Sales Leadership salary UK & US 2026
Sales leaders own the number for a team, a region or the whole company. In the UK a sales director or head of sales typically earns £110k–£150k base and £180k–£260k OTE, and a VP Sales £140k–£190k base; in the US a VP Sales earns $170k–$230k base and $290k–$420k OTE. CRO packages run 20–40% above a comparable sales director.
Updated 2 November 2026 · Indicative annual ranges, permanent roles at software and tech companiesSales Leadership base and OTE, UK vs US
| Role | UK (£) | US ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Manager (front line) | £85–110k base£140–190k OTE | $130–160k base$230–290k OTE |
| Sales Director / Head of Sales | £110–150k base£180–260k OTE | $160–200k base$280–360k OTE |
| VP Sales | £140–190k base£240–350k OTE | $170–230k base$290–420k OTE |
| Chief Revenue Officer | £180–250k base£300–450k OTE | $220–300k base$380–560k OTE |
Typical pay mix: UK 60/40 to 70/30 base/variable; equity common at VP and CRO · US 60/40 to 70/30 base/variable; equity common at VP and CRO
Market notes
Exec Capital's 2026 guide puts mid-market (£15m–£100m revenue) sales director OTE at £160k–£260k and enterprise at £240k–£450k, and says CRO OTE typically sits 20–40% above a comparable sales director. Bravado reports a London VP Sales average base of about 166k and total compensation of about 292k, but displays it in dollars without stating whether it was converted, so we treat it as directional.
Market notes
RepVue's 2025 median for sales managers is $135k base / $255k OTE. Bravado reports a New York VP Sales average base of about $169k and total compensation of about $285k. The BLS median for all sales managers across industries is $148,270 (May 2025), below software-company levels. CRO ranges are our derivation from VP Sales data plus the 20–40% CRO premium; few public sources report CRO pay directly.
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Sources for these ranges
- Sales Salary Guide: What Sales Reps Should Earn in 2025 · RepVue · 2025
- VP of Sales compensation, London · Bravado · 2025
- VP of Sales compensation, New York City · Bravado · 2025
- Salary Guide for Sales Directors (2026) · Exec Capital · 2026-05
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Sales Managers · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025-05
Sales Leadership pay FAQs
In 2026 a Sales Manager (front line) in the UK typically earns £85–110k base · £140–190k OTE, according to the TRG GTM Salary Guide 2026. London pays at the top of the range; company stage and deal size move it most.
In 2026 a Sales Manager (front line) in the US typically earns $130–160k base · $230–290k OTE. The San Francisco Bay Area and New York pay at the top of the range.
Indicative 2026 ranges for a Chief Revenue Officer: UK £180–250k base · £300–450k OTE; US $220–300k base · $380–560k OTE. Senior packages often add equity, which isn't included here.
Typical pay mix: UK 60/40 to 70/30 base/variable; equity common at VP and CRO; US 60/40 to 70/30 base/variable; equity common at VP and CRO.