AI/ML Data Analyst.
Richmond.
$122,000
median salary, 2% below the national average
$93,000 to $162,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
AI/ML Data Analyst pay in Richmond ranges from $93,000 to $162,000 in 2026. The median is $122,000, 2% below the national average. Richmond combines a strong government and defense sector with growing technology and financial services industries. 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 $110,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$79,000
to $98,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$104,000
to $128,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$134,000
to $159,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$153,000
to $189,000
Salary trend
+9% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $61,000 to the total package.
Base
$122,000
Equity
$38,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$7,000
Estimated total: $183,000
How Richmond compares
Richmond, VA
$122,000
Cost of living: 1% above average
National Average
$125,000
Richmond is $3,000 below
AI/ML Data Analyst salary by city
Salary by role in Richmond
What you should know
If you are interviewing for AI/ML Data Analyst roles in Richmond, here is what you are walking into. Richmond combines a strong government and defense sector with growing technology and financial services industries. Capital One's headquarters drives significant fintech employment. The city's proximity to Washington DC creates spillover demand for federal contractors and tech workers seeking lower living costs. Compensation varies based on proficiency with ML-specific data pipelines, feature engineering, and model evaluation metrics. Analysts who can build automated data quality monitoring for training datasets earn more. Experience with large-scale data platforms like Databricks or Snowflake adds 10 to 15% to offers.
Junior ML data analysts start at $70,000 to $90,000. Mid-level analysts earn $95,000 to $125,000. Senior analysts reach $140,000 to $165,000, and those who transition into ML engineering or data science roles can exceed $180,000 to $220,000. In Richmond, 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. Bonuses typically range from 5 to 15% of base salary. Equity is less common than in pure engineering roles but increasingly offered at AI-first startups, usually valued at $10,000 to $30,000 annually. And on the tax side: virginia's top income tax rate is 5.75%. Richmond has no city income tax. The moderate rate and reasonable cost of living create solid net compensation. When someone quotes you $122,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage DC corridor salary benchmarks. Richmond employers compete with Northern Virginia and DC for talent, especially in fintech and government contracting. The range for AI/ML Data Analysts in Richmond runs from $93,000 to $162,000. 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 Backend Developer in Richmond earns $121,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Richmond is Chief AI Officer at $316,000
Common questions.
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Other salaries in Richmond
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