Data refreshed: October 05, 2026
This guide reports what US employers are actually offering for data & AI roles — extracted weekly from employer-published salary ranges on live job postings across 12 major metros, not from self-reported surveys. Select a city, or start with the national summary.
US Summary: What Employers Are Posting
Across 12 major US metros, we are tracking 6,574 open data & AI postings in the 11 roles covered by our How to Interview guides; 913 include an employer-published salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 10 | 1 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 122 | 16 | $201,250 | $180,000 – $220,000 |
| Head of Data | 513 | 76 | $234,225 | $200,000 – $264,250 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 378 | 52 | $195,000 | $177,650 – $232,200 |
| Analytics Engineer | 260 | 47 | $162,084 | $140,891 – $185,000 |
| ML Engineer | 773 | 89 | $212,500 | $175,000 – $245,000 |
| AI Engineer | 569 | 68 | $172,062 | $147,000 – $200,000 |
| Data Architect | 410 | 34 | $183,500 | $156,625 – $205,000 |
| Data Engineer | 1403 | 247 | $155,000 | $140,000 – $173,000 |
| Data Scientist | 1170 | 159 | $165,000 | $140,000 – $190,000 |
| Data Analyst | 966 | 124 | $103,000 | $85,750 – $115,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (all tracked metros); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Where each role pays most
- VP of Data: highest median posted salary in Boston at $225,000 (4 postings with ranges)
- Head of Data: highest median posted salary in San Francisco Bay Area at $287,219 (13 postings with ranges)
- AI/ML Product Manager: highest median posted salary in San Francisco Bay Area at $225,510 (17 postings with ranges)
- Analytics Engineer: highest median posted salary in San Francisco Bay Area at $179,673 (15 postings with ranges)
- ML Engineer: highest median posted salary in Austin at $269,000 (4 postings with ranges)
- AI Engineer: highest median posted salary in New York at $225,000 (13 postings with ranges)
- Data Architect: highest median posted salary in Atlanta at $250,000 (5 postings with ranges)
- Data Engineer: highest median posted salary in Seattle at $214,800 (25 postings with ranges)
- Data Scientist: highest median posted salary in San Francisco Bay Area at $214,500 (19 postings with ranges)
- Data Analyst: highest median posted salary in San Francisco Bay Area at $144,000 (19 postings with ranges)
Data & AI Salaries in Atlanta
We are tracking 543 open data & AI postings in Atlanta; 46 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 10 | 2 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 45 | 6 | $198,500 | $184,500 – $212,500 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 26 | 2 | — | — |
| Analytics Engineer | 11 | 0 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 45 | 7 | $165,150 | $152,000 – $180,000 |
| AI Engineer | 56 | 5 | $115,000 | $100,000 – $130,000 |
| Data Architect | 40 | 5 | $250,000 | $225,000 – $275,000 |
| Data Engineer | 122 | 8 | $137,500 | $125,000 – $150,000 |
| Data Scientist | 109 | 9 | $135,000 | $125,000 – $158,322 |
| Data Analyst | 78 | 2 | — | — |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Atlanta); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Austin
We are tracking 462 open data & AI postings in Austin; 48 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 3 | 0 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 30 | 4 | $202,825 | $177,500 – $249,950 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 33 | 6 | $185,500 | $154,800 – $216,100 |
| Analytics Engineer | 15 | 0 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 50 | 4 | $269,000 | $242,000 – $296,000 |
| AI Engineer | 48 | 3 | $190,000 | $152,000 – $220,000 |
| Data Architect | 23 | 0 | — | — |
| Data Engineer | 122 | 17 | $165,000 | $150,000 – $175,000 |
| Data Scientist | 73 | 9 | $167,500 | $147,000 – $185,000 |
| Data Analyst | 64 | 5 | $115,000 | $90,000 – $130,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Austin); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Boston
We are tracking 556 open data & AI postings in Boston; 74 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VP of Data | 15 | 4 | $225,000 | $212,500 – $237,500 |
| Head of Data | 58 | 9 | $240,000 | $206,250 – $260,000 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 33 | 2 | — | — |
| Analytics Engineer | 20 | 3 | $125,000 | $110,000 – $140,000 |
| ML Engineer | 64 | 4 | $176,750 | $142,500 – $211,000 |
| AI Engineer | 53 | 6 | $180,500 | $142,500 – $211,000 |
| Data Architect | 24 | 7 | $175,000 | $140,000 – $185,000 |
| Data Engineer | 108 | 21 | $155,000 | $130,000 – $180,000 |
| Data Scientist | 105 | 7 | $140,000 | $120,000 – $162,000 |
