COST GUIDE

How Much Does an SDR Cost in 2026?

Sales development rep base, OTE, ramp, and fully loaded cost per meeting across the US, Canada, India, and LatAm - based on Glassdoor, Repvue, and The Bridge Group data.

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Direct Answer: What an SDR Costs

A sales development rep (SDR) typically costs $50,000 to $65,000 in base salary and $70,000 to $95,000 in total OTE in the US per Glassdoor and Repvue 2026 data. Fully loaded with benefits, commission, tools, and ramp, US SDR TCO runs $95,000 to $135,000 per year. Through managed remote staffing from India, the same role costs $1,400 to $2,000 per month all-in - $16,800 to $24,000 per year.

The cost of hiring a sales development rep depends on who you hire, what they do, and how long they stay. SDR role economics are unique in that ramp time (3 to 5 months) and average tenure (14 to 16 months per The Bridge Group) are roughly equal - meaning the effective productive window is short and every percentage point of retention or ramp speed materially changes TCO. This guide walks through SDR salary 2026 benchmarks by country, the cost per meeting math, and the hidden costs most teams underbudget.

SDR Cost by Country

Region	Base Salary	OTE	Annual Fully Loaded	Source
USA	$50K - $65K	$70K - $95K	$95K - $135K	Glassdoor, Repvue
Canada	$42K - $58K	$60K - $82K	$80K - $115K	Statistics Canada, Glassdoor
Eastern Europe	$28K - $42K	$35K - $55K	$40K - $62K	NoFluffJobs
Latin America	$22K - $42K	$30K - $55K	$35K - $60K	Turing, regional boards
Philippines	$10K - $18K	$14K - $24K	$15K - $26K	Glassdoor PH
India (via Teckas)	Included	Included	$16.8K - $24K	Teckas managed rate

Hourly vs Full-Time SDR Pricing

Hourly / appointment-setting services ($20 to $60 per hour, $150 to $400 per meeting). Fast to spin up, good for validation campaigns. Trade-off: no brand continuity, no pipeline ownership.

Dedicated full-time SDR ($1,400 to $8,000 per month depending on country). The default for any real outbound motion. Builds product knowledge, learns ICP, and drives pipeline predictability. This is where cost per qualified meeting actually improves over time.

What Drives SDR Cost

Segment. SMB outbound costs 30 to 50 percent less than enterprise outbound. Enterprise SDRs need research depth, multithreading skill, and tenure that commands a premium.

Motion. Inbound SDRs price 10 to 20 percent below outbound because they need fewer cold-calling reps. Outbound cold SDRs are the most expensive per hour of productive time.

Vertical. Regulated verticals (healthcare, finance, government) pay 20 to 35 percent more to cover compliance training and longer cycles.

Tooling. Outreach, Salesloft, Gong, ZoomInfo, and 6Sense licenses run $300 to $600 per SDR per month, plus $500 to $1,500 in data costs. Factor this into fully loaded cost in every geography.

Hidden Costs in Local Hiring

Ramp cost. US SDRs typically take 3 to 5 months to hit quota (The Bridge Group). You pay full comp for partial output during ramp.
Turnover. Average US SDR tenure is 14 to 16 months. Replacement cost runs $20,000 to $40,000 including recruiting, tools transfer, and pipeline loss.
Management overhead. SDR managers typically run 6 to 8 reps at $130,000 to $180,000 per year in the US. Managed offshore models often bundle team lead coverage into per-seat rates.
Tooling stack. Sales engagement, dialer, enrichment, conversation intelligence - $600 to $1,400 per SDR per month.
Benefits overhead (30-40%). Applied to base, not OTE, but still material.

See what an SDR costs for your ICP, segment, and outbound motion.

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How to Get Accurate Pricing for Your Business

SDR cost is tightly coupled to segment, motion, and meeting quality bar. Use the Teckas ROI calculator to model a dedicated SDR team against your current pipeline target. Download the 2026 Salary Report for full sales role benchmarks (SDR, BDR, AE, CSM). For a scoped SDR pod proposal in under 48 hours, book a free call.

Common Questions

How much does an SDR cost per year?

US SDR base salary averages $50,000 to $65,000 per Glassdoor and Repvue 2026 data, with total comp (OTE) of $70,000 to $95,000 including commission. Adding 30 to 40 percent benefits and overhead brings US fully loaded cost to $95,000 to $135,000. A dedicated SDR from India through Teckas costs $1,400 to $2,000 per month all-in, or $16,800 to $24,000 per year.

What is SDR OTE in 2026?

On-target earnings (OTE) for US SDRs typically sit at $70,000 to $95,000, split roughly 65/35 between base and variable. Top enterprise SaaS SDRs at unicorns can exceed $110,000 OTE. OTE in Eastern Europe is $35,000 to $55,000, in LatAm $30,000 to $55,000, and in India $18,000 to $30,000 for English-language outbound to North American buyers.

Is it better to outsource SDR or hire in-house?

Outsourcing wins on speed, cost per meeting, and risk reduction in the first 12 months. In-house wins on long-term ownership, product knowledge, and conversion quality once the playbook is proven. Most companies use a hybrid: offshore dedicated SDRs for cold pipeline at scale plus in-house SDRs for strategic accounts.

What is the cost per meeting from an SDR?

A US SDR booking 10 qualified meetings per month at $7,500 fully loaded monthly cost runs $750 per meeting. An offshore dedicated SDR booking 8 meetings per month at $1,700 monthly cost runs $212 per meeting. Quality of meeting varies - enterprise SaaS typically benefits from in-house at the top of funnel; mid-market and SMB work well offshore.

How long is SDR ramp time?

Average US SDR ramp is 3 to 5 months to full productivity per The Bridge Group and Repvue data. Average tenure is 14 to 16 months. That means you pay roughly 20 to 30 percent of first-year comp for ramp, and start over before you recoup it. Dedicated offshore SDRs often have longer tenure because internal career paths differ.