AI jobs pay well above the typical U.S. wage. Computer and information research scientists earned a median $140,300 in May 2025, software developers earned $135,980 and data scientists earned $120,230, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS projects data scientist jobs to grow 34.6% from 2025 to 2035, about 10 times the rate for all occupations.
$140,300Research scientist median, May 2025
$135,980Software developer median
$120,230Data scientist median
+34.6%Data scientist job growth, 2025–35
AI salaries by occupation
BLS does not track AI engineers or machine learning engineers as separate occupations. AI work is counted in related occupations such as software developers, data scientists and computer and information research scientists. The table shows pay for those occupations, sorted by median.
| Occupation | Lowest 10% | Median | Highest 10% | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | $107,550 | $175,140 | $297,510 | +15.8% |
| Computer and information research scientists | $82,200 | $140,300 | $230,630 | +21.8% |
| Database architects | $86,240 | $139,500 | $204,000 | +9.4% |
| Software developers | $82,460 | $135,980 | $214,670 | +10.2% |
| Data scientists | $67,240 | $120,230 | $199,130 | +34.6% |
| Statisticians | $64,000 | $105,650 | $174,050 | +11% |
| Computer science professors | $49,460 | $96,980 | $170,200 | +4.9% |
| Operations research analysts | $57,060 | $88,940 | $159,910 | +11.9% |
All occupations: $50,980 median wage and 3.5% projected growth.
Where AI jobs are growing fastest
Projected job growth, 2025–35:
AI salary by job title
- AI engineer: usually counted with software developers ($135,980 median) or research scientists ($140,300). See our AI engineer career guide.
- Machine learning engineer: pay tracks the same occupations. See our machine learning engineer guide.
- Data scientist: $120,230 median, with the top 10% above $199,130. See our data scientist career guide.
- AI research scientist: computer and information research scientists earned $140,300; the top 10% earned more than $230,630.
- AI team lead or director: computer and information systems managers earned $175,140, and BLS lists 5 years or more of related experience as typical.
Does a graduate degree raise AI pay?
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry education for computer and information research scientists, the highest-paid non-management occupation here, while software developers and data scientists typically need a bachelor's degree.
For bachelor's graduates, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports early-career pay for workers aged 22 to 27 and mid-career pay for ages 35 to 45, among full-time workers with only a bachelor's degree:
| Major | Early-career median | Mid-career median | Recent-grad unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $90,000 | $131,000 | 7.8% |
| Computer Science | $87,000 | $120,000 | 7% |
| Electrical Engineering | $82,000 | $123,000 | 3.2% |
| Information Systems & Management | $67,000 | $100,000 | 6% |
Computer science graduates earn a strong $87,000 early in their careers, but 7% of recent graduates were unemployed, compared with 3.2% for electrical engineering graduates. Compare degree options in our rankings of the best AI master's programs, best online AI bachelor's degrees and AI PhD programs.
Frequently asked questions
How much do AI engineers make?
BLS does not publish an AI engineer figure. The closest occupations are software developers ($135,980 median) and computer and information research scientists ($140,300).
What is the highest-paying AI job?
Among related occupations, managers earn the most: computer and information systems managers had a $175,140 median in May 2025. Research scientists lead non-management roles at $140,300.
How much do entry-level AI jobs pay?
BLS does not publish entry-level pay. The lowest-paid 10% of data scientists earned under $67,240, and the New York Fed puts early-career pay for computer science graduates at $87,000.
Do you need a master's degree for AI jobs?
Not always. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for software developers and data scientists, and a master's degree for research scientists.
Are AI jobs growing?
Yes. BLS projects 34.6% growth for data scientists and 21.8% for research scientists from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Sources
Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025. Job outlook figures are BLS projections for 2025–35.
- BLS: Computer and information systems managers
- BLS: Computer and information research scientists
- BLS: Software developers
- BLS: Database architects
- BLS: Data scientists
- BLS: Statisticians
- BLS: Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- BLS: Operations research analysts
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York: labor market for recent college graduates
- BLS Employment Projections 2025–35