AI Quality Assurance Engineer Salary.
Across 83 U.S. cities.
$150,000
national median salary
$115,000 to $195,000. Last updated April 2026.
Highest Paying
$207,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$157,000
New Orleans, LA
Lowest Paying
$112,000
Charleston, WV
Salary data sourced from SEC filings, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and aggregated job postings across 50+ platforms. Ranges reflect 25th to 75th percentile for full-time positions. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Last updated April 2026.
The average AI Quality Assurance Engineer salary in the United States is $150,000 in 2026, with the full range spanning $115,000 at the 25th percentile to $195,000 at the 75th. San Jose pays the most at $207,000, while New Orleans offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Pay depends on expertise in ML-specific testing methodologies, including model evaluation, data validation, and regression testing for AI systems.
AI Quality Assurance Engineer salary by city
Skills that increase AI Quality Assurance Engineer pay
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for AI Quality Assurance Engineers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $21,000 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$21,000 per year
≈ +$19,500 per year
≈ +$18,000 per year
≈ +$16,500 per year
≈ +$15,000 per year
≈ +$15,000 per year
≈ +$15,000 per year
≈ +$13,500 per year
What you should know
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.
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.