Artificial intelligence salary ranges widely by position, with median total base pay spanning from $99,578 for AI researchers to $134,188 for AI engineers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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The precise amount you earn will likely vary based on factors including your prior work experience and geographic location<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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You can increase your earning potential by building new skills, strengthening existing ones, and obtaining certifications that demonstrate your mastery to potential employers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Earning potential in artificial intelligence depends on whether you are pursuing a dedicated AI role or up-skilling in a position where AI is becoming an increasingly valued skill. Read on for a full breakdown of AI salaries by role, experience level, and city, along with steps you can take to increase your earning potential over the course of your career. If you’re ready to start building AI skills right away, consider enrolling in the Google AI Professional Certificate program. In as little as eight hours, you’ll learn to apply AI to essential,transferable skills like data analysis, communication, and research.<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence salary overview<\/h2>\n
Professionals working in artificial intelligence can expect to earn a higher-than-average salary for their in-demand skill set. While the precise amount that you\u2019ll earn varies from one job to another, you can generally expect to earn more than the $49,500 that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) pinned as the median annual salary in the United States as of May 2024 [1<\/a>].\u00a0<\/p>\n
To give you a better idea of what you might earn, here\u2019s the median total base pay for various AI jobs, according to Glassdoor:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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AI engineer: $134,188 [2<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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AI researcher: $99,578 [3<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Machine learning engineer: $123,117 [4<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Robotics engineer: $113,270 [5<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Software engineer: $118,366 [6<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Data scientist: $118,399 [7<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The precise amount that you will earn will likely vary based on common factors like your prior work experience and your geographic location. Below, we dive into these factors in greater detail.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Note: All salary data taken from Glassdoor as of February 2025 unless otherwise stated. Salary does not include additional compensation, such as bonuses, tips, profit sharing, or commission<\/p>\n
Job outlook<\/h3>\n
Professionals with a strong command of AI skills are likely to be in demand over the coming years. According to the BLS, the number of jobs for \u201ccomputer and information research scientists\u201d\u2014a job category that contains many AI positions\u2014is expected to grow by 26 percent between 2023 and 2033 [8<\/a>]. That\u2019s significantly higher than the overall job growth for all occupations in the country, which the BLS puts at just 4 percent during the same period.<\/p>\n
The global market size for artificial intelligence is projected to reach nearly $2 trillion by 2030 [9<\/a>]. These figures suggest that AI positions will be in high demand for the foreseeable future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nArtificial intelligence salary by experience\u00a0<\/h3>\n
As with most jobs, your experience level can have a significant impact on how much you earn. Typically, the more experience that you have in a position, the higher salary you command from employers<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you can expect to earn from the aforementioned AI positions across numerous years, according to Glassdoor:\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n \n0\u20131 year<\/th>\n 1\u20133 years<\/th>\n 4\u20136 years<\/th>\n 7\u20139 years<\/th>\n 10\u201314 years<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n AI engineer [2<\/a>]<\/td>\n $103,140<\/td>\n $121,641<\/td>\n $138,301<\/td>\n $155,132<\/td>\n $172,468<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n AI researcher [3<\/a>]<\/td>\n $94,972<\/td>\n $104,517<\/td>\n $114,931<\/td>\n $122,207<\/td>\n $142,511<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Machine learning engineer [4<\/a>]<\/td>\n $98,798<\/td>\n $112,105<\/td>\n $122,505<\/td>\n $133,130<\/td>\n $153,286<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Robotics engineer [5<\/a>]<\/td>\n $93,386<\/td>\n $106,135<\/td>\n $122,499<\/td>\n $132,938<\/td>\n $148,216<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Software engineer [6<\/a>]<\/td>\n $99,438<\/td>\n $110,591<\/td>\n $121,118<\/td>\n $131,967<\/td>\n $144,306<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Data scientist [7<\/a>]<\/td>\n $110,720<\/td>\n $119,207<\/td>\n $127,098<\/td>\n $133,301<\/td>\n $145,724<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Artificial intelligence salary by location\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Where you live and work can have a big impact on how much you can expect to earn as an AI professional. Common geographical factors impacting your salary include the cost of living where you work and the local job market, such as whether there is significant competition for your skill set among employers<\/p>\n
