Estimated total cost
$0
for 1 SDR hire using a recruiting agency
$0 per hire
Cost breakdown by bucket
Lost pipeline coverage
$0
⚠️
Bad hire risk: $0 additional exposure
Industry data shows 30% of SDR hires don't work out within the first year. A bad hire adds an additional ~30% of annual salary in direct costs — plus the indirect cost of missed quota during that time.
Traditional hiring vs. Shortlist
| Metric |
Traditional |
Shortlist |
| Time to first candidates |
3–6 weeks |
48 hours |
| Total cost |
— |
$199–$999/mo |
| Candidates screened per hire |
8–15 interviews |
2–4 interviews |
| Bad hire rate |
~30% |
~8% |
| HR time per hire |
40–60 hrs |
4–8 hrs |
Shortlist automates this entire process.
Skip the recruiter fees, job board spend, and weeks of HR time. Post a role and get a ranked shortlist of qualified SDR candidates in 48 hours — at a fraction of the cost above.
Try Shortlist →
SDR Hiring Cost FAQ
How much does it cost to hire an SDR?
The total cost to hire an SDR through a recruiting agency ranges from $20,000–$45,000 when you account for recruiter fees (typically 15–25% of salary), job board costs, HR time, lost pipeline during the open seat, and ramp costs. Most companies dramatically underestimate the true all-in cost.
What is a typical recruiter fee for an SDR?
Recruiting agencies typically charge 15–25% of the SDR's first-year base salary. For a mid-level SDR earning $55,000–$62,000, that's $8,250–$15,500 in recruiter fees alone per hire. For senior SDRs in major markets, recruiter fees can exceed $20,000.
How much HR time does hiring an SDR take?
Hiring a single SDR typically requires 40–60 hours of HR/hiring manager time across job posting, screening resumes, phone screens (typically 20–40 per hire), panel interviews (5–10), debrief sessions, reference checks, and offer negotiation. At an average hourly cost of $75–$150 for mid-level managers, this adds $3,000–$9,000 in time cost alone.
What's the cost of a bad SDR hire?
A bad SDR hire costs roughly 30% of annual salary in direct costs, plus the opportunity cost of missed pipeline during the time they were underperforming. For a $58,000 base SDR who doesn't work out after 6 months, you're looking at $17,000–$35,000 in total wasted spend — not counting the pipeline they didn't generate.
How can I reduce SDR hiring costs?
The three highest-leverage moves: (1) Eliminate recruiter agency fees by using direct sourcing or automated tools. (2) Reduce time-to-hire — every week of open headcount is lost pipeline. (3) Improve screening quality upfront so you only interview strong candidates, cutting the 40+ hours of interviews down to 4–6 hours.