AI Model Evaluator.

Where do you fall?

Salary trend

Estimated total: $136,000

Here is what the AI Model Evaluator market actually looks like in Charleston. Charleston is West Virginia's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, energy, healthcare, and chemical manufacturing. The city offers some of the lowest living costs in the nation. Federal and state government roles provide stable employment anchors. Compensation scales with expertise in evaluation methodology design, benchmark creation, and statistical rigor. Evaluators who can design domain-specific assessments for frontier models and quantify safety metrics command premiums. Experience with red-teaming, adversarial testing, and regulatory compliance evaluation adds significant value.

Junior evaluators start at $80,000 to $95,000 running standard benchmarks. Mid-level evaluators designing custom evaluation suites reach $115,000 to $140,000. Senior evaluators leading safety assessment programs earn $145,000 to $180,000. Directors of AI evaluation at frontier labs can exceed $220,000 in total compensation. In Charleston, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 22% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.

Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at AI safety companies and frontier labs adds $20,000 to $70,000 annually. Bonuses of 10% to 15% are typical. Research publication budgets and conference travel are common perks that support career development. And on the tax side: west Virginia's top income tax rate is 5.12%. Charleston has no city income tax. The very low cost of living means even moderate salaries deliver strong purchasing power. When someone quotes you $95,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Benchmark against federal government pay scales. Charleston employers often align with GS grades, and understanding the federal pay system gives you negotiating leverage. The range for AI Model Evaluators in Charleston runs from $71,000 to $122,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

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