AI Quality Assurance Engineer.
Jackson.
$122,000
median salary, 19% below the national average
$94,000 to $159,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Here is what AI Quality Assurance Engineers actually make in Jackson: $94,000 at the 25th percentile, $122,000 at the median, and $159,000 at the 75th. That is 19% below the national average. Jackson is Mississippi's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, healthcare, and energy. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.
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
+10% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $60,000 to the total package.
Base
$122,000
Equity
$37,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$7,000
Estimated total: $182,000
How Jackson compares
Jackson, MS
$122,000
Cost of living: 21% below average
National Average
$150,000
Jackson is $28,000 below
AI Quality Assurance Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Jackson
What you should know
Before you negotiate a AI Quality Assurance Engineer offer in Jackson, understand the terrain. Jackson is Mississippi's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, healthcare, and energy. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is a major employer. Jackson offers some of the lowest living costs in the country, making even moderate salaries deliver substantial purchasing power. Pay depends on expertise in ML-specific testing methodologies, including model evaluation, data validation, and regression testing for AI systems. Engineers who can build automated testing pipelines for model performance, fairness, and robustness earn premiums. Experience with adversarial testing and red-teaming AI systems adds 10 to 15% to offers.
Junior QA engineers on ML teams start at $85,000 to $105,000. AI QA engineers earn $115,000 to $150,000. Senior roles reach $165,000 to $210,000, and QA directors or heads of AI quality at major companies command $230,000 to $300,000 in total compensation. In Jackson, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 21% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Annual bonuses range from 10 to 15% of base salary. Equity at AI companies adds $15,000 to $45,000 annually. Some organizations offer additional bonuses tied to quality metrics like model incident reduction rates. And on the tax side: mississippi's top income tax rate is 5%. Jackson has no city income tax. The very low cost of living means take home pay goes further here than almost any other metro. 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: Benchmark against regional healthcare and government pay scales. Jackson employers offer competitive benefits packages to compensate for lower base salaries. The range for AI Quality Assurance Engineers in Jackson runs from $94,000 to $159,000. 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 Model Registry Manager in Jackson earns $121,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Jackson is Chief AI Officer at $245,000
Common questions.
AI Quality Assurance Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Jackson
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