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Artificial Intelligence is an exciting, growing field that has the potential to shape our lives for years to come dramatically. It offers you the chance to be an innovator and make your mark on our technologically driven world.
And while the opportunity to help forge the future is really great, it doesn’t pay the bills. That’s why we’re looking at the highest U.S. AI salaries and where you can find them. Naturally, there’s a wide range of factors to consider, including the cost of living and demand, so an AI salary in San Francisco will be different from an AI salary in Boston.
So, if you’re ready to embark on an AI career and are willing to move to where the compensation is best (unless you can get a remote office gig!), let’s see where you can find the best artificial intelligence salary in the U.S.
The Growing Demand for AI Professionals
The field of Artificial Intelligence is enjoying rapid, sustained growth. According to figures provided by Grand View Research, the market for global artificial intelligence was valued at $62.35 billion in 2020 and it’s expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40.2 percent until 2028. This figure means that the market will hit almost $1 trillion in six years!
Statista adds to this rosy picture by forecasting the AI software market, covering things like robotic process automation, machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) to hit $126 billion by 2025. Additionally, this article, published in the past year, indicates that this is an excellent time to be looking for an AI position.
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According to CompTIA, the U.S. states with the most significant number of AI job postings are, in the following order:
- California
- Texas
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Washington
- New York
- Florida
- Illinois
All signs point to the AI field’s rich potential for career-minded professionals. So, where do we find the best artificial intelligence salaries in the U.S.?
Top Artificial Intelligence Salaries in the U.S.
Before we take a deep dive into the top U.S. AI salaries, bear in mind that these numbers are subject to fluctuation, sometimes from one day to another. Additionally, there are other factors to consider, such as the company size, current economic climate, and available openings vs. the number of qualified professionals in the area. Also, your particular level of experience can influence your starting salary. The more experienced you are, the more compensation you can expect.
Consider the following as a current “snapshot” of the U.S. AI salary landscape.
Top U.S. Artificial Intelligence Salaries by State
The top dozen best-paying states for AI careers are:
- New York: $218,600
- California: $156,000
- Virginia: $152,407
- Massachusetts: $150,000
- Texas: $150,000
- Georgia: $140,000
- Colorado: $137,750
- Illinois: $130,000
- Maryland: $124,900
- North Carolina: $121,875
- Arizona $119,594
- Hawaii $115,000
These figures come courtesy of Talent.
Top U.S. Artificial Intelligence Salaries by Cities
This is where figures may deviate from the average state salary levels. But, again, the right city can make all the difference, and it’s not surprising to see two large cities in the same state (like California, for example) reporting significantly different salaries.
Here’s a list of the top ten best-paying United States cities for Artificial Engineer Developers, courtesy of Ziprecruiter:
City |
Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
| San Jose, CA | $153,420 | $12,785 |
| Oakland, CA | $151,675 | $12,640 |
| Tanaina, AK | $151,053 | $12,588 |
| Wasilla, AK | $151,051 | $12,588 |
| Hayward, CA | $148,498 | $12,375 |
| Jackson, WY | $148,339 | $12,362 |
| Norwalk, CT | $147,948 | $12,329 |
| Seattle, WA | $147,475 | $12,290 |
| Vallejo, CA | $147,439 | $12,287 |
| Concord, CA | $147,127 | $12,261 |
Here are the average annual salaries for top-paying positions related to Artificial Intelligence Developers in the United States:
Job Title |
Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
| Ai Engineer | $158,500 | $13,208 |
| Artificial Intelligence Ai Engineer | $145,917 | $12,160 |
| Azure Ai Engineer | $134,271 | $11,189 |
| Kore Ai | $128,783 | $10,732 |
| Deeplearning Ai | $128,783 | $10,732 |
Since Artificial Intelligence Engineers differ from Artificial Intelligence Developers, here are the top ten United States cities with the best salaries for Artificial Intelligence Engineer positions, also according to Ziprecruiter:
City |
Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
| Lakes, AK | $197,897 | $16,491 |
| San Francisco, CA | $195,425 | $16,285 |
| San Leandro, CA | $195,093 | $16,258 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $194,436 | $16,203 |
| Washington, DC | $192,445 | $16,037 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $190,463 | $15,872 |
| Fremont, CA | $187,873 | $15,656 |
| Green River, WY | $186,975 | $15,581 |
| San Buenaventura, CA | $186,634 | $15,553 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $185,610 | $15,467 |
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And, since there are many different possible careers in Artificial Intelligence, here are the top five best-paying AI Engineer-related jobs in the U.S., on average, and without geographical considerations:
Job Title |
Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
| Data Scientist Artificial Intelligence | $161,460 | $13,455 |
| Intelligence Researcher | $149,704 | $12,475 |
| Senior Artificial Intelligence Engineer | $148,136 | $12,345 |
| Artificial Intelligence Ai Engineer | $145,917 | $12,160 |
| Head Of Artificial Intelligence | $140,087 | $11,674 |
Brief Word About Machine Learning
Although this article focuses on Artificial Intelligence, anyone familiar with the field knows that it has a strong connection with Machine Learning. Remember, all forms of Machine Learning fall under the Artificial Intelligence category, but not all forms of Artificial Intelligence are Machine Learning!
So, for the sake of completeness and considering how the two fields are so closely tied together, here are a few fast figures for Machine Learning salaries, broken down by U.S. cities, courtesy of Ziprecruiter.
City |
Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
| Richmond, CA | $192,929 | $16,077 |
| Stamford, CT | $187,866 | $15,655 |
| Bellevue, WA | $187,441 | $15,620 |
| Lakes, AK | $180,867 | $15,072 |
| San Francisco, CA | $180,823 | $15,069 |
| Palmdale, CA | $178,877 | $14,906 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $178,200 | $14,850 |
| Hartford, CT | $177,849 | $14,821 |
| Pasadena, CA | $177,198 | $14,766 |
| Glendale, CA | $176,158 | $14,680 |
Sharp-eyed readers will notice some overlap between cities (or general vicinities) that offer the most AI positions and the ones that provide the most ML positions.
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How to Become an Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning Expert
If you’d like to distinguish yourself in the AI field and earn one of these sweet salaries, Simplilearn is ready to help make your dreams come true. Simplilearn’s Machine Learning Bootcamp, held in partnership with IBM and CalTech’s CTME, will give you the needed expertise in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
This bootcamp explores the latest tools and technologies from the Artificial Intelligence field, including masterclasses conducted by Caltech faculty and IBM experts, supplemented by hackathons and Ask Me Anything sessions hosted by IBM. Additionally, the course trains you in critical concepts like Statistics, Data Science with Python, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, and Reinforcement Learning.
According to Glassdoor, AI Engineers in the United States make an aggregate yearly average of $118,195. And remember, the more experience and skills you have, the more you will be offered. So, visit Simplilearn today and get your AI career on the right track!
