In October 2026, SEEK puts the average advertised SDR salary in Australia at $70,000 to $90,000 and the BDR average at $80,000 to $100,000. Payscale's smaller sample puts average SDR base pay at AU$60,412 (May 2026). On top of pay, employers add 12% super, plus payroll tax above state thresholds, tools, recruitment and management time.
Every figure below names its source and date. Salary sites use different methods and sample sizes, so where they disagree, we show the range and name each source rather than pick one. If you are unsure whether you need an SDR or a BDR, read our guide to BDR vs SDR first.
What is the average SDR salary in Australia in 2026?
Most published averages put SDR pay between about $60,000 and $90,000, depending on the source and on whether commission is included.
| Source | Role | Figure | Basis | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEEK | Sales development representative | Average $70,000 to $90,000 | Salary ranges in employer job ads | October 2026 |
| Payscale | Sales development representative (SDR) | Average base AU$60,412; total pay AU$54,000 to AU$79,000 | 11 salary profiles | Updated 30 May 2026 |
| SEEK | Business development representative | Average $80,000 to $100,000 | Salary ranges in employer job ads | October 2026 |
| Indeed | Business development representative | Average $80,326 | 152 salaries reported | Updated 31 July 2026 |
| Payscale | Business development representative | Average base AU$66,703; total pay AU$53,000 to AU$116,000 | 43 salary profiles | Updated 23 October 2025 |
A fair reading: an Australian SDR or BDR is typically advertised at $70,000 to $100,000, and employee-reported base pay sits lower, at about $60,000 to $70,000, with commission on top.
Why do salary sources disagree?
Because they measure different things.
- Advertised vs reported. SEEK uses salary ranges employers put in job ads. Indeed and Payscale rely mostly on pay that employees or users report.
- Base vs package. Some figures are base only, some include commission or bonus, and job ads can be quoted with or without super.
- Sample size. Payscale's SDR figure is based on 11 profiles and its Sydney BDR figure on 23. Small samples move a lot.
- Date. Some pages are updated monthly; others carry data that is a year or more old.
- Title mix. SDR and BDR mean different things at different companies, so the same title can cover different jobs.
Recruiter salary guides from firms such as Hays and Robert Walters are another useful check for your city and sector. Their full guides sit behind download forms, so we haven't quoted them here. Hays notes that its FY26/27 figures are typically base salaries excluding super.
What is a typical SDR OTE in Australia?
OTE, or on-target earnings, is base salary plus the commission or bonus a rep earns at 100% of target. Published Australian OTE data is limited, so treat these as indicators:
- Payscale, SDR (updated 30 May 2026): average base of AU$60,412, with total pay of AU$54,000 to AU$79,000 including bonus.
- RepVue, SDR in Australia: median base of A$80,237 and median OTE of A$116,267. This data was last updated in April 2024, so it is older than the other figures here.
SDR and BDR commission is usually paid on qualified meetings held or on opportunities created, not on closed revenue, because the rep doesn't run the sale. Whatever you choose, define a qualified meeting in writing before the first payment. Our guide to how an outbound agency defines a qualified meeting has a template.
How do SDR and BDR salaries differ by city?
City-level data is thin, and sample sizes per city are small, so use these figures as a guide only.
| Source and role | City | Average | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indeed, business development representative | Perth | $96,353 | Updated 31 July 2026 |
| Indeed, business development representative | Melbourne | $82,714 | Updated 31 July 2026 |
| Indeed, business development representative | Brisbane | $81,462 | Updated 31 July 2026 |
| Indeed, business development representative | Sydney | $78,084 | Updated 31 July 2026 |
| SEEK, business development representative | Brisbane | $90,000 | October 2026 |
| Payscale, business development representative | Sydney | AU$68,716 base (23 profiles) | Updated 23 October 2025 |
Sydney appearing below Melbourne and Brisbane in Indeed's data is likely a sample effect rather than a market rule. Pay for the same role can vary as much by employer, sector and deal size as by city. Benchmark against the ads you are competing with for candidates.
How does pay change with seniority?
Few sources split SDR pay by experience reliably. A clearer picture comes from comparing the roles an SDR typically moves through. SEEK's October 2026 averages:
| Role | SEEK average advertised salary (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Sales development representative | $70,000 to $90,000 |
| Business development representative | $80,000 to $100,000 |
| Account executive | $95,000 to $115,000 |
| Business development manager | $105,000 to $125,000 |
In many companies, a good SDR or BDR moves into an account executive or BDM role, where they run meetings and carry a sales target. That progression is one reason in-house SDR teams turn over: your best callers are often promoted out of the role.
What does an SDR cost an employer on top of salary?
More than the salary. Budget for these on-costs:
- Super guarantee: 12%. The rate has been 12% since 1 July 2025. The ATO lists commission payments as ordinary time earnings, so super generally applies to commission as well as base.
- Payday Super. From 1 July 2026, employers must pay super at the same time as wages, so contributions reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday.
- Payroll tax, if you are above the threshold. Each state sets its own. In NSW, the 2026 to 27 rate is 5.45% on wages above a $1.2 million annual threshold.
