AI/ML Specialist Leader Salary in the United States
How much does an AI/ML Specialist Leader make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an AI/ML Specialist Leader in the United States is $93,002 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.
However, an AI/ML Specialist Leader's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $108,947
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $84,829 to $101,348
Key Factors That Influence AI/ML Specialist Leader Salaries
An AI/ML Specialist Leader's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects AI/ML Specialist Leader Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an AI/ML Specialist Leader's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $58,833
Early Career (1-2 years): $68,848
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,263
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $113,895
Expert (over 8 years): $133,229
Levels
Salary
Talent Pe... Level AI/ML Specialist Leader
$58,833
Talent Pe... Level AI/ML Specialist Leader
$68,848
AI/ML Spe... Level AI/ML Specialist Leader
$91,263
Talent Pe... Level AI/ML Specialist Leader
$113,895
Organizat... Level AI/ML Specialist Leader
$133,229
$58,8330 yr
$68,848< 2 yrs
$91,2632-4 yrs
$113,8955-8 yrs
$133,229> 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?
How Do AI/ML Specialist Leader Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract AI/ML Specialist Leaders.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $102,972.
California: $102,581.
Massachusetts: $101,214.
District of Columbia$102,972
California$102,581
Massachusetts$101,214
Washington$100,842
New Jersey$100,805
Alaska$100,675
Connecticut$99,391
New York$98,870
Hawaii$97,206
Rhode Island$96,424
Maryland$95,894
Minnesota$95,169
Colorado$94,890
Illinois$94,797
Oregon$94,444
Delaware$94,183
New Hampshire$94,019
Virginia$93,653
Pennsylvania$92,583
Nevada$92,044
North Dakota$91,867
Michigan$91,588
Wisconsin$91,486
Vermont$91,281
Texas$90,714
Maine$90,677
Arizona$90,621
Ohio$90,556
Georgia$89,700
Indiana$89,273
Wyoming$89,189
Utah$89,059
Iowa$89,003
Kansas$88,557
Louisiana$88,426
North Carolina$88,380
Missouri$88,361
Florida$87,998
Montana$87,803
Nebraska$87,617
Kentucky$87,515
South Carolina$87,143
Tennessee$86,910
Idaho$86,817
New Mexico$86,138
Oklahoma$85,990
Alabama$85,441
South Dakota$84,520
Arkansas$84,018
West Virginia$83,748
Mississippi$82,939
Top Paying Cities for AI/ML Specialist Leaders
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $117,303
San Francisco: $116,019
Oakland: $113,574
San Jose, CA$117,303
San Francisco, CA$116,019
Oakland, CA$113,574
New York, NY$107,082
Paramus, NJ$105,780
Queens Village, NY$105,775
Passaic, NJ$105,687
Bergenfield, NJ$105,678
Stamford, CT$105,474
Huntington, NY$105,435
Newark, NJ$104,748
Bridgeport, CT$104,552
Vallejo, CA$104,367
New Brunswick, NJ$104,330
Petaluma, CA$104,274
Middlesex, NJ$104,097
Somerset, NJ$104,032
Santa Cruz, CA$103,911
Boston, MA$103,344
Monterey, CA$103,017
Seattle, WA$102,804
Santa Rosa, CA$102,786
Los Angeles, CA$102,758
Juneau, AK$102,516
Washington, DC$102,414
Orange, CA$102,083
Santa Ana, CA$101,837
Long Beach, CA$101,744
Anaheim, CA$101,726
Anchorage, AK$101,679
Santa Maria, CA$101,400
Everett, WA$101,381
Danbury, CT$101,054
Bremerton, WA$100,926
Tacoma, WA$100,591
New Suffolk, NY$100,589
Sacramento, CA$100,563
Santa Barbara, CA$100,461
Trenton, NJ$100,358
San Diego, CA$100,358
Brockton, MA$100,256
Fairbanks, AK$100,028
Lompoc, CA$99,791
Lowell, MA$99,716
Ventura, CA$99,698
Nashua, NH$99,680
Stockton, CA$99,670
Modesto, CA$98,991
