AI Salary Report.
411 roles. 81 cities. The data behind the market.
+8% avg YoY growth. $312,757 avg total comp. Q2 2026.
See the data.Key findings
AI roles continue to command significant premiums over general tech positions. The median AI role in San Francisco pays $213,000, with total compensation (including equity, bonus, and signing) averaging $312,757 across all 411 tracked roles. Year-over-year growth averages 8%, outpacing the broader tech market by 2 to 3 percentage points.
The highest-paying AI role remains AI Chip Architect at $344,000 base in San Francisco ($508,000 total comp). The fastest-growing role is AI Safety Director at +10% YoY. Demand for AI safety, governance, and alignment roles has accelerated, with these positions now commanding salaries comparable to core ML engineering.
Top 15 highest-paying AI roles
San Francisco, CA. Base salary.
Fastest growing AI roles
AI salaries by city
Methodology
This report analyzes 411 AI and machine learning roles across 81 U.S. metropolitan areas. Salary data is sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (Department of Labor), state pay-transparency job postings, and community submissions.
Ranges reflect 25th to 75th percentile for full-time positions. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Total compensation estimates include base salary, equity (RSU/options), annual bonus, and signing bonus. Employer-specific ranges reflect mid to senior level positions.
This report is published annual. Next update: July 2026.
Cite this report
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
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