To help you get a better idea of the base pay you can expect to earn across the country, here\u2019s the average salary for the aforementioned AI positions in five different US cities, according to Glassdoor:\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n \nSan Francisco, CA<\/th>\n Houston, TX<\/th>\n New York City, NY<\/th>\n Chicago, IL<\/th>\n Columbus, OH<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n AI engineer<\/td>\n $164,499<\/td>\n $129,169<\/td>\n $141,539<\/td>\n $106,031<\/td>\n $103,974<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n AI researcher<\/td>\n $132,937<\/td>\n $82,435<\/td>\n $101,796<\/td>\n $102,341<\/td>\n $87,463<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Machine learning engineer<\/td>\n $149,795<\/td>\n $121,462<\/td>\n $124,920<\/td>\n $110,268<\/td>\n $109,636<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Robotics engineer<\/td>\n $152,051<\/td>\n $99,160<\/td>\n $111,587<\/td>\n $100,779<\/td>\n $90,445<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Software engineer<\/td>\n $144,333<\/td>\n $104,565<\/td>\n $130,868<\/td>\n $110,626<\/td>\n $104,533<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Data scientist<\/td>\n $149,378<\/td>\n $107,848<\/td>\n $126,859<\/td>\n $118,081<\/td>\n $108,847<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n How to increase your salary as an AI professional\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Your earning potential isn\u2019t set in stone. In fact, there are many ways that you can increase your salary as an AI professional. Here are some steps you might take to increase how much you take home over the course of your career.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1. Build your skills.\u00a0<\/h3>\n
To stay competitive in the marketplace as an AI professional, you\u2019ll want to make sure you have the most up-to-date knowledge of the field possible. That means you\u2019ll need to both build new skills and strengthen your already existing ones. Some ways you might hone your skill set include taking courses online or in person, connecting with knowledgeable peers in your network, and attending professional workshops.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2. Get certified.\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Certifications demonstrate your commitment to the field and indicate your mastery of job-relevant skills. There are many different certifications you might consider gaining, such as IBM\u2019s AI Developer Professional Certificate or the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute\u2019s (USAII) Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist (CAIS), to demonstrate your abilities to potential employers. To learn more about the exact certifications or certificates that you might consider obtaining, reach out to others in your professional network.\u00a0<\/p>\n
3. Consider a degree<\/h3>\n
A degree can be a great way to showcase your knowledge of the field. In fact, some of the most competitive AI positions ask that applicants possess a PhD to qualify for the role. As a result, if you want to gain some of the highest-paying research jobs in the field, you should consider obtaining a doctoral degree in computer science, machine learning, electrical engineering, or a related field.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ready to start advancing your AI skills? Consider taking one of these job-relevant Professional Certificates or specializations on Coursera:\u00a0<\/p>\n
To build job-ready skills in AI technologies,<\/b> enroll in IBM\u2019s AI Developer Professional Certificate. Learn how to create chatbots, apply computer vision techniques using Python, and even develop custom image classification models today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To develop practical machine learning skills, try Stanford and DeepLearning.AI’s Machine Learning Specialization. Build machine learning models, apply best practices to machine learning development, and even train your own neural network in this beginner-level program<\/p>\n
To prepare for a career as a data scientist, consider the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate. Learn the tools, languages, and libraries used by professional data scientists, including Python and SQL<\/p>\n
Article sources<\/h2>\n
1.\u00a0<\/p>\n
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. \u201cOccupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Research Scientists, Pay, https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/ooh\/computer-and-information-technology\/computer-and-information-research-scientists.htm#tab-5.\u201d Accessed August 27, 2025<\/p>\n
Updated on Feb 19, 2026
\nWritten by:<\/p>\nCoursera Staff<\/h3>\n
Editorial Team<\/p>\n
Coursera\u2019s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact<\/p>\n
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals<\/p>\n
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