Sales Development Representative salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Hiring a sales development representative costs less in Lansing-East Lansing than in Michigan or the country as a whole. The median is $67,090 a year1: 8.6% below the Michigan statewide median of $73,380 and 4.1% below the US median of $69,990. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#81 of 520). BLS counts about 1,010 people in this job here, 4% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 41-3091, area Lansing-East Lansing, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lansing-East Lansing against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $38,650 | $67,090 | $130,590 | |
| Michigan | $38,970 | $73,380 | $135,720 | |
| United States | $37,980 | $69,990 | $148,840 |
The middle half of sales development representatives in Lansing-East Lansing earns $48,610–$96,050. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $130,590, only 3.4 times the bottom tenth, against 3.9 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($78,480) is 17% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $47,440 wide, against $53,780 across Michigan and $52,810 nationally: employers in Lansing-East Lansing pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a sales development representative here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,650 | $3,221 | $18.58 | $49,871 |
| 25th percentile | $48,610 | $4,051 | $23.37 | $62,723 |
| Median | $67,090 | $5,591 | $32.25 | $86,568 |
| 75th percentile | $96,050 | $8,004 | $46.18 | $123,935 |
| 90th percentile | $130,590 | $10,882 | $62.78 | $168,503 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $28,960 over the median, the 25th only $18,480 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $37,368 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,990 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Lansing-East Lansing, and the Michigan statewide median of $73,380 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lansing-East Lansing
At the $67,090 median, a local hire costs about $86,568 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $19,478 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for sales development representatives we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Lansing-East Lansing
Of the 17 roles we track in Lansing-East Lansing, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between executive assistants ($67,540) and marketing specialists ($64,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,050.
| Role | Median | vs sales development representative | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +3.6% | 1,960 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.7% | 810 | |
| Sales Development Representative | this role | 1,010 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.6% | 1,050 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.3% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, sales development representatives rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Lansing-East Lansing (-4.1%), between e-commerce order specialists (-2.3%) and paralegals (-4.2%). The typical role here is at -2.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Sales development representatives hold 4.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lansing-East Lansing, 6.7% across Michigan and 7.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $49,700 in Muskegon-Norton Shores to $76,990 in Detroit-Warren, a gap of $27,290 a year. Of the 3 areas in Michigan with more sales development representatives than Lansing-East Lansing, 1 pays less: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ($66,340).
| Area | Median | vs Lansing-East Lansing | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +14.8% | 13,130 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | +12.3% | 1,060 | |
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | +6.7% | 420 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | this area | 1,010 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -1.1% | 3,210 | |
| Monroe, MI | -7.2% | 150 | |
| Traverse City, MI | -7.4% | 350 |
Lansing-East Lansing against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lansing-East Lansing is #148 of 518 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Michigan, Cedar Rapids and Rochester pay just above Lansing-East Lansing and Rochester and Stockton-Lodi just below. All four are within $310 a year of the median in Lansing-East Lansing. Of the three markets with about as many sales development representatives, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lansing-East Lansing | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | +0.5% | 3,510 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.4% | 790 | pay | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | this area | 1,010 | ||
| Rochester, MN | -0.1% | 450 | pay | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.3% | 1,240 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | -6.3% | 1,010 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MS | -30.7% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -33.7% | 1,010 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a sales development representative in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
About $86,568 a year at the median, or $7,214 a month: $67,090 in pay plus about $19,478 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for sales development representatives in Lansing-East Lansing?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $67,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,650, the 90th $130,590, and the middle half earned $48,610 to $96,050.
Is Lansing-East Lansing cheaper than the rest of Michigan for sales development representatives?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $67,090 against $73,380 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is the Southern Michigan nonmetro area at $71,580, the next down Grand Rapids-Wyoming at $66,340.
How many sales development representatives work in Lansing-East Lansing?
BLS counts about 1,010 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Michigan total of 27,160. 3 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Ann Arbor, with about 1,060.
Does a sales development representative cost more than a marketing specialist in Lansing-East Lansing?
Yes: $2,400 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,090 and $64,690.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 41-3091: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.