Data Curation Specialist Salary.
Across 83 U.S. cities.
$102,000
national median salary
$75,000 to $138,000. Last updated April 2026.
Highest Paying
$145,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$106,000
San Francisco, CA
Lowest Paying
$80,000
Wichita, KS
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 Data Curation Specialist salary in the United States is $102,000 in 2026, with the full range spanning $75,000 at the 25th percentile to $138,000 at the 75th. San Jose pays the most at $145,000, while San Francisco offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Data curation specialists manage and organize training datasets for AI systems, with salary driven by domain expertise and data complexity.
Data Curation Specialist salary by city
Skills that increase Data Curation Specialist pay
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Data Curation Specialists based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $14,280 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$14,280 per year
≈ +$13,260 per year
≈ +$12,240 per year
≈ +$11,220 per year
≈ +$11,220 per year
≈ +$10,200 per year
≈ +$10,200 per year
≈ +$9,180 per year
What you should know
Data curation specialists manage and organize training datasets for AI systems, with salary driven by domain expertise and data complexity. Specialists curating medical, legal, or financial datasets earn 15 to 25% more than those handling general web data. Experience with data governance frameworks and quality assurance methodologies further increases pay.
Entry-level data curation specialists earn $75,000 to $90,000. Specialists with 2 to 4 years and domain expertise reach $102,000 to $138,000. Senior specialists and curation team leads earn $142,000 to $185,000, while directors of data curation at large AI companies can command $190,000 to $250,000.
AI companies offer equity of 5 to 15% of base salary for curation specialists. Annual bonuses range from 5 to 12%. Benefits often include professional development budgets of $2,000 to $5,000 for domain certification and data management training programs.