Lead Pathology AI Engineer.
Jackson.
$176,000
median salary, 19% below the national average
$137,000 to $229,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
The median Lead Pathology AI Engineer salary in Jackson is $176,000, 19% below the national average. Entry level starts near $137,000. Experienced professionals push past $229,000. Jackson is Mississippi's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, healthcare, and energy. That spread is your negotiation window.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $159,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$114,000
to $141,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$150,000
to $185,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$194,000
to $229,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$220,000
to $273,000
Salary trend
+4% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $42,000 to the total package.
Base
$176,000
Equity
$23,000
Bonus
$15,000
Signing
$4,000
Estimated total: $218,000
How Jackson compares
Jackson, MS
$176,000
Cost of living: 21% below average
National Average
$216,000
Jackson is $40,000 below
Lead Pathology AI Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Jackson
What you should know
Before you negotiate a Lead Pathology AI 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. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built. Lead Pathology AI Engineers who have shipped models serving millions of users command the highest premiums. Employer type matters significantly: AI labs and foundation model companies pay 20% to 40% more than enterprises adopting AI for internal use.
Entry-level Lead Pathology AI Engineers start near $168,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $216,000 to $281,000. Senior-level roles command $276,000 to $335,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $356,000 and above. 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. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. 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 $176,000, 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 Lead Pathology AI Engineers in Jackson runs from $137,000 to $229,000. 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 Director of AI Strategy in Jackson earns $177,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Jackson is Technical Fellow at $277,000
Common questions.
Lead Pathology AI Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Jackson
Related
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget — one script tag, free forever.