| Data Analyst | 76 | 11 | $75,000 | $70,000 – $80,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Boston); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Chicago
We are tracking 572 open data & AI postings in Chicago; 82 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 16 | 1 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 57 | 7 | $205,000 | $175,000 – $268,500 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 31 | 2 | — | — |
| Analytics Engineer | 22 | 4 | $130,250 | $112,500 – $150,000 |
| ML Engineer | 42 | 3 | $200,000 | $150,000 – $250,000 |
| AI Engineer | 50 | 10 | $156,250 | $137,500 – $167,500 |
| Data Architect | 34 | 5 | $170,000 | $155,000 – $190,000 |
| Data Engineer | 123 | 27 | $145,000 | $130,000 – $160,000 |
| Data Scientist | 110 | 11 | $126,150 | $99,750 – $155,000 |
| Data Analyst | 86 | 12 | $94,053 | $81,450 – $105,451 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Chicago); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Dallas–Fort Worth
We are tracking 598 open data & AI postings in Dallas–Fort Worth; 64 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 12 | 1 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 54 | 5 | $232,500 | $179,000 – $275,000 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 33 | 3 | $188,088 | $150,000 – $229,600 |
| Analytics Engineer | 14 | 1 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 39 | 2 | — | — |
| AI Engineer | 74 | 8 | $143,250 | $103,000 – $164,000 |
| Data Architect | 55 | 3 | $185,000 | $160,000 – $210,000 |
| Data Engineer | 124 | 23 | $150,000 | $140,000 – $160,000 |
| Data Scientist | 101 | 8 | $143,250 | $116,500 – $160,000 |
| Data Analyst | 91 | 10 | $97,500 | $87,750 – $106,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Dallas–Fort Worth); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Denver
We are tracking 384 open data & AI postings in Denver; 45 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VP of Data | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 22 | 3 | $191,000 | $121,400 – $234,000 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 20 | 1 | — | — |
| Analytics Engineer | 9 | 1 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 44 | 4 | $130,250 | $111,000 – $149,500 |
| AI Engineer | 32 | 2 | — | — |
| Data Architect | 14 | 1 | — | — |
| Data Engineer | 89 | 14 | $135,000 | $110,400 – $147,500 |
| Data Scientist | 78 | 11 | $133,248 | $98,900 – $158,322 |
| Data Analyst | 72 | 8 | $81,300 | $63,500 – $101,150 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Denver); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Houston
We are tracking 344 open data & AI postings in Houston; 26 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VP of Data | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 15 | 1 | — | — |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 11 | 1 | — | — |
| Analytics Engineer | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 27 | 1 | — | — |
| AI Engineer | 48 | 6 | $135,000 | $120,000 – $159,000 |
| Data Architect | 26 | 0 | — | — |
| Data Engineer | 97 | 4 | $143,750 | $132,500 – $155,000 |
| Data Scientist | 68 | 7 | $135,000 | $120,000 – $150,000 |
| Data Analyst | 44 | 6 | $98,750 | $85,000 – $112,500 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Houston); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Los Angeles
We are tracking 536 open data & AI postings in Los Angeles; 94 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VP of Data | 12 | 3 | $190,000 | $180,000 – $202,000 |
| Head of Data | 46 | 12 | $217,619 | $190,000 – $237,500 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 21 | 2 | — | — |
| Analytics Engineer | 29 | 8 | $162,500 | $150,000 – $182,500 |
| ML Engineer | 59 | 9 | $197,500 | $180,000 – $215,000 |
| AI Engineer | 48 | 3 | $129,000 | $90,000 – $168,000 |
| Data Architect | 16 | 1 | — | — |
| Data Engineer | 126 | 27 | $161,450 | $140,000 – $180,000 |
| Data Scientist | 94 | 17 | $159,000 | $140,000 – $200,000 |
| Data Analyst | 85 | 12 | $77,500 | $71,000 – $85,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Los Angeles); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in New York
We are tracking 719 open data & AI postings in New York; 152 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 30 | 4 | $195,938 | $154,375 – $225,000 |
| Head of Data | 54 | 7 | $245,000 | $223,000 – $260,000 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 49 | 8 | $208,750 | $160,000 – $257,500 |
| Analytics Engineer | 59 | 12 | $170,000 | $150,000 – $190,000 |
| ML Engineer | 104 | 28 | $220,000 | $195,000 – $255,000 |
| AI Engineer | 56 | 13 | $225,000 | $200,000 – $250,000 |
| Data Architect | 58 | 7 | $185,875 | $156,500 – $215,000 |
| Data Engineer | 120 | 28 | $175,000 | $155,000 – $195,000 |
