Start here
Quick takeaways
Four principles that matter more than any single salary number on a job post.
OTE is the headline number
Medical sales offers often blend base salary and variable compensation at 100% quota — read the fine print.
Upside depends on plan design
Accelerators, caps, territory quality, and payout timing can change real earnings faster than base pay.
Territory matters as much as OTE
A strong territory can outperform a higher base in a weak or over-covered market.
Validate quota history
Ask how many reps hit quota and whether the territory has open pipeline before you accept.
By segment
Directional OTE snapshots
Illustrative U.S. ranges — use city guides and tools for location-specific context.
Medical device
$180k OTE
Typical base ~$95k
Procedural and capital lanes often carry higher upside.
Capital equipment
$200k OTE
Typical base ~$110k
Longer cycles, larger deals, and more travel in many roles.
Pharma
$130k OTE
Typical base ~$90k
Often more stable base-heavy plans with structured call metrics.
Biotech & diagnostics
$150–170k OTE
Typical base ~$90–105k
Specialty and scientific selling can widen the range.
Interactive charts
Salary charts by role and experience
Stacked base vs variable comp, typical mix, and experience bands.
Estimated OTE by medical sales segment
Illustrative U.S. market ranges combining base salary and variable compensation.
Typical compensation mix
Many medical sales plans blend stable base pay with quota-based upside.
Estimated total compensation by experience
Ranges are directional and depend heavily on specialty, quota design, territory quality, and company stage.
Major U.S. metros
Often higher OTE, larger hospital systems, and more competitive territories.
Canada
Compensation varies by province, currency, company footprint, and territory scope.
Rural / multi-state territories
May include more travel, broader account coverage, and different guarantee structures.
Go deeper
City, state, and specialty guides
National charts are a starting point — drill into your market or specialty next.
Medical device salaries
550+ US and Canadian cities plus every state and province.
Pharmaceutical salaries
City and state OTE ranges for pharma sales roles.
Biotech & diagnostics
Compensation guides for life sciences field roles.
COL-adjusted OTE tool
Compare offers across cities with cost-of-living context.
Before you sign
Questions to ask about compensation
Strong reps treat comp conversations like territory diligence — not a formality.
- 1
What percentage of reps hit quota last year?
- 2
Is commission paid on bookings, shipments, revenue, margin, or collections?
- 3
Are commissions capped, and when do accelerators start?
- 4
How much of the territory is existing business vs new logo growth?
- 5
Are there guarantees, draws, ramp periods, or recoverable advances?
- 6
How are returns, cancellations, or territory changes handled?
Stay in the loop
Get alerts when roles match your comp goals
Set your territory and compensation preferences — we will notify you when high-fit jobs post.
Get medical sales jobs matched to your next move
Finished using this tool? Tell us the role, territory, and distance you want, and we will send relevant medical sales openings as they come in.
No full profile required to start. Every alert includes an opt-out link.
Want roles that match your compensation goals?
Build a candidate profile and set preferences for W2, independent, territory, and compensation targets. Matching helps you prioritize offers worth your time.