AI Data Labeling Manager.
Little Rock.
$91,000
median salary, 21% below the national average
$67,000 to $122,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Little Rock is 18% cheaper than the national average. For AI Data Labeling Managers, that shakes out to a median of $91,000, with the full range spanning $67,000 to $122,000. AI data labeling managers oversee annotation teams and quality assurance processes critical to ML model performance. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $82,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$59,000
to $73,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$77,000
to $96,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$100,000
to $118,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$114,000
to $141,000
Salary trend
+10% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $44,000 to the total package.
Base
$91,000
Equity
$27,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$5,000
Estimated total: $135,000
How Little Rock compares
Little Rock, AR
$91,000
Cost of living: 18% below average
National Average
$115,000
Little Rock is $24,000 below
AI Data Labeling Manager salary by city
Salary by role in Little Rock
What you should know
Here is what the AI Data Labeling Manager market actually looks like in Little Rock. Little Rock's economy is driven by Walmart's nearby headquarters ecosystem, state government, healthcare, and logistics. The metro's extremely low cost of living means even moderate salaries deliver strong purchasing power. Tech jobs are growing as companies seek affordable alternatives to major metros. 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 Little Rock, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 18% 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: arkansas has a top income tax rate of 4.4%. Little Rock has no city income tax. The combination of low taxes and very affordable housing creates one of the best net pay environments in the country. When someone quotes you $91,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Walmart and Tyson ecosystem when negotiating. Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock employers benchmark against national corporate pay scales. The range for AI Data Labeling Managers in Little Rock runs from $67,000 to $122,000. 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
Considering a related role?
- A UX Designer in Little Rock earns $90,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Little Rock is Chief AI Officer at $259,000
Common questions.
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