Based on 307 salary-disclosing RevOps job postings, the average compensation is ${avg_salary}K. But averages hide enormous variance. The difference between a weak negotiation and a strong one at the same company, same role, same level can be $15-30K. That's not a rounding error. That's a car payment.
Step 1: Know your number (not a range, a number)
Before you negotiate anything, you need data. Not "I feel like I should make more" data. Actual market data.
Start with our RevOps salary data, which is based on 455 current postings. Filter by your seniority level at salaries by seniority. Then adjust for three factors:
- Geography. San Francisco pays 20-30% more than the national average. Midwest markets pay 10-15% less. Remote roles have compressed this gap, but it still exists. 37% of current RevOps postings are remote, which gives you options.
- Company stage. Series A startups pay differently than public companies. Early-stage offers more equity and less base. Late-stage and public companies offer more base and less (or no) equity. Neither is inherently better; it depends on your risk tolerance.
- Specialization premium. Generic "RevOps Manager" roles cluster around the median. But if you specialize in Salesforce CPQ, data architecture, or marketing ops with Marketo certification, you're in a thinner talent pool. Thinner pools command premiums of 10-20%.
Once you've done this math, you have a number. Not a range. A specific target. Ranges give the other side permission to anchor low. Your number is the midpoint of what you'd accept; the number you share should be 10-15% above that.
Step 2: Time your negotiation
When you ask matters almost as much as what you ask for.
At the offer stage
This is your strongest position. The company has decided they want you. They've invested weeks in interviews. They don't want to restart the search. Every day they delay is a day the role sits empty. Use that.
When the offer comes in:
- Thank them. Express genuine interest. Don't negotiate on the spot.
- Ask for 48-72 hours to review. This is normal and expected.
- Come back with your counter, backed by data. "Based on market data for RevOps professionals at my level, with my specialization in [X], I'm targeting $[Y]. Here's what I'm seeing in the market." Then share 2-3 data points.
At promotion time
Promotions come with title bumps but often disappointing salary bumps (3-5% when the market delta between levels is 15-25%). Build your case 2-3 months before review cycle. Document impact in revenue terms, not activity terms. "Reduced sales cycle by 8 days, worth $2.1M in accelerated revenue" beats "Rebuilt the Salesforce instance."
As a retention play
You have another offer. Or you could have another offer. This is the most effective negotiation scenario, but use it carefully. If you bluff and they call it, you need to be willing to walk. If you're not willing to walk, don't play this card.
The honest version works better: "I'm happy here. I want to stay. But I've been approached by [company type] at a significantly higher number, and I want to give you the chance to close that gap before I seriously engage." Most managers prefer this to a surprise resignation.
Step 3: Negotiate beyond base salary
Base salary gets all the attention, but total compensation has more levers than most people pull.
- Signing bonus. Companies that "can't" increase base by $15K can often pay a $15K signing bonus. It's a different budget line. Ask for it, especially if there's a gap between your ask and their max base.
- Annual bonus. Push for a higher target percentage or more favorable triggers. A 10% bonus at 100% attainment vs 15% is a meaningful difference. And ask what "100% attainment" actually means. If it's tied to company revenue and the company is growing, it's real money. If it's tied to vague "performance" metrics, it's a maybe.
- Equity. At startups, negotiate for more shares and a shorter vesting cliff. At public companies, RSU grants are real money. A $20K annual RSU grant with 4-year vesting is $80K in stock over 4 years. Don't dismiss it.
- Title. If they can't move on comp, negotiate the title. "Senior" in front of your current title is free for the company and valuable for your next negotiation. A Director title opens doors that a Manager title doesn't.
- Remote work. If you're in a high-cost city and the role is listed as hybrid, negotiating full remote is equivalent to a 10-20% raise when you factor in commute costs, time, and flexibility. 37% of RevOps roles are already remote, so the precedent exists.
- Professional development. Conference budget, certification reimbursement, learning stipends. These typically come from a different budget than headcount. A $5K annual learning budget costs the company less than a $5K raise (no payroll taxes) and builds your market value.
What not to do
- Don't negotiate over email when you can do it live. Tone gets lost. A 5-minute phone call resolves what 8 emails can't. If the hiring manager is the negotiation partner (not HR), build rapport first.
- Don't apologize for negotiating. "I'm sorry to ask, but..." signals that you don't believe you're worth the ask. You are. The data backs it up.
- Don't give a range. If you say "$130-150K," they hear "$130K." Give a specific number above your target and let them work down to a number you'll accept.
- Don't make it adversarial. You're not fighting the company. You're collaborating on a compensation package that makes both sides happy. Frame it that way: "I want to make this work. Here's what I need to say yes enthusiastically."
- Don't accept the first offer. Almost every first offer has room. Companies budget for negotiation. If you accept immediately, you're leaving money they expected to spend.
The RevOps-specific advantage
RevOps professionals have a unique negotiation advantage: you have access to data and you know how to use it. Lean into that.
Pull from our salary database covering 455 postings. Reference specific percentiles, not averages. "The 75th percentile for Senior RevOps Managers is $X" is more powerful than "the average is $Y" because it positions you as above-average (which, if you're reading salary negotiation guides and preparing data, you probably are).
For a deeper look at how RevOps compensation scales across career levels, see our 2026 salary guide and career path analysis.
The bottom line
RevOps compensation is growing. The field is maturing. Companies are paying more because they're realizing that revenue operations directly impacts pipeline, forecast accuracy, and close rates. But they won't pay more unless you ask. And they won't pay what you're worth unless you show them the data that proves it.
You build models for a living. Build one for your career too.