Salary for Mid-level / Intermediate AI Researcher in United States during 2024

💰 The median Salary for Mid-level / Intermediate AI Researcher in United States during 2024 is USD 205,000

✏️ This salary info is based on 12 individual salaries reported during 2024

Submit your salary Download the data

Salary details

The average mid-level / intermediate AI Researcher salary lies between USD 160,000 and USD 248,500 in the United States. It represents the overall compensation/gross salary amount for the working year (before deductions like social security, taxes and other contributions), not including equity/stock options or similar benefits.

Job title
AI Researcher
Experience
Mid-level / Intermediate
Region
United States
Salary year
2024
Sample size
12
Top 10%
$ 285,000
Top 25%
$ 248,500
Median
$ 205,000
Bottom 25%
$ 160,000
Bottom 10%
$ 153,000

Region represents the primary country of residence of an employee during the year (or residence for tax purposes). All data shown are full-time equivalent (FTE) salaries. Part-time salary information has been extrapolated to its FTE value.

Last updated:

Top 20 Job Tags for Mid-level / Intermediate AI Researcher roles

The three most common job tag items assiciated with mid-level / intermediate AI Researcher job listings are Machine Learning, Research and Python. Below you find a list of the 20 most occuring job tags in 2024 and the number of open jobs that where associated with them during that period:

Machine Learning | 18 jobs Research | 17 jobs Python | 14 jobs Computer Science | 12 jobs Generative AI | 11 jobs Deep Learning | 10 jobs Engineering | 10 jobs LLMs | 10 jobs Computer Vision | 9 jobs NLP | 8 jobs PhD | 8 jobs PyTorch | 7 jobs Generative modeling | 7 jobs TensorFlow | 6 jobs Open Source | 5 jobs Security | 5 jobs Architecture | 5 jobs NeurIPS | 5 jobs ICML | 5 jobs ML models | 4 jobs

Top 20 Job Perks/Benefits for Mid-level / Intermediate AI Researcher roles

The three most common job benefits and perks assiciated with mid-level / intermediate AI Researcher job listings are Career development, Equity / stock options and Wellness. Below you find a list of the 20 most occuring job perks or benefits in 2024 and the number of open jobs that where offering them during that period:

Career development | 14 jobs Equity / stock options | 8 jobs Wellness | 8 jobs Startup environment | 8 jobs Parental leave | 7 jobs Conferences | 7 jobs Competitive pay | 6 jobs Flex hours | 5 jobs Health care | 4 jobs Transparency | 3 jobs Team events | 3 jobs Salary bonus | 3 jobs Home office stipend | 3 jobs Cell phone stipend | 3 jobs Insurance | 2 jobs Flex vacation | 1 jobs Medical leave | 1 jobs

Salary Composition

In the United States, the salary composition for a mid-level AI researcher can vary significantly based on factors such as region, industry, and company size. Typically, the salary package includes a fixed base salary, which forms the bulk of the compensation. This base salary can range from 70% to 85% of the total compensation package. Bonuses, which are often performance-based, can account for 10% to 20% of the total salary. These bonuses may be tied to individual performance, team achievements, or company-wide success metrics. Additionally, stock options or equity, particularly in tech companies or startups, can form a significant part of the remuneration, sometimes making up 5% to 15% of the total package. Benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and other perks also contribute to the overall compensation but are not typically included in the salary index figures.

Next Steps for Salary Increase

To increase your salary further from a mid-level AI researcher position, consider the following strategies:

  • Specialization: Develop expertise in a niche area of AI/ML that is in high demand, such as natural language processing, computer vision, or reinforcement learning. Specialization can make you more valuable to employers.

  • Leadership Roles: Transition into roles that involve leading projects or teams. Management positions often come with higher salaries and additional bonuses.

  • Networking and Visibility: Attend conferences, publish research papers, and contribute to open-source projects. Building a strong professional network and gaining visibility in the AI community can lead to higher-paying opportunities.

  • Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest advancements in AI/ML. Pursuing advanced certifications or further education, such as a Ph.D., can also enhance your qualifications and salary prospects.

Educational Requirements

Most mid-level AI researcher positions require at least a master's degree in a relevant field such as computer science, data science, mathematics, or engineering. A strong foundation in statistics, machine learning, and programming is essential. Some positions may prefer candidates with a Ph.D., especially for roles that involve cutting-edge research or complex problem-solving.

Helpful Certifications

While not always mandatory, certain certifications can enhance your profile and demonstrate your expertise to potential employers. Some valuable certifications include:

  • Certified Machine Learning Professional (CMLP)
  • TensorFlow Developer Certificate
  • AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate

These certifications can validate your skills in specific tools and platforms commonly used in the industry.

Required Experience

Typically, a mid-level AI researcher is expected to have 3 to 5 years of relevant experience. This experience should include hands-on work with machine learning models, data analysis, and software development. Experience in deploying AI solutions in real-world applications and collaborating with cross-functional teams is also highly valued.

Related salaries

AI Researcher @ $ 160,000 (global) Details
AI Researcher @ $ 158,500 (global) - Senior-level / Expert Details
AI Researcher @ $ 205,000 (global) - Mid-level / Intermediate Details
AI Researcher @ $ 167,500 (United States) Details
AI Researcher @ $ 158,500 (United States) - Senior-level / Expert Details

Want to contribute?

📝 Submit your salary info

Enter your own salary data for the current or past work year. It's quite simple and doesn't take more than a minute to fill out.

Go to salary survey

📢 Share our salary survey

Share our "in-less-than-a-minute survey" with others working in the field of AI, ML, Data Science. The more data we have the better for everyone.

💾 Download the data

All collected information will be updated into a public dataset regularly and provided as a download free for anyone to use.

Go to download page

🚀 Search for jobs & talent

If you're thinking about a career change or want to hire fresh talent quickly check out the jobs page.

Go to frontpage

About this project

We collect salary information anonymously from professionals and employers all over the world and make it publicly available for anyone to use, share and play around with.

Our goal is to have open salary data for everyone. So newbies, experienced pros, hiring managers, recruiters and also startup founders or people wanting to switch careers can make better decisions.