Solutions Engineer, AI.
Madison.
$149,000
median salary, 4% below the national average
$115,000 to $187,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Solutions Engineer, AI salary in Madison is $149,000, 4% below the national average. Entry level starts near $115,000. Experienced professionals push past $187,000. Madison is a growing tech hub anchored by the University of Wisconsin and Epic Systems, one of the largest health IT companies. That spread is your negotiation window.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $134,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$97,000
to $119,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$127,000
to $156,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$164,000
to $194,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$186,000
to $231,000
Salary trend
+3% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $37,000 to the total package.
Base
$149,000
Equity
$21,000
Bonus
$13,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $186,000
How Madison compares
Madison, WI
$149,000
Cost of living: 5% below average
National Average
$155,000
Madison is $6,000 below
Solutions Engineer, AI salary by city
Salary by role in Madison
What you should know
If you are interviewing for Solutions Engineer, AI roles in Madison, here is what you are walking into. Madison is a growing tech hub anchored by the University of Wisconsin and Epic Systems, one of the largest health IT companies. The city consistently ranks among the best places to live and has a thriving startup ecosystem. Salaries are competitive relative to the modest cost of living. Compensation reflects the ability to design and implement AI solutions for enterprise customers. Engineers who can translate business requirements into technical architectures, build POCs, and drive adoption post-sale earn premiums. Domain expertise in high-value verticals like finance, healthcare, or manufacturing adds 10% to 20% to compensation.
Junior solutions engineers start at $105,000 to $125,000. Mid-level SEs handling enterprise accounts reach $145,000 to $175,000. Senior SEs designing complex multi-system integrations earn $180,000 to $220,000. Solutions architecture leaders and directors of customer engineering can reach $240,000 to $300,000 in total compensation. In Madison, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Variable compensation adds 15% to 30% of base salary. Equity at AI companies adds $20,000 to $70,000 annually. Customer success bonuses tied to expansion revenue are common. Travel allowances and home office stipends for field-based roles are standard benefits. And on the tax side: wisconsin's top income tax rate is 7.65%. Madison has no city income tax. The moderate state rate is offset by the affordable cost of living and strong employer base. When someone quotes you $149,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Epic Systems compensation benchmarks. Epic sets the salary standard for tech in Madison and most employers in the area compete against their packages. The range for Solutions Engineer, AIs in Madison runs from $115,000 to $187,000. 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 Synthetic Data Engineer in Madison earns $150,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Madison is Distinguished Engineer at $307,000
Common questions.
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