One of the most in-demand technologies in the modern market is artificial intelligence, and the developers who make it are seeing a boost in job offers. As the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) engineers continues to rise, so do their salaries. The field is growing, and the talent market is in demand. But what exactly are you looking at as an AI engineer? The average Artificial Intelligence Engineer salary is a little over $170,000 per year.
Many different companies will offer an engineer different levels of salary. The salary you’re looking at will vary based on the state you’re working in and the specialty you’re focusing on. If you’re looking to hop into the AI engineer market, now is the best time to do so. Companies are demanding more AI tech, and the growth of the market has never been so steep. We’ve compiled a few tips to help you make a name for yourself in this market and to find your footing.
Nailing your first job shouldn’t be too tricky if you’ve got the skills necessary for the task required. It also helps you are using all the best popular sites for your search. By knowing what you’re looking for in terms of salary expectations, responsibilities of the job, and what specialization to focus on, you’ll have a leg up on the competition.
The Average Artificial Intelligence Engineer Salary Varies by State
When it comes to selecting a job as an AI engineer, one of the most critical factors will be the state you’re working in. Different states have a different demand for tech giants. Therefore it makes sense that engineers in California, around the Silicon Valley region, see higher paychecks than places in Wyoming where the tech industry has relatively no footing.
Typically, Artificial Intelligence Engineer salary engineers are looking at a 25th percentile salary of around $125,000, with the highest earners reaching upwards of $200,000 per year. The average salary for an engineer in the San Francisco Bay area is about $180,000 per year. San Francisco is the highest paying city in the United States for AI engineers. Bellevue, Washington is a close second with an above-average $173,000, and San Francisco (outside of the Bay area) rounds out the top three at $172,000 per year. Each of these numbers comes from Indeed.com.
The Best State to Find Work as an AI Engineer with a high Salary
The best states to find work in as an AI engineer are California, Massachusetts, and Washington. Each of these states has quickly made a name for itself as the tech centers of the United States, with California being one of the largest tech areas in the world. If you’re looking for work more local to you and aren’t near any of these tech epicenters, then searching for the specific state you’ll be working in will give you a more accurate idea of how much you’ll be making.
Why are Artificial Intelligence Engineers in Demand?
Large corporations have begun to see the benefits of incorporating the latest technology into their business models. With new tech like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), companies stand to optimize their business and earn billions. The tech industry is worth billions, and it’s all because of the boom in interest from businesses across the world.
For a company to be competitive in the modern era, they need to keep up to date with the industry’s latest trends. As of late, those trends have been technology – artificial intelligence to be specific. With billion-dollar corporations interested in what the tech epicenters have to offer, much stands to be earned by the engineers.
Because of the interest present from these companies, there is a demand for labor – specialized skills to be exact. When the business world comes calling, the need for engineers to meet their quotas begins to grow. We are experiencing the largest demand for AI engineers ever, and the salaries they stand to earn is a direct reflection of that demand.
On top of that base demand, competing employers lead to higher salaries. There are bidding wars between corporations for the best engineers, and when two companies want one employee, the highest bidder will typically win out. With the excitement and fuss about artificial intelligence engineers, companies are already willing to pay a hefty salary to the workers. Once another company enters the bidding war, that price tag will skyrocket.
Different Specializations Lead to a Different AI Engineer Salary
Being an AI engineer allows you to choose a specialization to focus on. While it could pay to have a general knowledge of all AI-related fields, it pays much more to focus on an in-demand industry. The highest paying focus at the moment is a machine learning engineer. Machine learning work is a direct demand of many of the world’s largest corporations as artificial intelligence becomes their new tech target. Machine learning specifically is what they are in the market for.
Data scientists come in second in terms of pay, and computer vision engineers round out the top three. Specializing your focus can make you a much greater asset to these major corporations, and the pay you stand to earn will directly reflect that demand.
Best Job Sites for an Artificial Intelligence Engineer
Finding a job as an Artificial Intelligence engineer isn’t difficult if you know where to look. There are plenty of job sites that have direct connections to some of the world’s highest-paying companies. Your resume will be placed right on their desks. The following are our favorite sites for an AI engineer.
On These Three websites, You Will Find an Artificial Intelligence Engineer Job
Indeed is a fantastic place to start your search for an engineering job. They offer you links to active recruiting and will provide you the current industry stats about what to look for when applying.
Ziprecruiter is another great site that hosts hundreds of new job offers every day. You can specify what you’re looking for, and they’ll tailor the results towards your requirements.
LinkedIn is a great website for you to show who you are by yourself. Have the companies come to you and build a fantastic profile for yourself. Showcase what you want them to see and show up in their searches.