Account Executive (AE) and Sales Development Representative (SDR) are the two core roles in modern B2B sales — and the difference between them is the difference between building pipeline and closing pipeline. Understanding both roles is essential whether you're choosing where to start your career or evaluating a promotion.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| SDR | AE | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Generate meetings | Close deals |
| Daily activities | Cold calls, emails, LinkedIn | Demos, proposals, negotiations |
| Metrics | Meetings booked, pipeline generated | Revenue closed, win rate, deal size |
| Base salary | $45K-$65K | $75K-$150K+ |
| OTE | $70K-$100K | $120K-$300K+ |
| Experience needed | 0-2 years | 2-5+ years |
| Skill emphasis | Activity, resilience, volume | Discovery, negotiation, strategy |
Which Role is Right for You?
Choose SDR if: You're early in your career, you want to learn sales fundamentals, you're comfortable with high-volume rejection, and you want to earn while you learn.
Choose AE if: You have sales experience, you prefer strategic conversations over cold outreach, you want higher earning potential, and you're comfortable managing complex multi-stakeholder deals.
The SDR-to-AE Path
Most AEs started as SDRs. The typical path: 12-18 months as an SDR → promotion to AE. Some companies have a 'closing SDR' or 'junior AE' bridge role. The promotion is based on consistent quota attainment, demonstrated discovery skills, and a track record of generating quality pipeline — not just time served.