| Data Scientist | 97 | 24 | $205,300 | $170,000 – $246,600 |
| Data Analyst | 88 | 21 | $125,000 | $115,000 – $140,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (New York); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in San Francisco Bay Area
We are tracking 697 open data & AI postings in San Francisco Bay Area; 148 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 8 | 1 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 67 | 13 | $287,219 | $230,000 – $325,000 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 62 | 17 | $225,510 | $190,000 – $250,000 |
| Analytics Engineer | 50 | 15 | $179,673 | $157,200 – $200,226 |
| ML Engineer | 112 | 15 | $210,000 | $198,000 – $250,000 |
| AI Engineer | 37 | 10 | $225,000 | $189,000 – $250,000 |
| Data Architect | 34 | 1 | — | — |
| Data Engineer | 126 | 38 | $209,750 | $171,200 – $242,900 |
| Data Scientist | 115 | 19 | $214,500 | $190,800 – $262,800 |
| Data Analyst | 85 | 19 | $144,000 | $110,000 – $150,150 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (San Francisco Bay Area); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Seattle
We are tracking 517 open data & AI postings in Seattle; 76 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VP of Data | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 23 | 1 | — | — |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 35 | 4 | $200,294 | $164,288 – $236,300 |
| Analytics Engineer | 11 | 1 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 96 | 8 | $253,580 | $209,480 – $307,680 |
| AI Engineer | 23 | 1 | — | — |
| Data Architect | 18 | 0 | — | — |
| Data Engineer | 112 | 25 | $214,800 | $180,000 – $247,000 |
| Data Scientist | 113 | 29 | $210,500 | $180,000 – $247,000 |
| Data Analyst | 84 | 7 | $95,000 | $80,000 – $113,503 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Seattle); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Data & AI Salaries in Washington, DC
We are tracking 646 open data & AI postings in Washington, DC; 58 publish a salary range.
| Role | Postings | With salary | Median posted | Typical posted range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| VP of Data | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Head of Data | 42 | 8 | $220,000 | $183,000 – $237,430 |
| AI/ML Product Manager | 24 | 4 | $191,319 | $145,288 – $237,350 |
| Analytics Engineer | 14 | 2 | — | — |
| ML Engineer | 91 | 4 | $224,500 | $192,500 – $250,500 |
| AI Engineer | 44 | 1 | — | — |
| Data Architect | 68 | 4 | $173,750 | $152,500 – $182,500 |
| Data Engineer | 134 | 15 | $137,500 | $110,000 – $160,000 |
| Data Scientist | 107 | 8 | $146,250 | $118,950 – $157,500 |
| Data Analyst | 113 | 11 | $126,100 | $94,700 – $150,000 |
Medians and ranges computed on employer-published ranges only (Washington, DC); — shown where fewer than 3 postings published a range.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a data engineer make in the US in 2026?
The median employer-published salary for Data Engineer postings across 12 major US metros is $155,000, with typical posted ranges of $140,000–$173,000, based on 247 postings with published ranges in the Salient Insights Job Postings Index.
Which city pays data engineers the most?
Among metros we track, Seattle currently shows the highest median posted salary for Data Engineers at $214,800 (from 25 postings with published ranges).
How many data & AI jobs does this index track?
As of October 05, 2026, the Salient Insights Job Postings Index tracks 6,574 active postings for data & AI roles across 12 major US metros: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas–Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Washington, DC.
How is this salary data collected?
Salient Insights pulls public LinkedIn job postings weekly for the 11 roles covered in our How to Interview guides, across 12 major US metros. We extract employer-published annual salary ranges and report medians and typical ranges. No self-reported survey data is used, and statistics are only shown where at least 3 postings published a range.
Methodology
The Salient Insights Job Postings Index pulls public LinkedIn postings weekly for 11 data & AI roles across 12 major US metros (Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas–Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Washington, DC). Salary figures reflect employer-published annual ranges only; medians and typical ranges are computed on those published figures, and hourly-rate postings are excluded. Roles with fewer than 3 salary-bearing postings in a metro show no statistics. Postings unseen for 60 days age out of the index. This page regenerates automatically every week.
Hiring for one of these roles?
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