Salary by Seniority

C-Level Sales Salary Benchmarks

Current salary data based on 20 job postings with disclosed compensation.

Average Range
$250K - $326K
Base salary
Midpoint
$288K
Average base
Sample Size
20
Job postings

C-Level Sales Leadership Roles

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) roles encompass full revenue responsibility, typically including Sales, Customer Success, and sometimes Marketing and Partnerships. These are true executive roles with board exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average C-Level Sales salary?

The average C-Level Sales salary ranges from $250K to $326K base, based on 20 job postings with disclosed compensation.

Why is the C-Level Sales salary range so wide ($250K to $326K)?

The 30% salary spread reflects real market variation. Key factors: (1) Company stage - Series A pays 20-30% less base but offers more equity; (2) Deal size responsibility - enterprise sales leaders ($500K+ ACV) command premiums; (3) Team size - managing 50+ reps vs 10 impacts compensation; (4) Industry - fintech and cybersecurity pay 15-20% above average. The 'right' salary depends on your specific situation.

Should I negotiate base salary or OTE for a C-Level Sales role?

Focus on base salary for stability and comp benchmarking, but understand the full picture. At startups, negotiate equity vesting and acceleration clauses. At public companies, ask about RSU refresh grants. For OTE, clarify quota attainment rates (ask: 'What % of the team hit quota last year?') and whether targets are realistic. A high OTE with 20% attainment is worse than moderate OTE with 80% attainment.

How accurate is this salary data?

Our data comes from 20 actual job postings with disclosed compensation ranges, not self-reported surveys (which typically skew 10-15% high). We track VP Sales, SVP Sales, and CRO roles weekly, filtering for executive-level positions. Limitations: not all companies disclose salary, and posted ranges may differ from final offers after negotiation.

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