Research Summary. Using a combination of public government and company data as well as data gathered from thousands of job postings, the Zippia data team has created average salary estimates for jobs across the US. Using that data set, the team has identified the types of account executives that are the highest paid based on their average annual salaries.
Here is a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of account executives:
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Account Director is the highest-paid type of account executive with an average salary of $114,728 and an average hourly rate of $55.16.
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The second highest-paying type of account executive is senior sales executive, with an average salary of $110,808.
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The average account executive salary is $69,618 per year, and the average hourly pay is $33.47.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Choosing a career path can be difficult, and while pay shouldn’t be the only thing you consider in your decision, it is a significant factor. So if you’d like to work as an account executive, it helps to have an idea of what the highest-paid types of account executives are so that you can plan your career progression.
Here are the top salaries for different types of account executives:
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Account Director
Average Salary: $114,728
An account director is responsible for managing client accounts, monitoring budgets, and sales forecasting. Their goal is to maintain stable account management strategies, meet clients’ demands, develop healthy professional partnerships that would generate revenues, increase profitability, and achieve the organization’s long-term goals objectives. Account directors supervise the account management staff, ensuring the project’s successful completion with the highest efficiency and accuracy. An account director also plans training programs to maximize their performance and productivity, especially when dealing with deadlines and clients’ requests.
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Senior Sales Executive
Average Salary: $110,808
Senior sales executives are the most experienced members of a sales team. It is their responsibility to lead the customer representatives, ensuring that sales targets are met. Their job includes analyzing business trends to identify ways to improve products, ensuring customer satisfaction is met with the company products or services acquired, as well as submitting account plans and sales reports to higher management. They should also be able to timely resolve issues concerning complaints from the customer.
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Business Development Executive
Average Salary: $97,871
A business development executive serves as a senior manager who drives company sales. Business development executives convince existing clients to buy more offerings and also source new clients. The focus of their job is on lead generation, prospect management, and customer acquisition. They collaborate with management in terms of sales objectives, planning, and prediction. The skills necessary for this job include customer service and relations, time management, strong written communication, and sales process experience.
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Wholesale Account Executive
Average Salary: $87,073
Wholesale Account Executives represent the firm in industry events and professional organizations to help advance the company’s wholesale brand. They put geographic opportunities into optimal use and build and oversee an account base. These professionals interview accounts, inspect the account’s progress and review the crucial data needed for account approval. Wholesale Account Executives also enhance account relationships and deliver top-notch service levels by working hand-in-hand with the sales team. Moreover, these professionals ensure the company meets its customer needs by maintaining current customer adoption, innovations, and industry trends.
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Senior Account Executive
Average Salary: $84,118
A Senior Account Executive is responsible for enforcing and attaining sales targets, developing strategies on building a more substantial client base, handle and resolve issues on accounts, and even recommend guidelines that could improve the trajectory of company sales. Moreover, a Senior Account Executive must also oversee and direct a team of representatives and skilled account executives to meet the same goals and objectives. A great deal of communication would also arise as Senior Account Executive must communicate with clients, even negotiate contracts.
Below is a full table of the average pay for various account executive that pay the most followed by a more detailed explanation of our methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Account Executives
Methodology
Zippia uses publicly published information from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create its salary estimates.
Our data science team also checks job postings and company-published resources for additional up-to-date salary information for account executives.
Once they’ve gathered the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title they’re estimating a salary for. For more details on our salary estimates, you can read the detailed methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Account Executive Jobs FAQs
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What is the highest-paid account executive job?
The highest-paid account executive job is an account director. Account Directors earn an average salary of $114,728, which is $ 55.16 hourly.
An account director is responsible for managing client accounts, monitoring budgets, and sales forecasting. Their goal is to maintain stable account management strategies, meet clients’ demands, develop healthy professional partnerships that would generate revenues, increase profitability, and achieve the organization’s long-term goals objectives. Account directors supervise the account management staff, ensuring the project’s successful completion with the highest efficiency and accuracy. An account director also plans training programs to maximize their performance and productivity, especially when dealing with deadlines and clients’ requests.
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What is a good salary for an account executive?
A good salary for an account executive is $69,618 or more. The average account executive salary is $69,618, so those making at least $69,618 are earning above-average paychecks.
Keep in mind, however, that the average account executive salary does fluctuate based on location, as companies will adjust their pay scales based on the cost of living in that area. Research what the average salary is in your area for someone of your expertise and experience level to get a more accurate view on how well you’re being paid.
In addition, if you’re just starting your career as an account executive, the average entry level salary is $0, so don’t base your opinion of your salary on the $69,618 average, as this includes all account executives of all skill and experience levels.
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Do Account Executive jobs pay well?
Yes, account executive jobs pay well. As in any industry, some account executive jobs pay better than others, but the average account executive salary of $69,618 is times the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.
In addition to this, many account executive jobs have high earning potential, with the top 10% of account executives earning $0 a year on average.
Account Executives’ salaries will fluctuate based on their experience level, industry, and location, so pay attention to these factors when you’re looking for a job as an account executive. Do your research on the going rate for an account executive in your area with your expertise, and don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary based on that information.
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Where do account executives get paid the most?
Account Executives get paid the most in Oregon. In Oregon, account executives earn an average annual salary of $86,782 and an average hourly wage of $41.72.
Following OR, the states with the highest-paid account executives are Washington, Rhode Island, and Nevada, with average annual salaries of $78,188, $76,992, and $75,185 respectively.
The cities with the highest-paid account executive salaries are:
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Portland, OR – $86,549
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Richmond, CA – $82,643
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Des Moines, WA – $79,091
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Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
