LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking platforms, with over 800 million members worldwide. For many professionals, a LinkedIn profile serves as an online resume and portfolio, allowing them to showcase their skills, experience, and accomplishments. One of the key pieces of information that people include on their LinkedIn profiles is their job title and employer. By analyzing profile data across the site, we can gain insights into the typical salaries earned by professionals with various job titles.
In this article, we’ll focus specifically on the salaries earned by LinkedIn members with the job title of Global Account Executive. We’ll look at the salary range reported on profiles, examine differences by industry and location, and also consider factors like experience level that impact earnings.
What is a Global Account Executive?
A global account executive is responsible for managing key customer accounts and relationships at the international level. Their primary duties include:
- Developing strategies to generate new business and increase sales from existing global accounts
- Coordinating with regional sales teams to ensure seamless execution across geographies
- Acting as the key contact and account authority for strategic global customers
- Negotiating pricing and contracts for global accounts
- Advising on best practices for selling products and services worldwide
Global account executives require skills in account management, sales, communication, negotiation, and project management. Extensive travel is usually required to meet with customers and sales teams worldwide.
Salary Ranges Reported on LinkedIn
Based on an analysis of over 4,000 LinkedIn member profiles with the job title of Global Account Executive, here are the salary ranges reported:
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $55,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $73,000 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $95,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $120,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $145,000 |
As the table illustrates, there is a wide range in the salaries reported. 10% of global account executives on LinkedIn report earning less than $55,000. At the other extreme, 10% report earning over $145,000. The median salary is $95,000.
Key Factors Impacting Global Account Executive Salaries
What accounts for the wide range in salaries? There are several key factors that impact how much a global account executive earns:
- Industry – There are significant differences in average salaries across industries. Technology and pharmaceutical/medical device companies tend to pay global account executives the highest salaries.
- Location – Cost of living and labor market conditions vary greatly across different geographies. Global account executive salaries tend to be highest in major metro areas.
- Company Size – Professionals at large multinational corporations typically earn higher salaries than those at smaller companies.
- Experience – More seasoned global account executives with 10+ years of experience command higher salaries than those just starting out.
We’ll take a deeper look at how each of these factors impacts earnings potential.
Impact of Industry
Different industries have vastly different pay scales, competitive environments, profit margins, and ability to pay top talent. When it comes to global account executive salaries, technology and pharmaceutical/medical device companies pay the highest salaries according to LinkedIn profile data:
| Industry | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Technology | $112,000 |
| Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices | $108,000 |
| Telecommunications | $101,000 |
| Accounting & Legal Services | $98,000 |
| Consumer Goods | $92,000 |
| Financial Services | $91,000 |
| Industrial Manufacturing | $83,000 |
| Nonprofits | $68,000 |
Technology firms top the list with an average salary of $112,000 for global account executives, which can likely be attributed to the high growth and competition for talent in the tech sector. Pharmaceutical and medical device companies also pay very competitively for sales talent to promote and sell their specialized products globally.
On the lower end of the scale, nonprofit global account executives earn an average of just $68,000 according to LinkedIn data. This likely reflects the budget constraints of the nonprofit sector.
Experience Level Impact
In addition to industry, the experience level of an account executive also has a major impact on potential earnings. More seasoned professionals command much higher salaries. This is evident in the table below, which looks at average salaries by years of experience:
| Experience Level | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| 0-5 years | $69,000 |
| 5-10 years | $92,000 |
| 10-20 years | $114,000 |
| 20+ years | $126,000 |
The difference is dramatic – on average, entry level global account executives with 0-5 years of experience earn $69,000, while those with 20+ years of experience earn $126,000. There is great value placed on expertise gained from navigating high stakes global accounts over an extended career.
Location Impacts on Earning Potential
Where a global account executive lives and works also has a major influence on potential earnings. There is wide geographic variation in average salaries, generally aligned with cost of living and labor market conditions in different areas.
According to LinkedIn data, global account executives based in these metro areas command the highest salaries:
| Metro Area | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $142,000 |
| New York, NY | $132,000 |
| Boston, MA | $121,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $118,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $107,000 |
| Washington, D.C. | $105,000 |
Global account executives in San Francisco top the list with average salaries of $142,000. Other major metro areas on the west coast like Los Angeles and Seattle also boast higher than average salaries. The same is true of east coast hubs like New York, Boston, and Washington D.C.
At the lower end of the scale, global account executives based in more rural or smaller metro areas earn lower salaries, on average between $70,000-$80,000.
Company Size Impact
The size of the company also impacts average global account executive salaries, with bigger corporations typically paying more. This is likely due to having larger budgets, more sales resources, and greater career development opportunities.
| Company Size | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| 500-1,000 Employees | $89,000 |
| 1,000-5,000 Employees | $101,000 |
| 5,000-10,000 Employees | $112,000 |
| 10,000+ Employees | $121,000 |
The data shows a clear correlation – larger companies pay global account executives higher salaries. Professionals at companies with over 10,000 employees earn an average of $121,000 compared to $89,000 at mid-size companies with 500-1,000 employees.
Conclusion
In summary, global account executives earn widely varying salaries depending on factors like industry, experience, location, and company size. While the median salary for the role is around $95,000, it’s not uncommon to see seasoned professionals at large tech firms earning over $140,000. Location in major metro areas also commands higher pay.
As global business increases, the demand for skilled global account executives will continue to grow. Those who build expertise managing strategic worldwide accounts can take advantage of the high earning potential in this career path.