Model Vulnerability Analyst.
Minneapolis.
$168,000
median salary, 5% above the national average
$126,000 to $221,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
A Model Vulnerability Analyst in Minneapolis earns a median of $168,000 in 2026. That is 5% above the national average. The range runs from $126,000 to $221,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Compensation scales with the breadth of vulnerability classes analyzed and depth of model architecture knowledge.
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How Minneapolis compares
Minneapolis, MN
$168,000
Cost of living: 5% above average
National Average
$160,000
Minneapolis is $8,000 above
What you should know
Here is what the Model Vulnerability Analyst market actually looks like in Minneapolis. Minneapolis is a Fortune 500 powerhouse with Target, UnitedHealth Group, Best Buy, and 3M headquartered in the metro. The city's strong corporate base creates consistent demand across finance, healthcare, retail tech, and supply chain roles. Quality of life is high, and employers offer competitive salaries to offset the cold winters. Compensation scales with the breadth of vulnerability classes analyzed and depth of model architecture knowledge. Analysts who can identify weaknesses in transformer, diffusion, and reinforcement learning models earn premiums. Experience with automated vulnerability scanning for ML models and ability to communicate risk to non-technical stakeholders drives top salary offers.
Junior vulnerability analysts begin at $100,000 to $120,000 running standard model evaluations. Mid-level analysts conducting deep architecture analysis earn $140,000 to $160,000. Senior analysts leading vulnerability research programs reach $185,000 to $210,000, with principal researchers exceeding $240,000. In Minneapolis, 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. Bonuses of 12 to 20% are standard, with some organizations offering discovery bonuses for novel vulnerability classes. Equity at AI security companies adds meaningful value, typically 15 to 25% of base salary in vesting grants. And on the tax side: minnesota's top income tax rate is 9.85%, one of the highest state rates. There is no city income tax in Minneapolis, but the state burden significantly reduces take home pay. When someone quotes you $168,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat. The range for Model Vulnerability Analysts in Minneapolis runs from $126,000 to $221,000. 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 Minneapolis
Negotiating in Minneapolis
Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat.