AI Data Labeling Manager Salary.
Across 83 U.S. cities.
$115,000
national median salary
$85,000 to $155,000. Last updated April 2026.
Highest Paying
$154,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$120,000
Princeton, NJ
Lowest Paying
$91,000
Wichita, KS
Salary data sourced from SEC filings, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and aggregated job postings across 50+ platforms. Ranges reflect 25th to 75th percentile for full-time positions. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Last updated April 2026.
The average AI Data Labeling Manager salary in the United States is $115,000 in 2026, with the full range spanning $85,000 at the 25th percentile to $155,000 at the 75th. San Francisco pays the most at $154,000, while Princeton offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. AI data labeling managers oversee annotation teams and quality assurance processes critical to ML model performance.
AI Data Labeling Manager salary by city
Skills that increase AI Data Labeling Manager pay
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for AI Data Labeling Managers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $16,100 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$16,100 per year
≈ +$14,950 per year
≈ +$13,800 per year
≈ +$12,650 per year
≈ +$12,650 per year
≈ +$11,500 per year
≈ +$11,500 per year
≈ +$10,350 per year
What you should know
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.
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.