AI Developer Salary Report 2026
Real salary data from 3829 job listings across 324 AI companies
Last updated: November 7, 2026 · Source: aidevboard.com job listings
What do AI engineers earn in 2026?
Which AI specializations pay the most?
| Specialization | Avg Salary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| alignment | $368k | 346 |
| pre-training | $308k | 84 |
| rust | $300k | 63 |
| research | $294k | 300 |
| transformers | $285k | 7 |
| reinforcement-learning | $285k | 265 |
| search | $283k | 257 |
| jax | $282k | 23 |
| inference | $282k | 49 |
| kubernetes | $276k | 4 |
| distributed-systems | $270k | 595 |
| fintech | $269k | 8 |
| infrastructure | $264k | 292 |
| cuda | $263k | 3 |
| go | $258k | 4 |
Do remote AI jobs pay less than onsite?
| Workplace | Avg Salary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | $282k | 789 |
| Remote | $222k | 704 |
| On-site | $221k | 2336 |
AI Engineer Salary by Experience Level
| Level | Avg Salary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Principal | $345k | 238 |
| Lead | $268k | 1337 |
| Senior | $220k | 1576 |
| Junior | $172k | 190 |
| Mid-Level | $155k | 488 |
AI Salary by Job Type
| Type | Avg Salary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | $234k | 3827 |
| Contract | $125k | 1 |
| Freelance | $100k | 1 |
Which companies pay AI engineers the most?
| Company | Avg Salary | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Motion | $528k | 3 |
| METR | $485k | 4 |
| Runway ML | $437k | 1 |
| MatX | $425k | 29 |
| Inflection AI | $416k | 5 |
| Thinking Machines | $394k | 30 |
| Anthropic | $382k | 326 |
| Magic | $381k | 8 |
| Galileo AI | $375k | 1 |
| OpenAI | $331k | 6 |
AI Engineer Salary by City
| City | Avg Salary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $277k | 1139 |
| New York | $233k | 410 |
| Mountain View | $256k | 222 |
| Seattle | $204k | 82 |
| Boston | $199k | 156 |
| Austin | $193k | 51 |
| Washington DC | $236k | 46 |
| London | $217k | 11 |
| Toronto | $206k | 56 |
| Singapore | $201k | 5 |
| Ann Arbor | $172k | 29 |
AI Engineer Salary Distribution
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average AI engineer salary in 2026?
Based on 3829 real job listings from companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Cursor, the average AI engineer salary in 2026 is $234k. The median is $220k, with the middle 50% earning between $180k and $270k.
Which AI specializations pay the most?
The highest-paying AI specializations are: alignment (~$368k), pre-training (~$308k), rust (~$300k), research (~$294k), transformers (~$285k).
Do remote AI jobs pay less than onsite?
Hybrid roles average $282k. Remote AI roles average $222k. Onsite roles average $221k.
How much do senior AI engineers make?
AI engineer salaries by experience level: Principal: ~$345k (238 roles), Lead: ~$268k (1337 roles), Senior: ~$220k (1576 roles), Junior: ~$172k (190 roles), Mid-Level: ~$155k (488 roles). Based on real job listings with published compensation.
Which companies pay AI engineers the most?
Top-paying companies: Motion ($528k avg, 3 roles), METR ($485k avg, 4 roles), Runway ML ($437k avg, 1 roles), MatX ($425k avg, 29 roles), Inflection AI ($416k avg, 5 roles). Figures reflect base salary.
What are AI engineer salaries by city?
AI engineer salaries by city: San Francisco ($277k avg, 1139 roles), New York ($233k avg, 410 roles), Mountain View ($256k avg, 222 roles), Seattle ($204k avg, 82 roles), Boston ($199k avg, 156 roles). Based on active job listings with published compensation.
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Methodology
This report analyzes 3829 job listings with published salary data out of 9862 total active AI/ML positions on AI Dev Board. Salary data is extracted from structured fields and job descriptions. All figures represent base salary in USD. Data is refreshed daily from company career pages via Ashby, Greenhouse, Lever, and Workable APIs. Companies represented: 324.
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