What is the most common commission rate?

Asked by: Heather Cartwright DDS  |  Last update: December 20, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (16 votes)

However, the typical commission rate for sales starts at about 5%, which usually applies to sales teams that have a generous base pay. The average in sales, though, is usually between 20-30%. What is a good commission rate for sales? Some companies offer as much as 40-50% commission.

What is a normal commission rate?

What is the typical sales commission percentage? The industry average for sales commission typically falls between 20% and 30% of gross margins. At the low end, sales professionals may earn 5% of a sale, while straight commission structures allow a 100% commission.

Is 20% a good commission?

Because there are so many variables, there's no true average sales commission rate. However, many agree that 20%-30% is a typical range for sales representatives. Most companies pay a base rate (either by the hour or as an annual salary) in addition to the salesperson's earned commission.

Is 10% commission a lot?

What is a typical commission? The typical commission depends on what is being sold. For manufactured goods, the commission rate tends to be around 7%-15% of the sale value. The commission on services tends to be much higher, being between 20%-50%.

Is a 2% commission good?

Offering a 2% commission instead of the typical 2.5% might indeed catch the attention of buying agents and potentially influence their clients' decisions. While it's essential to acknowledge that different agents may have varying motivations, a lower commission could potentially affect their level of enthusiasm.

Hiring Sales People on Commission? Don't make these mistakes - Amy Walker Consulting

24 related questions found

Is 3% a good commission?

Before signing a listing agreement with an agent, the seller decides the commission percentage they'll offer the buyer's agent. Also, remember that while the standard rate for each real estate agent is usually between 2.5-3%, these fees aren't fixed.

Is a 100% commission job bad?

Stress Among Commission-Based Workers

Although this type of sales provides higher overall opportunity (such as being paid higher commissions than jobs with a base salary), this job does not come with the same type of economic security. Nothing is guaranteed, and until you complete a sale you are not paid.

Is 100% commission illegal?

No, an employer cannot only pay an employee solely on commission because it could violate legal minimum wage requirements. There are state and federal minimum wage laws that require employers to pay employees a specific hourly rate. The current federal minimum wage rate (as of 2023) is $7.25 per hour.

What is a good sales to salary ratio?

The rule of thumb is that between 15% to 30% of your gross sales should go to payroll. However, this can vary by industry.

Is 4.5 commission good?

For example, average commission rates in California are 4.99%, while average rates in West Virginia are 5.30%. Agents may also charge different rates depending on your home price and condition, the current state of the real estate market, and whether or not you're a repeat client.

Is commission taxed?

All wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, and tips are taxable, even if they are not reported on Form W-2. Compensation received by an employee for services performed. A bonus is given in addition to an employee's usual compensation.

How much commission does Ashley Furniture Salesman make?

Pay is based on weekly delivered sales. The house keeps the first 10,500 you sell and then you get commission on what you sell after that starting at 4% and caps out at 8%.

What is the highest commission paying job?

These are a few of the top sales jobs with high commission:
  • Pharmaceutical sales. ...
  • Sales consultant. ...
  • Medical devices sales representative. ...
  • Real estate agent. ...
  • Software sales. ...
  • Mortgage sales representative. ...
  • Sales executive. ...
  • Sales engineers.

Is 20 percent commission a lot?

There are also a few ways to compensate an independent sales rep — gross margin is a typical structure. If you compensate reps as a percentage of gross margin, the average B2b sales commission range of 20-40% is typical.

How much should a salesperson generate?

Industry benchmarks provide a useful starting point for setting revenue expectations. As per industry standards, a proficient B2B salesperson should generate anywhere from 3 to 5 times their total compensation package in revenue.

How to set sales commission rates?

Of these, the simplest, most common approach is to pay a set percentage based on the revenue generated from a single sale. For example, a sales rep who closes a deal for $500 with a commission rate of 5% earns $25 per sale.

What is a fair commission rate for sales?

However, the typical commission rate for sales starts at about 5%, which usually applies to sales teams that have a generous base pay. The average in sales, though, is usually between 20-30%. What is a good commission rate for sales? Some companies offer as much as 40-50% commission.

What percentage of profit should I pay my employees?

For small to mid-sized businesses across various industries, a general guideline is that payroll should account for 15% to 30% of gross revenue. However, this is a broad range, and the ideal percentage can vary significantly based on factors like: Industry norms.

Is a 5% increase in sales good?

Sales growth of 5-10% is usually considered good for large-cap companies, while for mid-cap and small-cap companies, sales growth of over 10% is more achievable.

Can a W-2 employee be 100% commission?

That said, you can have W2 employees that are commission only provided you meet the minimum wage requirements. The best practice is to do a commission draw contract that pays them a minimum wage, with a draw commission for money in excess of the minimum wage.

Which is a disadvantage of being a salaried employee?

The drawbacks of receiving salary pay include: No overtime: Companies are not required to pay overtime to salaried employees, although some do. If you work 60 hours in a week rather than just 40 hours, you may not be eligible for overtime pay or compensated for your time.

What is a fully commission based salary?

What does it mean to be commission-based? Commission-based jobs base an employee's income on a percentage (or, in some cases, a flat rate) of goods or services sold. Many employees who are part of a sales department will more likely than not be on commission-based pay, though the pay tiers and structures do differ.

How much commission is normal?

A typical sales commission is a percentage of the revenue generated by a sales rep, commonly ranging from 5% to 20%, depending on the industry, role, and sales model.

Why is commission better than salary?

With commission-based pay, salespeople get the opportunity to earn more during productive periods and adjust their income according to their requirements. If you thrive on competition and get motivated by the idea of earning more through hard work and dedication, a commission-based job is your ideal fit.

How to live off commission?

Budgeting on Commission or Tip Wages
  1. Understand your expenses. Learn the difference between needs and wants, particularly if you struggle every month to make ends meet. ...
  2. Create a base budget. ...
  3. List the nonessentials. ...
  4. Cut expenses where possible. ...
  5. Build an emergency fund or savings account. ...
  6. Pay off debt.