Sales Commission Calculator
Model tiered or flat commission, quota attainment and accelerators to see real on-target earnings.
Your details
Plan
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Total earnings
$148,400
$70,000 base plus $78,400 commission at 115.0% of quota
Includes your inputs, the full breakdown, and every row of the table.
Commission earned
$78,400
Quota attainment
115.0%
On-target earnings
$134,000
Versus OTE
110.7%
- Base salary
- $70,000
- Quota
- $800,000
- Closed
- $920,000
- Attainment
- 115.0%
- Commission
- $78,400
- Total compensation
- $148,400
| Attainment | Sold | Commission | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% | $400,000 | $32,000 | $102,000 |
| 75% | $600,000 | $48,000 | $118,000 |
| 90% | $720,000 | $57,600 | $127,600 |
| 100% | $800,000 | $64,000 | $134,000 |
| 110% | $880,000 | $73,600 | $143,600 |
| 125% | $1,000,000 | $88,000 | $158,000 |
| 150% | $1,200,000 | $112,000 | $182,000 |
| 200% | $1,600,000 | $160,000 | $230,000 |
What this means
- On-target earnings assume you hit exactly 100% of quota. Most plans are designed so that only around half to two-thirds of the team gets there.
- Check whether commission is paid on bookings, invoiced revenue or cash collected. The difference can delay payment by months and expose you to clawbacks if a customer cancels.
- Accelerators are where real money is made in sales roles. A plan without one caps your upside at exactly the point your effort starts compounding.
How the sales commission calculation works
Sales compensation is deliberately constructed so that the headline number and the likely number differ. On-target earnings describe what you make at exactly one hundred percent of quota, which sounds like a midpoint but rarely is — most plans are calibrated so that a minority of the team reaches it. Understanding the structure beneath the headline matters far more than the headline itself.
Three structures dominate. A flat rate pays the same percentage on every dollar and is simple but offers no particular reason to exceed target. An accelerator raises the rate above quota, which is where high performers make the bulk of their income and why the multiplier is worth negotiating harder than the base rate. A cliff pays nothing until quota is reached, concentrating all the risk on the seller and creating strong incentives to move deals between periods.
Frequently asked questions
What does OTE actually mean?
On-target earnings — base salary plus the commission you would earn at exactly one hundred percent of quota. It is a projection rather than a guarantee, and since most teams have well under half their reps at full attainment, treating OTE as your expected income is usually optimistic.
How much should an accelerator be worth?
Something between 1.25 and 2 times the base rate above quota is common, occasionally more for substantial overperformance. Since this is where most of a strong seller's income comes from, the accelerator and the point at which it kicks in are often more valuable to negotiate than the underlying rate.
What is a clawback?
A clause letting the company recover commission already paid if the customer cancels, fails to pay, or churns within a defined window. It is common on annual contracts paid up front. Always ask what triggers a clawback and how long the window runs before signing a plan.
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Disclaimer. This calculator is provided for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, legal, medical, or engineering advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and the assumptions described above. Confirm any figure with a qualified professional before acting on it.