Blog — SaaS AE Recruiting Insights & Hiring Benchmarks | We Build Pipe
For Recruiters Placing SaaS AE Talent · 2026

The recruiter's resource for hiring SaaS AEs with confidence.

Practical frameworks, live market benchmarks, and evaluation guides built specifically for recruiters placing account executives in B2B SaaS — so every shortlist is grounded in real data.

2026 Recruiter Pulse
Quota Attainment 58% SaaS AE avg · ICONIQ Growth 2025
Median AE OTE $154K · $190K at Bridge Group benchmark
Median New ACV Quota $800K · Bridge Group 2024
Mid-Market Attainment 50–60% · Enterprise 40–50%
Avg OTE Split 44% base / 56% variable
Top Quartile AEs 120–130%+ attainment · ICONIQ
Avg AE Ramp 3.2 months to first close · SMB / 6+ months Enterprise
Quota Attainment 58% SaaS AE avg · ICONIQ Growth 2025
Median AE OTE $154K · $190K at Bridge Group benchmark
Median New ACV Quota $800K · Bridge Group 2024
Mid-Market Attainment 50–60% · Enterprise 40–50%
Avg OTE Split 44% base / 56% variable
Top Quartile AEs 120–130%+ attainment · ICONIQ
Avg AE Ramp 3.2 months to first close · SMB / 6+ months Enterprise
Latest from the blog

Guides for recruiters placing SaaS AEs.

Recruiter-focused · Updated regularly
2026 SaaS AE Hiring Benchmarks — Recruiter Reference
58%
of SaaS AEs hit quota in 2025 — industry average
↔ Flat vs. 59% in 2024 · ICONIQ Growth
$154K
Median AE OTE across all SaaS segments
↑ Up from $130K in 2023 · Activated Scale
$800K
Median annual new ACV quota
Bridge Group 2024 SaaS benchmark
3.2 mo
Avg ramp to first close — SMB/mid-market AEs
6+ months at Enterprise segment
We Build Pipe · AE Talent Marketplace

Search AE profiles already filtered against these benchmarks.

Every AE on We Build Pipe publishes a structured profile with quota history, ACV bands, pipeline sourcing mix, and stage experience — so you can shortlist with confidence and present stronger candidates, faster.