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As a recruitment partner to North American tech companies, we have the privilege of speaking every day with founders, operators, and leaders across high-growth start-ups and scale-ups. Through those conversations, we gain a front-row view into their priorities, challenges, and compensation strategies - insights we’re excited to share.
When kicking off a new search, one of the most common questions we hear is: “What are you seeing in the market for this kind of role?” Because we’re in these discussions so often, we’ve pulled together what we’re observing to help you shape competitive, informed compensation ranges. And if you’re exploring your next opportunity, we hope this data supports you as you navigate your search and negotiate your offer.
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After a period of slowdown, 2024–2025 is bringing a welcome sense of momentum back to tech hiring. Product and engineering teams are growing again, and companies are investing intentionally in the foundations that support long-term revenue. Demand for experienced, data-driven sales leaders remains strong, with organizations looking for strategic, hands-on talent who can build steady, scalable revenue engines alongside product and marketing. Hiring has shifted from volume to impact, but the need for thoughtful, growth-oriented revenue leadership is as strong as ever!
This data reflects total on Median target earnings (OTE), including base salary and performance-based bonus or variable compensation. All figures are in Canadian dollars. Below is the breakdown of salary distribution within our sample, which includes Individual Contributors (ICs), Leads, Managers, Heads, Directors, VPs and C-level. This sample reflects sales professionals within startup or scale-up companies throughout Canada.
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This chart shows the typical split between base salary and bonus/variable compensation (expressed as a percentage of base) across sales roles at different levels: Individual Contributor, Head/Director, and VP/C-level. All figures are in CAD.
Although total compensation grows by level, the mix stays the same. Across IC, Head/Director, and VP/C-level roles, pay is structured as an approximately 50/50 split between base salary and commission. This approach is common across tech organizations, providing meaningful upside while maintaining income stability through base pay.
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Total on-target earnings for sales leaders have grown by roughly 8.6% between 2022 and 2025. While 2024 saw unusually elevated compensation levels, the 2025 figures reflect a more normalized market - aligning closer to steady, inflation-level adjustments rather than dramatic year-over-year increases.
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Compared to 2024, when more than half of our sample reported working fully remote, this year only 40% remain remote, a decline of roughly 17%. Hybrid arrangements continue to dominate at about 50%, and we’re seeing a noticeable shift toward in-office expectations, with approximately 10% of respondents now working primarily on-site.
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This year, 75% of the sales professionals in our survey told us they are either actively looking for a new role or unsure whether they’ll make a move in the next 12 months. While 53% indicated they’re exploring new opportunities and another 22% remain undecided, only a quarter said they plan to stay put.
This elevated openness to change may reflect the broader uncertainty across the tech landscape, as shifting priorities, evolving compensation structures, and renewed hiring activity lead many sales professionals to reassess their options and stay aware of what the market could offer next.
As a recruitment partner, we also recognize that our data is influenced by the people we speak with most often, many of whom are open to new opportunities or have been referred to us as high-performing, high-potential candidates. This naturally creates some bias toward more active or opportunity-curious professionals. Even so, the sentiment aligns with the increased mobility we’re seeing across the Canadian tech sector as companies refine teams, rethink targets, and prepare for future growth.
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This snapshot reflects verified data gathered from a combination of recent searches and our proprietary salary survey.
Because of this, our figures may reflect the upper end of the market.
Salary transparency supports better hiring, fairer compensation, and stronger negotiation on both sides of the table. That is why we created our Salary Snapshot Series.
We base this on the four Ts:
Feel free to share this snapshot with your network or explore our other Salary Snapshot reports on artemiscanada.com
Read more insights from our team.
Founded by Kristina McDougall in 2013, Artemis has grown to become Canada’s most trusted boutique executive search firm for startups.
We recognize that our work takes place on the traditional lands of the Attawandaron, Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Mississaugas of the Credit. We honour Indigenous stewardship and commit to embedding reconciliation into our work, holding ourselves and our clients accountable.
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