The AE career path is often described as a single job at increasing sizes. It isn't. SMB AE, Mid-Market AE, Enterprise AE, and Strategic AE are functionally different jobs — the discovery motion, sales cycle length, buying committee shape, and skills that make you great are meaningfully different at each level.
This is the full progression, with 2026 US B2B SaaS OTE bands, ramp expectations by segment, quota structures, and the career-defining decisions at year 3, 5, 8, and 12.
Bands below reflect US mid-market B2B SaaS at Series B-D. Coastal +10-20%, non-coastal -5-15%.
