How does company size affect Chief Data & AI Officer pay in Salt Lake City?

Large enterprises in Salt Lake City pay Chief Data & AI Officers 10 to 20% more in base, but startups compensate with equity. The range of $216,000 to $377,000 spans both.

How do I negotiate a Chief Data & AI Officer salary in Salt Lake City?

Chief Data & AI Officers in Salt Lake City earn $216,000 to $377,000. Anchor your ask near the 75th percentile to land at the median.

What is the entry level Chief Data & AI Officer salary in Salt Lake City?

Entry level Chief Data & AI Officer positions in Salt Lake City start near $216,000. Candidates with strong backgrounds negotiate toward $289,000.

Chief Data & AI Officer.

Salt Lake City.

$289,000

median salary, 2% below the national average

$216,000 to $377,000. Updated for 2026.

Get your playbook

The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

Here is what Chief Data & AI Officers actually make in Salt Lake City: $216,000 at the 25th percentile, $289,000 at the median, and $377,000 at the 75th. That is 2% below the national average. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$216,000

per year

Median

$289,000

per year

75th Percentile

$377,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$216,000$377,000

How Salt Lake City compares

Salt Lake City, UT

$289,000

Cost of living: 2% below average

National Average

$295,000

Salt Lake City is $6,000 below

What you should know

Before you negotiate a Chief Data & AI Officer offer in Salt Lake City, understand the terrain. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. The region has attracted significant venture investment and tech relocations. Utah's business friendly environment, young educated workforce, and outdoor lifestyle make it a rising destination for tech professionals seeking affordability without sacrificing career growth. 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 Salt Lake City, 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. 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: utah has a flat 4.65% state income tax. Salt Lake City imposes no additional city income tax. The moderate rate combined with affordable living costs results in strong net compensation. When someone quotes you $289,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent. The range for Chief Data & AI Officers in Salt Lake City runs from $216,000 to $377,000. 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 Salt Lake City

Technology & SaaSHealthcareFinancial ServicesOutdoor RecreationAerospace

Negotiating in Salt Lake City

Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent.

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.

In Salt Lake City, large enterprises typically pay Chief Data & AI Officers 10 to 20% more in base salary than small companies, but startups often compensate with equity that can exceed base salary value. Total compensation typically reaches $600,000 to $1,200,000 including equity grants, performance bonuses of 40 to 60% of base, and retention packages. The $216,000 to $377,000 range reflects this entire spectrum.

Lead with data: Chief Data & AI Officers in Salt Lake City earn $216,000 to $377,000, so anchoring your ask near $377,000 gives room to land at the median. Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent. Never accept the first number without a conversation.

Entry level Chief Data & AI Officer positions in Salt Lake City typically start near $216,000. Candidates with relevant internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate closer to the median of $289,000. Most CDAIOs advance from VP of Data Science or VP of AI Engineering roles earning $200,000 to $270,000.

Utah has a flat 4.65% state income tax. Salt Lake City imposes no additional city income tax. The moderate rate combined with affordable living costs results in strong net compensation. 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.