How to Build Ramping Comp Plans for New Hires (and Why It Matters)

Skip the blog and go straight to our free comp plan ramp calculator.

When a new sales hire joins your team, the first few months can make or break their long-term success. Without a structured ramping comp plan, new reps risk falling behind, losing motivation, and burning out before they’ve even had a fair shot at full productivity.

That’s where our Sales Ramp Calculator comes in—a free tool designed to help revenue leaders create fair, motivating, and data-backed ramping compensation plans.

Comp Plan Ramp Calculator

Set rep quotas and ramp comp plans to give them an equal shot at their full on-target earnings.

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Why Ramping Comp Plans Matter

Most reps don’t ramp overnight.

 In fact, our Sales Ramp Report found the average ramp period to be 6 months, with some stretching as long as 12–18 months for teams with longer sales cycles. Despite this, few companies have a structured approach to adjust quotas and commissions during this critical time.

Without a clear plan, new hires face unrealistic expectations. Meanwhile, leadership is left guessing on payout structures and ramp ROI.

Here’s the truth: you can’t afford to wing it.

QuotaPath’s Sales Ramp Calculator takes the guesswork out by turning your sales inputs into a clear, fair ramp plan—complete with quota breakdowns, commission rates, and earnings projections.

How the Sales Ramp Calculator Works

In just a few steps, the calculator helps you build a tailored ramping comp plan:

1. Input Your Key Metrics:
   
   • Annual Quota
   • Average Contract Value
   • Sales Cycle Length
   • Variable Pay (OTE)
     
2. Generate a Ramp Structure:
   
   • Starts with guaranteed OTE
   • Transitions to partial quota + higher commission rate
   • Ends with full quota and standard rate
     
3. Customize by Ramp Length:
   
   • Monthly, quarterly, or annual depending on deal volume
     Adjusted quotas based on sales cycle
     
4. Get a Downloadable Breakdown:
   
   • Earnings, commissions, and quota month-by-month
   • Easy to export and share
     

Report: Ramping Comp Plans

See how 100+ revenue leaders set their new reps up for success by creating ramping comp plans with adjusted quotas and commission rates.

View Report

Backed by Industry Data

Plus, we surveyed 100+ revenue leaders on how they approach ramping comp plans. Here’s what we found:

• 40% offer guaranteed commissions (draws or bonuses)
• Quota adjustments are the most common ramping strategy
• Only 30% of teams allow accelerators during ramp
• Enterprise teams rely more heavily on progressive quota steps than small teams
  

The calculator is built around these patterns—balancing structure with flexibility.

Examples of Ramping Models We See

Here are real frameworks from teams who participated in our report:

• 0-50-75-100% quota over a 4-month period
• 3 months guaranteed pay, followed by higher commissions on reduced quota
• Flat bonus payouts with eligibility for accelerators once reps are fully ramped
  

The calculator can model all of these—and more—based on your unique data.

Structuring Ramping Comp Plans

The right ramping comp plan aligns your team from day one. 

Without it, reps can’t predict their earnings, and leadership can’t forecast compensation expenses.

With QuotaPath’s ramping tools:

• Reps see how, when, and what they’ll earn
• Leaders get accurate commission projections for cash planning
• RevOps, Finance, and Sales stay aligned
  

Most importantly, ramping plans become repeatable, transparent, and strategic.

Build Your Ramping Comp Plan in Minutes

If you’re still relying on spreadsheets or building plans from scratch, it’s time to simplify.
Use the Sales Ramp Calculator to design a data-driven plan in minutes—and set your reps up for long-term success.

To dig deeper, check out the full Sales Ramp Report for more data-backed trends and examples.