VP Sales

💰 $154K–$250K salary range

Median: $197K  ·  Based on 937 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026

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Driving revenue growth for cutting-edge AI-native solutions, this executive orchestrates go-to-market strategies, building and scaling sales teams adept at articulating complex AI value propositions to diverse enterprise clients. Based on 256 job postings, the typical compensation for this leadership position ranges from $200,000 to $319,000, with a median salary of $239,000. Professionals who command top remuneration possess advanced comprehension of machine learning architectures, cloud AI platform integrations, and data pipeline management capabilities. Success in this role requires not only a strong sales acumen but also the technical fluency to guide product strategy and competitive positioning within the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

📊 Salary breakdown

VP Sales salary by location

• All locations: $197K median ($154K–$250K typical range)
• New York: $199K median, $161K–$248K range (+1% vs. national)
• Remote: $215K median, $175K–$275K range (+9% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $250K median, $199K–$328K range (+27% vs. national)
• Chicago: $179K median, $155K–$217K range (-9% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $168K median, $128K–$283K range (-15% vs. national)
• Boston: $190K median, $148K–$250K range (-4% vs. national)
• Atlanta: $204K median, $186K–$223K range (+4% vs. national)
• Dallas: $150K median, $134K–$231K range (-24% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Figma: $238K median

New York

• Profound: $235K median
• Amazon: $209K median
• The New York Times: $193K median
• EDO, Inc.: $138K median
• Verve: $120K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 77% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 64% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 54% of postings
• Parental leave: 21% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 18% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 1% of postings

Typical experience required: 8–10 years.

Sales salaries by seniority

• Sales Development Rep: $83K
• Sales Manager: $133K
• Account Executive: $135K
• Senior Account Executive: $157K
• Sales Lead: $164K
• Enterprise AE: $187K
• VP Sales: $197K

What does a VP Sales do?

VP Saless are revenue leaders who build pipeline and close business. This benchmark reflects Director-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average VP Sales salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $197K, with a typical range of $154K–$250K, based on 937 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does VP Sales pay compare in San Francisco vs. remote?
San Francisco roles pay a median of $258K, while fully-remote roles pay $215K.

What is the VP Sales salary in New York?
New York VP Saless at AI-native startups earn a median of $199K, with a typical range of $161K–$248K (25th–75th percentile). That's 1% above the $197K US national median. 20% below San Francisco's $250K. Based on 156 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the VP Sales salary in Remote?
Remote VP Saless at AI-native startups earn a median of $215K, with a typical range of $175K–$275K (25th–75th percentile). That's 9% above the $197K US national median. 14% below San Francisco's $250K. Based on 69 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the VP Sales salary in San Francisco?
San Francisco VP Saless at AI-native startups earn a median of $250K, with a typical range of $199K–$328K (25th–75th percentile). That's 27% above the $197K US national median. Based on 55 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 937 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed July 1, 2026.

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