What is the entry level Chief Data & AI Officer salary in Boston?

Entry level Chief Data & AI Officer positions in Boston start near $268,000. Candidates with strong backgrounds negotiate toward $360,000.

How fast are Chief Data & AI Officer salaries growing in Boston?

Chief Data & AI Officer salaries in Boston trend upward. The 2026 range is $268,000 to $470,000.

Chief Data & AI Officer.

Boston.

$360,000

median salary, 22% above the national average

$268,000 to $470,000. Updated for 2026.

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The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

A Chief Data & AI Officer in Boston earns a median of $360,000 in 2026. That is 22% above the national average. The range runs from $268,000 to $470,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Compensation scales with the breadth of the AI and data portfolio under management.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$268,000

per year

Median

$360,000

per year

75th Percentile

$470,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$268,000$470,000

How Boston compares

Boston, MA

$360,000

Cost of living: 22% above average

National Average

$295,000

Boston is $65,000 above

What you should know

The Chief Data & AI Officer landscape in Boston is not what most salary sites will tell you. Boston's job market is powered by world class universities, a thriving biotech corridor, and established finance and healthcare sectors. The Kendall Square area is one of the most concentrated biotech hubs globally. Tech salaries in Boston are competitive with West Coast markets, particularly for roles that intersect with life sciences, AI, and robotics. Compensation scales with the breadth of the AI and data portfolio under management. Officers overseeing both revenue-generating AI products and enterprise data governance at Fortune 500 companies command premium packages. Industry vertical matters significantly, with financial services and healthcare paying 15 to 25% above median.

Most CDAIOs advance from VP of Data Science or VP of AI Engineering roles earning $200,000 to $270,000. The CDAIO role itself ranges from $220,000 to $385,000 base. Some transition to CEO or board director positions with total compensation exceeding $1,500,000 annually. In Boston, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 22% above average, and employers adjust to compete.

Base salary is not the full picture. Total compensation typically reaches $600,000 to $1,200,000 including equity grants, performance bonuses of 40 to 60% of base, and retention packages. Board observer seats and advisory equity in portfolio companies are increasingly common. And on the tax side: massachusetts has a flat 5% income tax on most earnings, plus a 4% surtax on income above $1 million. There is no city income tax in Boston, keeping the total burden moderate. When someone quotes you $360,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Emphasize specialized credentials or advanced degrees. Boston employers, especially in biotech and finance, place a premium on educational pedigree and certifications. The range for Chief Data & AI Officers in Boston runs from $268,000 to $470,000. 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 Boston

Biotech & Life SciencesHigher EducationFinancial ServicesHealthcareTechnology

Negotiating in Boston

Emphasize specialized credentials or advanced degrees. Boston employers, especially in biotech and finance, place a premium on educational pedigree and certifications.

Common questions.

CDAIOs now earn comparable or higher total compensation than CTOs at many technology companies, typically within 5 to 10% of CTO packages. At companies where AI is central to revenue, CDAIOs may actually out-earn CTOs by 10 to 20%.

Equity grants typically range from 0.1 to 0.5% at public companies and 0.5 to 2.0% at growth-stage startups. Four-year vesting with a one-year cliff remains standard, though some companies offer accelerated vesting tied to AI revenue milestones.

Entry level Chief Data & AI Officer positions in Boston typically start near $268,000. Candidates with relevant internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate closer to the median of $360,000. Most CDAIOs advance from VP of Data Science or VP of AI Engineering roles earning $200,000 to $270,000.

Chief Data & AI Officer compensation in Boston has trended upward as demand outpaces supply. The 2026 range of $268,000 to $470,000 reflects a market that rewards specialization. Compensation scales with the breadth of the AI and data portfolio under management.

Massachusetts has a flat 5% income tax on most earnings, plus a 4% surtax on income above $1 million. There is no city income tax in Boston, keeping the total burden moderate. When comparing offers across states, your take home pay matters more than the number on the offer letter. A lower salary in a no income tax state can net more than a higher one elsewhere.