- Workers compensation insurance. Premiums depend on your state, industry and wages.
- Software and data. CRM, dialler, data provider and LinkedIn seats.
- Recruitment. Advertising, recruiter fees if you use one, and interview time.
- Training and ramp. Weeks of onboarding before the rep reaches full output. Our SDR onboarding playbook covers the first 90 days.
- Management. Daily coaching, call reviews and reporting from a sales leader.
A worked example
An illustration, not a benchmark: an SDR on an $80,000 base, the midpoint of SEEK's October 2026 range, with $20,000 commission at target, for a $100,000 OTE.
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Base salary | $80,000 |
| Commission at target | $20,000 |
| Super at 12% on base and commission | $12,000 |
| Pay and super | $112,000 |
That is about $9,333 a month before payroll tax, workers compensation, software, recruitment and management time, which depend on your business. Our outsourced SDR vs in-house cost analysis works through the full comparison.
Should you hire an SDR or outsource?
Hire if you can recruit, train and manage sales development yourself, and want to grow future account executives from within. Outsource if you need meetings in weeks rather than months, are testing a new market, or don't have someone to manage the role every day.
Nousu Collective's senior callers all work in-house in Sydney, calling into Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. There's no recruitment, super or software for you to manage. Starting at $7,000 a month (ex GST). See our pricing or model your numbers with the ROI calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an SDR earn in Australia in 2026? SEEK puts the average advertised SDR salary at $70,000 to $90,000 (October 2026). Payscale's smaller sample shows a lower average base of AU$60,412 (May 2026). Most published figures sit between about $60,000 and $90,000.
What is a typical SDR OTE in Australia? Published OTE data is limited. RepVue reported a median SDR OTE of A$116,267 on a median base of A$80,237, but that data was last updated in April 2024. Ask candidates for their actual base and commission history.
Do SDR salaries include super? It depends on the source. Hays states its FY26/27 guide figures are typically base salary excluding super. Job ad ranges on SEEK can be advertised either way, so check each ad. Employers must pay the super guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings, and the ATO lists commission payments as ordinary time earnings.
Do BDRs earn more than SDRs in Australia? In advertised ranges, slightly. SEEK's October 2026 average is $80,000 to $100,000 for BDRs and $70,000 to $90,000 for SDRs. That partly reflects how employers use each title, since some treat BDR as a more senior or outbound role. Compare the duties, not just the title.
Which Australian city pays SDRs and BDRs the most? City data is thin. Indeed's BDR averages (July 2026) put Perth highest at $96,353, then Melbourne at $82,714, Brisbane at $81,462 and Sydney at $78,084, but sample sizes per city are small. SEEK shows Brisbane BDR ads averaging $90,000. Treat city figures as a guide only.
What does an SDR cost an employer beyond salary? Super at 12% of ordinary time earnings, including commission. Payroll tax if total wages exceed your state threshold, which is $1.2 million in NSW at a 5.45% rate for 2026 to 27. Then workers compensation insurance, software, recruitment, training and management time, which vary by business.
Sources
- SEEK, Sales Development Representative salary in AU (October 2026): https://au.seek.com/career-advice/role/sales-development-representative/salary
- SEEK, Business Development Representative salary in AU (October 2026): https://au.seek.com/career-advice/role/business-development-representative/salary
- SEEK, Account Executive salary in AU (October 2026): https://au.seek.com/career-advice/role/account-executive/salary
- SEEK, Business Development Manager salary in AU (October 2026): https://au.seek.com/career-advice/role/business-development-manager/salary
- Indeed Australia, Business development representative salaries (updated 31 July 2026): https://au.indeed.com/career/business-development-representative/salaries
- Payscale, Sales Development Representative (SDR) salary in Australia (updated 30 May 2026): https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Sales_Development_Representative_(SDR)/Salary
- Payscale, Business Development Representative salary in Australia (updated 23 October 2025): https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Business_Development_Representative/Salary
- Payscale, Business Development Representative salary in Sydney (updated 23 October 2025): https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Business_Development_Representative/Salary/ab4bd2c4/Sydney
- RepVue, Sales Development Representative salaries in Australia (data updated April 2024): https://www.repvue.com/salaries/sales-development-representative/AU
- Hays, Salary Guide FY26/27 (figures typically base salary excluding super): https://www.hays.com.au/salaries
- ATO, Super guarantee rates (12% from 1 July 2025): https://www.ato.gov.au/tax-rates-and-codes/key-superannuation-rates-and-thresholds/super-guarantee
- ATO, List of payments that are ordinary time earnings (commission payments): https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/super-for-employers/paying-super-contributions/how-much-super-to-pay/list-of-payments-that-are-ordinary-time-earnings
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Payday Super: new rules starting 1 July 2026: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/news/payday-super-new-rules-starting-1-july-2026
- Revenue NSW, Payroll tax thresholds and rates: https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/taxes-duties-levies-royalties/payroll-tax/lodge-and-pay-returns/thresholds-and-rates
Book a 30-minute call
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