AI Model Evaluator.
Wilmington.
$124,000
median salary, 3% above the national average
$93,000 to $160,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A AI Model Evaluator in Wilmington earns a median of $124,000 in 2026. That is 3% above the national average. The range runs from $93,000 to $160,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Compensation scales with expertise in evaluation methodology design, benchmark creation, and statistical rigor.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $111,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$81,000
to $99,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$105,000
to $130,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$136,000
to $161,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$155,000
to $192,000
Salary trend
+6% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $53,000 to the total package.
Base
$124,000
Equity
$32,000
Bonus
$14,000
Signing
$7,000
Estimated total: $177,000
How Wilmington compares
Wilmington, DE
$124,000
Cost of living: 2% above average
National Average
$120,000
Wilmington is $4,000 above
AI Model Evaluator salary by city
Salary by role in Wilmington
What you should know
Here is what the AI Model Evaluator market actually looks like in Wilmington. Wilmington is a corporate law and financial services hub, home to most U.S. credit card companies thanks to Delaware's favorable incorporation laws. The city's compact size belies its outsized role in banking, legal services, and corporate governance. Chemical and pharmaceutical companies also maintain a strong presence. 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 Wilmington, 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. 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: delaware has a top income tax rate of 6.6% but no state sales tax. Wilmington has a city wage tax of 1.25%. The no sales tax benefit partially offsets the income tax burden. When someone quotes you $124,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage Delaware's corporate density. Banks and legal firms here pay competitively to retain talent that might otherwise commute to Philadelphia or New York. The range for AI Model Evaluators in Wilmington runs from $93,000 to $160,000. 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 Frontend Developer in Wilmington earns $123,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Wilmington is Distinguished Engineer at $327,000
Common questions.
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