AI Data Quality Engineer.
Charleston.
$140,000
median salary, at the national average
$105,000 to $185,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a AI Data Quality Engineer offer in Charleston, SC, here is the reality: $105,000 to $185,000, with $140,000 as the midpoint. Right at the national average. AI data quality engineers ensure training and serving data meets standards for ML model reliability. Do not accept the first number.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $126,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$91,000
to $112,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$119,000
to $147,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$154,000
to $182,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$175,000
to $217,000
Salary trend
+10% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $64,000 to the total package.
Base
$140,000
Equity
$39,000
Bonus
$17,000
Signing
$8,000
Estimated total: $204,000
How Charleston compares
Charleston, SC
$140,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$140,000
Same as local rate
AI Data Quality Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Charleston
What you should know
The AI Data Quality Engineer landscape in Charleston is not what most salary sites will tell you. Charleston is one of the South's fastest growing tech hubs, with Boeing, Volvo, and a wave of software companies establishing operations. The city's port drives significant logistics employment. Charleston's quality of life, moderate costs, and growing tech scene attract relocating professionals from across the country. AI data quality engineers ensure training and serving data meets standards for ML model reliability. Salary is driven by experience with data validation frameworks, drift detection systems, and automated quality monitoring at scale. Engineers working in regulated industries like healthcare and finance earn 12 to 20% premiums due to compliance requirements.
Junior AI data quality engineers earn $105,000 to $125,000. Engineers with 3 to 5 years of ML data quality experience reach $140,000 to $185,000. Senior engineers and quality team leads earn $190,000 to $248,000, while directors of data quality at enterprise AI companies can command $255,000 to $330,000. In Charleston, 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. Tech companies provide equity grants of 12 to 22% of base salary. Bonuses range from 10 to 15% annually. Some firms offer additional compensation for maintaining critical data quality SLAs, adding $5,000 to $12,000 for on-call responsibilities. And on the tax side: south Carolina's top income tax rate is 6.4%. Charleston has no city income tax. The state rate is moderate, and the affordable cost of living keeps net pay competitive. When someone quotes you $140,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight the Boeing and Volvo ecosystem when negotiating. Manufacturing and engineering employers in Charleston benchmark against national aerospace pay scales. The range for AI Data Quality Engineers in Charleston runs from $105,000 to $185,000. 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 AI Marketing Technologist in Charleston earns $141,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Charleston is Chief AI Officer at $301,000
Common questions.
AI Data Quality Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Charleston
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