Aerospace AI Engineer.
Baltimore.
$152,000
median salary, 13% above the national average
$112,000 to $202,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Aerospace AI Engineer pay in Baltimore ranges from $112,000 to $202,000 in 2026. The median is $152,000, 13% above the national average. Baltimore's economy is anchored by Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, one of the largest employers in the state. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Aerospace AI Engineer in Baltimore, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $166,980 for Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011) in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan area, based on 1,220 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$99,450
25th percentile
$113,900
Median
$166,980
75th percentile
$212,480
90th percentile
$249,340
Workers surveyed
1,220
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011) rather than Aerospace AI Engineer specifically. The Baltimorerange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2011Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $137,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$99,000
to $122,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$129,000
to $160,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$167,000
to $198,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$190,000
to $236,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $42,000 to the total package.
Base
$152,000
Equity
$24,000
Bonus
$15,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $194,000
How Baltimore compares.
Baltimore, MD
$152,000
Cost of living: 8% above average
National Average
$135,000
Baltimore is $17,000 above
Aerospace AI Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Baltimore.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Aerospace AI Engineer roles in Baltimore, here is what you are walking into. Baltimore's economy is anchored by Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, one of the largest employers in the state. The city has strong cybersecurity, defense, and biotech sectors, benefiting from proximity to NSA, Fort Meade, and NIH. The port of Baltimore also drives significant logistics and trade employment. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built. Aerospace AI Engineers who have shipped models serving millions of users command the highest premiums. Employer type matters significantly: AI labs and foundation model companies pay 20% to 40% more than enterprises adopting AI for internal use.
Entry-level Aerospace AI Engineers start near $168,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $215,000 to $280,000. Senior-level roles command $275,000 to $333,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $355,000 and above. In Baltimore, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. And on the tax side: maryland's top income tax rate is 5.75%, and Baltimore City adds a local income tax of 3.2%. The combined burden is among the higher ones, but federal and defense salaries compensate. When someone quotes you $152,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is extremely valuable in the Baltimore corridor. Cleared professionals earn 20 to 30% more, and the NSA and defense contractor presence drives constant demand. The range for Aerospace AI Engineers in Baltimore runs from $112,000 to $202,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Data Engineer in Baltimore earns $153,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Baltimore is CTO at $324,000
- See all ai industrial roles tracked in Orbyt Intelligence
Common questions.
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