Systems and methodologies are described that provide techniques for generating and utilizing reverse link feedback for interference management in a wireless communication system. Channel quality and/or interference data can be obtained by a terminal from a serving sector and one or more neighboring sectors, from which an interference-based headroom value can be computed that contains interference caused by the terminal to an allowable range. The interference-based headroom value can then be provided with power amplifier (PA) headroom feedback to the serving sector. Based on the provided feedback from the terminal, the serving sector can assign resources for use by the terminal in communication with the serving sector. Further, the serving sector may choose to honor or disregard a received interference-based power value based on quality of service and/or other system parameters.