list and playbook we build in your CRM. First qualified meetings usually land in weeks 2 to 3.
If you're weighing a hire against outsourcing, contact us and we'll help you model both honestly, including whether outsourcing makes sense for you at all.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average SDR salary in Australia?
Most tech SDR roles pay a base of roughly 75,000 to 95,000 AUD, with OTE of around 100,000 to 120,000 AUD. RepVue reports a median base of about 80,000 AUD and median OTE of about 116,000 AUD. Entry-level and non-tech roles sit lower.
What is a typical SDR commission structure in Australia?
Roughly 70% base and 30% variable, paid on meetings held or opportunities accepted by sales, often with accelerators above quota and a ramped quota for the first few months.
Do SDR salaries in Australia include super?
Usually not. Super is paid on top at 12%, though some job ads quote a package that includes it. Check before comparing offers or salary data.
How much does it really cost to employ an SDR in Australia?
Typically 150,000 to 180,000 AUD a year fully loaded, once super, commission, payroll tax, tools, recruitment, management, ramp and turnover are included.
Do SDRs earn more in Sydney or Melbourne?
Tech SDR roles cluster in Sydney and Melbourne and tend to pay at the upper end of the range, but industry, deal size and experience move pay more than city.
How much does a senior SDR or SDR team lead earn in Australia?
Experienced SDRs with a track record of hitting quota sit at the top of the range or above it. Many step up to Account Executive, which Robert Walters' 2026 guide lists at 85,000 to 105,000 AUD base in NSW.
Is it cheaper to outsource SDRs than hire in Australia?
It depends on your stage. Outsourcing removes recruitment, ramp, tools and turnover from your cost and starts calls in weeks. Hiring in-house makes sense once you have a proven playbook and someone to manage the team. Compare both on cost per qualified meeting held.
Salary data is drawn from the public sources linked above as at November 2026 and is for general budgeting purposes. Pay for any individual role depends on the company, industry, experience and the market at the time of hiring.
Founder & CEO of Uplift Sales, an outsourced SDR agency running phone-led cold calling and appointment setting campaigns for B2B technology companies.