AI Data Labeling Manager.
Albuquerque.
$100,000
median salary, 13% below the national average
$74,000 to $135,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median AI Data Labeling Manager salary in Albuquerque is $100,000, 13% below the national average. Entry level starts near $74,000. Experienced professionals push past $135,000. Albuquerque's economy is driven by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and a growing film production industry. That spread is your negotiation window.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $90,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$65,000
to $80,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$85,000
to $105,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$110,000
to $130,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$125,000
to $155,000
Salary trend
+9% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $49,000 to the total package.
Base
$100,000
Equity
$30,000
Bonus
$13,000
Signing
$6,000
Estimated total: $149,000
How Albuquerque compares
Albuquerque, NM
$100,000
Cost of living: 12% below average
National Average
$115,000
Albuquerque is $15,000 below
AI Data Labeling Manager salary by city
Salary by role in Albuquerque
What you should know
If you are interviewing for AI Data Labeling Manager roles in Albuquerque, here is what you are walking into. Albuquerque's economy is driven by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and a growing film production industry. The city offers affordable living and a strong pipeline of research and engineering jobs tied to national defense and energy programs. AI data labeling managers oversee annotation teams and quality assurance processes critical to ML model performance. Salary varies based on team size managed and domain complexity, with medical and autonomous driving labeling paying 15 to 25% more. Experience with labeling platforms like Scale AI, Labelbox, or custom tooling is a key differentiator.
Labeling team leads start at $85,000 to $100,000. Managers overseeing multiple annotation teams earn $115,000 to $155,000. Senior managers and directors of data operations reach $160,000 to $210,000, while VPs of data quality at large AI companies can command $220,000 to $300,000. In Albuquerque, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 12% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity is common at AI startups, typically 0.05 to 0.2% for manager-level roles. Annual bonuses range from 8 to 15%. Some companies offer per-project completion bonuses of $5,000 to $15,000 for meeting quality and timeline targets on critical datasets. And on the tax side: new Mexico's top income tax rate is 5.9%. Albuquerque has no city income tax. The moderate state rate and affordable housing create reasonable net compensation. When someone quotes you $100,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight security clearance or national lab experience. Sandia and Los Alamos pay nationally competitive salaries with excellent federal benefits packages. The range for AI Data Labeling Managers in Albuquerque runs from $74,000 to $135,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
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