AI Data Quality Engineer.
Virginia Beach.
$134,000
median salary, 4% below the national average
$101,000 to $178,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median AI Data Quality Engineer salary in Virginia Beach is $134,000, 4% below the national average. Entry level starts near $101,000. Experienced professionals push past $178,000. Virginia Beach anchors the Hampton Roads region with a strong military presence, growing cybersecurity sector, and expanding tech corridor. That spread is your negotiation window.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $121,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$87,000
to $107,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$114,000
to $141,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$147,000
to $174,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$168,000
to $208,000
Salary trend
+10% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $62,000 to the total package.
Base
$134,000
Equity
$38,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$8,000
Estimated total: $196,000
How Virginia Beach compares
Virginia Beach, VA
$134,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$140,000
Virginia Beach is $6,000 below
AI Data Quality Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Virginia Beach
What you should know
If you are interviewing for AI Data Quality Engineer roles in Virginia Beach, here is what you are walking into. Virginia Beach anchors the Hampton Roads region with a strong military presence, growing cybersecurity sector, and expanding tech corridor. Naval Station Norfolk drives significant defense contractor employment. The lower cost of living compared to Northern Virginia attracts remote workers and military-to-civilian transitions. 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 Virginia Beach, 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: virginia's flat 5.75% state income tax applies. Virginia Beach has no city income tax. The moderate rate combined with lower housing costs than Northern Virginia creates good take home pay. When someone quotes you $134,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage military transition benefits. Hampton Roads employers value candidates with security clearances and military technical experience. The range for AI Data Quality Engineers in Virginia Beach runs from $101,000 to $178,000. 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 Virginia Beach earns $133,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Virginia Beach is Distinguished Engineer at $336,000
Common questions.
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