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Hire a GTM engineer, or run the seat? The cost, from survey data.
Pick your company size and location. The calculator shows the fully loaded cost of an in-house GTM engineer against the $4,500 fractional seat and the $7,500 one-time build. Every number is sourced below.
What the numbers are
| Input | Value | Source, read 5 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| In-house median base, 1 to 10 people | $105,000 | State of GTM Engineering 2026, n=9 |
| In-house median base, 11 to 50 people | $90,000 | same, n=27 |
| In-house median base, 51 to 200 | $100,000 | same, n=31 |
| In-house median base, 201 to 1,000 | $135,000 | same, n=21 |
| US vs outside the US | $135,000 vs $75,000 | same, 107 salaries shared |
| Advertised midpoint in US postings | $157,500 | OneGTM GTME Data Report Q3 2026, 444 roles; some ranges include commission |
| Fully loaded multiplier | 1.33 | BLS ECEC, June 2026: wages 75.2% of compensation, professional and business services, 1 to 49 workers |
| Months a posting stays open | 58% closed by month 2 | OneGTM Q3 2026; 82% of postings at 1-to-10-person companies closed within 90 days |
| Agency and freelance fees | median minimum $5,000, midpoint $6,500 | State of GTM Engineering 2026; freelance $75 to $350 an hour (GTME Pulse) |
| Published monthly prices in the market | p25 $5,000 · median $5,000 · p75 $10,000 | The Closer Method price index, 207 price mentions, 15 pages |
The seat is not a cheaper version of a full-time hire. It is 15 to 25 senior build hours a month that start this week, from someone with the Claude Code skills that 35% of postings ask for and 6% of profiles have. What it removes is the two months of search and the blank workspace the hire would otherwise inherit.
Straight answers
Where do the salary numbers come from?
From the State of GTM Engineering 2026 survey (228 respondents, Nov 2025 to Feb 2026): in-house median base $105,000 at companies of 1 to 10 people, $90,000 at 11 to 50, $100,000 at 51 to 200, $135,000 at 201 to 1,000; $135,000 US overall and $75,000 outside the US. Advertised ranges in job postings run higher: a $157,500 median midpoint across 444 US roles (OneGTM, Q3 2026).
Why multiply by 1.33?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026 puts wages at 75.2% of total compensation in professional and business services firms with 1 to 49 workers. 1 divided by 0.752 is 1.33. That covers benefits and legally required costs, not recruiting, equipment or management time, so it is a floor.
Why two months of search by default?
58% of GTM engineer postings are closed one to two months after posting and 76% at two to three months (OneGTM, Q3 2026). Closed does not always mean filled: 33% of roles are reposted.
Does the calculator send my data anywhere?
No. It runs in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent unless you choose to request the written map below.
Want the written map for your numbers?
Send the result above with one line on your stack. I reply in writing with what I would build first and what it pays back.