Software Sales Salary: How Much Can a Sales Rep Earn?

Key takeaways

Software sales representatives earn above-average salaries in the United States. Below are some important facts to know:

• The annual median total salary for a software sales representative is $146,000, according to Glassdoor [1]. 

• Top-paying states for software sales representatives include Alaska, Washington, and Nevada. 

• You can prepare for a career in software sales by obtaining a degree in business, marketing, or computer science. 

Read on to learn more about the factors that contribute to the highest salaries, which will give you an idea of what you might expect to make and how to maximize your earning power. Afterward, if you’re ready to take the first step toward a career in sales, enroll in the Salesforce Sales Operations Professional Certificate. Beginner-friendly, this program offers guidance on creating reports, charts, and dashboards in Salesforce. 

What is software sales?

Software sales is a career based on selling software and technical products to consumers and businesses. Software sales representatives work with customers, businesses, and organizations, helping them assess their needs and then sell a product to meet them. 

Today, that often means selling access to software as a service (SaaS) or platform as a service (PaaS), subscription-based products that provide high degrees of access for customers. They often also have a long sales cycle for sales professionals, which means you’ll spend a lot of time building relationships with potential customers and understanding their needs to match them with the software products that best support them. The process can involve multiple salespeople working in several different roles. 

What is the average software sales representative salary? 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), sales representatives for computer systems design and related services earn a median total pay of $81,080 [2]. When comparing that to the data from several reliable job listing sites, the average software sales base salary ranges from more than $60,000 to over $80,000. Those salaries reflect annual base earnings. Commissions, bonuses, and other income sources could add an extra amount, ranging from $44,000 to $82,000 annually [1].

Average annual salary information from four websites is as follows [3,4,1,5]:

*Glassdoor salary information represents the median total pay. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Is software sales in demand?

The US BLS forecasts 1.8 million openings each year, on average, for sales occupations between 2024 and 2034, indicating a positive job outlook [6]. Popular skills for sales representatives include business-to-business (B2B) sales, customer relationship management (CRM), and software knowledge [3].

Highest-paying companies for software sales reps

Software sales salary varies depending on who you work for. Some organizations, like big tech companies, have a reputation for paying very well compared to small start-ups. 

The following lists some of the top software sales companies and their annual US salaries, according to Glassdoor [1]. You may notice these salaries are considerably higher than those noted in the table above as they represent the median total pay.

1. Microsoft: $273,000

2. Dassault Systèmes: $265,000

3. UiPath: $259,000

4. Oracle: $259,000

5. Cisco: $256,000

6. BMC Software: $174,000

7. Wolters Kluwer: $163,000

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of March 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Factors affecting software sales salary

Aside from who you work for, factors influencing the salary you can take home as a software sales rep include your experience, education, relevant sales skills, geographical location, and available commission structure. 

Let’s examine each factor in more detail to better understand its impact and what it might mean for you.

Education

To work as a software sales representative, consider a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject such as business, marketing, or a technical major like computer science. 

Selecting a minor to make sure you cover all bases can be helpful. If you have chosen a business subject for a major, your minor might be something more technical, and vice versa. 

According to Zippia, 72 percent of software sales reps have a bachelor’s degree, and 7 percent continue to study for a master’s degree [7]. Roughly 11 percent hold an associate degree and just 6 percent have only a high school diploma [7]. The average annual salary you can expect according to your degree type is as follows [7]:

Salary by experience level 

The amount of experience you have can also affect what you earn. You’ll discover specific skills you can develop to grow as a software sales representative, and experience is often a straightforward way to gain these. 

Sales experience in any industry or field could open the door to some of the highest-paying positions. You’ll also likely gain a leg up by understanding the software and products you are selling, which may include technical knowledge. Workplace skills are also necessary, such as friendliness and rapport building, and you can hone these through experience. 

If you are studying for a degree, you might consider an internship to build experience and demonstrate your essential sales skills. 

Software sales salaries at different levels of your career are below [4]: 

• Entry-level: $65,737

• Mid-career: $84,693

• Senior-level: $135,288

Read more: Sales Techniques and Other Useful Information for Salespeople

Commission earnings 

Your salary will likely be highly affected by your ability to make a commission. Commission structures vary from company to company, but you usually receive a base salary with a commission for hitting sales targets or the ability to take a percentage of contract value earned. Some companies also offer commissions in the form of bonuses, such as extra vacation time, gift vouchers, and days off. 

Glassdoor reports additional pay ranging from $44,000 to $82,000 for software sales representatives[1].

Highest-paying locations for software sales reps

Where you live and work will likely impact your salary, with some areas, states, and cities paying more than others. For software sales reps, the highest-paying states and their average annual base salaries are as follows [4]:

1. Alaska: $104,160

2. Washington: $103,901

3. Nevada: $102,206

4. Wyoming: $101,856

5. California: $100,752

Wages for a software sales rep are highest in Alaska, considering the cost of living and the extra difficulties of working in such an environment.

Skills influencing software sales rep salary

Sales skills are essential in a software sales role, as workplace skills such as communication, negotiation, and relationship building are vital. However, technical skills are also helpful for recording and tracking sales and understanding the software you sell. Skills like cold calling, software lead generation, and using SaaS models are also valuable. 

When it comes to salary, specific skills are worth more than others. For example, software and technical knowledge will likely increase your salary the most compared to more common sales skills like lead generation. 

Similar roles

Within the software sales cycle, you’ll find several roles that collaborate with one another and are options for advancement within a software sales career. Examples and their associated salaries include:

• Inside sales rep: $108,000

• Outside sales rep: $151,000

• Account executive: $124,000

• Account manager: $114,000

• Sales operations manager: $115,000

• Sales engineer: $156,000

• Regional sales director: $236,000

• Vice president of sales: $306,000

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of March 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Explore our free career-building resources

Join Career Chaton LinkedIn to get weekly updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications. Discover more sales career tips with our other free digital resources: 

• Watch on YouTube: Highest Paying Sales Jobs – Where Big Earnings Meet Big Deals!

• Develop workplace skills: Tips to Strengthen Your People Skills

• Explore productivity hacks: Useful Generative AI Prompt Techniques for Everyday Work

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses.

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial