Deep Learning Engineer.
Birmingham.
$170,000
median salary, 15% below the national average
$132,000 to $216,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Deep Learning Engineer offer in Birmingham, AL, here is the reality: $132,000 to $216,000, with $170,000 as the midpoint. 15% below the national average. Pay hinges on expertise with transformer architectures, large-scale training pipelines, and GPU optimization. Do not accept the first number.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $153,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$111,000
to $136,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$145,000
to $179,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$187,000
to $221,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$213,000
to $264,000
Salary trend
+8% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $86,000 to the total package.
Base
$170,000
Equity
$53,000
Bonus
$23,000
Signing
$10,000
Estimated total: $256,000
Deep Learning Engineer salary by company
Total compensation estimates include base, equity, bonus, and signing. Ranges reflect mid to senior level. Derived from public H-1B LCA filings, SEC proxy statements, and aggregated self-reported data.
How Birmingham compares
Birmingham, AL
$170,000
Cost of living: 16% below average
National Average
$200,000
Birmingham is $30,000 below
Deep Learning Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Birmingham
What you should know
The Deep Learning Engineer landscape in Birmingham is not what most salary sites will tell you. Birmingham is Alabama's largest metro, anchored by a major medical center, banking, and a growing innovation district. UAB is one of the state's largest employers and a driver of biomedical research jobs. The extremely low cost of living makes Birmingham a strong value for professionals in healthcare and finance. Pay hinges on expertise with transformer architectures, large-scale training pipelines, and GPU optimization. Engineers who have shipped production models at scale earn top-band salaries. Publications at NeurIPS or ICML and familiarity with distributed training frameworks like DeepSpeed further boost compensation.
Junior deep learning roles start at $120,000 to $145,000. Mid-level engineers earn $155,000 to $200,000. Senior and staff-level positions reach $220,000 to $300,000 base, with principal engineers at top labs exceeding $400,000 in total compensation. In Birmingham, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 16% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity is a major component at AI-focused companies, often representing 30 to 50% of total compensation. Annual bonuses range from 10 to 20% of base, with signing bonuses of $30,000 to $75,000 common for experienced hires. And on the tax side: alabama's top state income tax rate is 5%. Birmingham has no city income tax. The low rate combined with very affordable housing creates excellent take home pay ratios. When someone quotes you $170,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage UAB and the medical corridor when negotiating. Healthcare and biotech roles command nationally competitive salaries even in this low cost market. The range for Deep Learning Engineers in Birmingham runs from $132,000 to $216,000. 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 AI Security & Red Teaming Specialist in Birmingham earns $169,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Birmingham is Principal AI Research Scientist at $297,000
- See all ai engineering roles tracked in Orbyt Intelligence
Common questions.
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