AI Business Development Manager.
Dallas.
$198,000
median salary, 1% above the national average
$136,000 to $268,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Dallas is 1% more expensive than the national average. For AI Business Development Managers, that shakes out to a median of $198,000, with the full range spanning $136,000 to $268,000. Compensation scales with the size of enterprise deals closed and depth of technical fluency in AI products. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
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How Dallas compares
Dallas, TX
$198,000
Cost of living: 1% above average
National Average
$196,000
Dallas is $2,000 above
What you should know
The AI Business Development Manager landscape in Dallas is not what most salary sites will tell you. Dallas is a major corporate hub with dozens of Fortune 500 headquarters spanning telecom, finance, defense, and retail. The metro's low cost of living and no state income tax make it a magnet for corporate relocations. Tech salaries in Dallas have risen quickly, particularly in fintech, cybersecurity, and enterprise software. Compensation scales with the size of enterprise deals closed and depth of technical fluency in AI products. Managers who can articulate ROI for complex ML deployments command premiums. Industry vertical expertise in finance or healthcare adds 15 to 25% above general tech sales roles.
Entry-level AI sales roles start around $90,000 to $110,000 base. Mid-career business development managers reach $135,000 to $196,000. Directors of AI partnerships earn $220,000 to $300,000, and VP-level roles at major AI companies exceed $350,000 with equity. In Dallas, 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. On-target earnings often double base salary through commission accelerators on large contracts. Equity grants are standard at Series B and later startups, with annual refreshers tied to quota attainment. And on the tax side: texas levies no state income tax, giving Dallas workers a meaningful take home pay advantage. Local property taxes are above the national average, typically around 2% of assessed value. When someone quotes you $198,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight the corporate headquarters density in DFW. Employers here compete fiercely for talent and often match or exceed offers from companies across the metroplex. The range for AI Business Development Managers in Dallas runs from $136,000 to $268,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Dallas
Negotiating in Dallas
Highlight the corporate headquarters density in DFW. Employers here compete fiercely for talent and often match or exceed offers from companies across the metroplex.