AI Data Quality Engineer.
Knoxville.
$125,000
median salary, 11% below the national average
$93,000 to $165,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
AI Data Quality Engineer pay in Knoxville ranges from $93,000 to $165,000 in 2026. The median is $125,000, 11% below the national average. Knoxville benefits from the presence of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $113,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$81,000
to $100,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$106,000
to $131,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$138,000
to $163,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$156,000
to $194,000
Salary trend
+10% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $58,000 to the total package.
Base
$125,000
Equity
$35,000
Bonus
$15,000
Signing
$8,000
Estimated total: $183,000
How Knoxville compares
Knoxville, TN
$125,000
Cost of living: 11% below average
National Average
$140,000
Knoxville is $15,000 below
AI Data Quality Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Knoxville
What you should know
If you are interviewing for AI Data Quality Engineer roles in Knoxville, here is what you are walking into. Knoxville benefits from the presence of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The national lab drives strong demand for research scientists, engineers, and data analysts. No state income tax and affordable living make it an attractive value proposition. 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 Knoxville, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 11% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
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: tennessee has no state income tax on wages. Knoxville has no city income tax. This zero income tax environment combined with very affordable housing creates excellent purchasing power. When someone quotes you $125,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight Oak Ridge National Lab and DOE experience. National lab affiliations and security clearances command significant premiums in the Knoxville area. The range for AI Data Quality Engineers in Knoxville runs from $93,000 to $165,000. 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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- A EdTech Product Manager in Knoxville earns $124,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
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