Motion Planning AI Engineer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$180,000
national median salary
$135,000 to $235,000. Last updated July 2026.
Highest Paying
$250,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$188,000
Las Vegas, NV
Lowest Paying
$145,000
Charleston, WV
Salary data sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), 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). Last updated July 2026. Baseline derived from BLS SOC 15-2051. Full methodology.
The average Motion Planning AI Engineer salary in the United States is $180,000 in 2026, with the full range spanning $135,000 at the 25th percentile to $235,000 at the 75th. San Francisco pays the most at $250,000, while Las Vegas offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Deep expertise in trajectory optimization, sampling based planning, and learned planning algorithms drives top compensation.
Motion Planning AI Engineer salary by city.
Skills that increase Motion Planning AI Engineer pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Motion Planning AI Engineers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $25,200 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$25,200 per year
≈ +$23,400 per year
≈ +$21,600 per year
≈ +$19,800 per year
≈ +$18,000 per year
≈ +$18,000 per year
≈ +$18,000 per year
≈ +$16,200 per year
What you should know.
Deep expertise in trajectory optimization, sampling based planning, and learned planning algorithms drives top compensation. Engineers who can design motion planners that handle dynamic environments with safety constraints in real time are extremely valued. Experience with manipulation planning, multi agent coordination, and formal safety guarantees adds significant salary premiums.
Junior motion planning engineers start at $108,000 to $140,000. Mid level engineers with real robot deployment experience earn $158,000 to $200,000. Senior engineers reach $205,000 to $258,000. Principal planning scientists at autonomous vehicle or robotics companies can exceed $340,000 in total compensation.
Equity at robotics and autonomous systems companies adds 20 to 40% of total compensation. Performance bonuses of 15 to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $60,000 are common. Benefits frequently include hardware lab time and research conference travel budgets.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Motion Planning AI Engineers typically earn $167,000 (7% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
Are you a Motion Planning AI Engineer?
Share your real compensation anonymously. Help build the most accurate salary dataset for this role. Your data is never individually exposed.
Common questions about Motion Planning AI Engineer pay.
Related tools