Poughkeepsie, NY$98,787
Olympia, WA$98,610
Kennewick, WA$98,610
New Haven, CT$98,573
Lawrence, MA$98,238
Hartford, CT$98,145
Riverside, CA$98,126
New Bedford, MA$98,033
Richland, WA$98,033
Bakersfield, CA$97,903
San Bernardino, CA$97,866
New Britain, CT$97,857
Atlantic City, NJ$97,857
New London, CT$97,820
Norwich, CT$97,792
Portsmouth, NH$97,773
Boulder, CO$97,576
Portland, OR$97,447
Worcester, MA$97,438
Minneapolis, MN$97,150
Philadelphia, PA$97,020
Honolulu, HI$96,713
Saint Paul, MN$96,668
Vineland, NJ$96,648
Providence, RI$96,378
Chicago, IL$96,108
Bellingham, WA$95,997
Springfield, MA$95,922
Baltimore, MD$95,894
Chico, CA$95,662
Pittsfield, MA$95,411
Manchester, NH$95,234
Spokane, WA$94,825
Denver, CO$94,816
Albany, NY$94,378
Troy, NY$94,341
Nassau, NY$94,242
Schenectady, NY$94,146
Wilmington, DE$94,072
Burlington, VT$93,941
Salem, OR$93,904
Portland, ME$93,616
Yakima, WA$93,523
Rochester, MN$93,235
Reno, NV$93,188
Fresno, CA$93,188
Milwaukee, WI$93,104
Detroit, MI$93,011
Ann Arbor, MI$92,995
Allentown, PA$92,983
Colorado Springs, CO$92,825
Syracuse, NY$92,779
Carson City, NV$92,779
Houston, TX$92,649
Eugene, OR$92,602
Gary, IN$92,490
Springfield, OR$92,416
Bismarck, ND$92,397
Galveston, TX$92,332
Medford, OR$92,193
Fort Collins, CO$92,156
Concord, NH$92,109
Austin, TX$92,081
Mesa, AZ$91,886
Reading, PA$91,877
Phoenix, AZ$91,867
Dallas, TX$91,839
Saint Cloud, MN$91,750
Madison, WI$91,626
Utica, NY$91,374
Rochester, NY$91,226
Des Moines, IA$91,216
Raleigh, NC$91,207
Atlanta, GA$91,068
Battle Creek, MI$91,040
Salt Lake City, UT$91,012
Lancaster, PA$90,872
Harrisburg, PA$90,742
Kansas City, MO$90,649
Champaign, IL$90,630
Kansas City, KS$90,630
Fort Worth, TX$90,621
Columbus, OH$90,605
Boca Raton, FL$90,584
Pittsburgh, PA$90,547
Richmond, VA$90,510
Indianapolis, IN$90,491
Cleveland, OH$90,482
Las Vegas, NV$90,370
Cincinnati, OH$90,370
Petersburg, VA$90,231
Huntsville, AL$90,091
Lansing, MI$90,029
Lebanon, PA$90,017
Pueblo, CO$90,007
Appleton, WI$89,979
Buffalo, NY$89,942
Dayton, OH$89,914
Racine, WI$89,896
Charlotte, NC$89,886
Saint Louis, MO$89,859
York, PA$89,803
Elkhart, IN$89,803
Gastonia, NC$89,785
Billings, MT$89,763
Beaumont, TX$89,738
Lorain, OH$89,719
Benton Harbor, MI$89,700
Toledo, OH$89,682
Binghamton, NY$89,635
Rock Hill, SC$89,626
Rockford, IL$89,580
Springfield, IL$89,542
Elyria, OH$89,533
Fargo, ND$89,533
Flagstaff, AZ$89,468
Fort Lauderdale, FL$89,412
Duluth, MN$89,356
Miami, FL$89,356
Cheyenne, WY$89,291
Grand Forks, ND$89,291
Bangor, ME$89,087
Cedar Rapids, IA$88,984
Durham, NC$88,945
Louisville, KY$88,938
Grand Rapids, MI$88,919
Hialeah, FL$88,910
Casper, WY$88,780
Scranton, PA$88,668
New Orleans, LA$88,640
Virginia Beach, VA$88,631
Akron, OH$88,584
Peoria, IL$88,464
Sarasota, FL$88,445
Nashville, TN$88,380
Omaha, NE$88,380
Green Bay, WI$88,380
Baton Rouge, LA$88,333
Charleston, SC$88,315
Jamestown, NY$88,268
Davenport, IA$88,268
Tucson, AZ$88,222
Saint Petersburg, FL$88,166
Tampa, FL$88,147
Evansville, IN$88,091
Port Arthur, TX$88,091
Bradenton, FL$88,054
Santa Fe, NM$87,887
Orlando, FL$87,719
Clearwater, FL$87,692
Canton, OH$87,496
La Crosse, WI$87,496
Albuquerque, NM$87,440
Newport News, VA$87,431
High Point, NC$87,403
Ogden, UT$87,366
Corpus Christi, TX$87,292
Norfolk, VA$87,236
Laramie, WY$87,236
Rock Island, IL$87,180
Saginaw, MI$87,161
Jacksonville, FL$87,152
Salisbury, NC$87,134
Boise, ID$87,115
Moline, IL$87,068
Fort Myers, FL$87,041
Memphis, TN$87,022
Tulsa, OK$86,975
Waterloo, IA$86,920
Spartanburg, SC$86,827
Lincoln, NE$86,780
Fort Wayne, IN$86,762
Provo, UT$86,752
Cedar Falls, IA$86,641
San Antonio, TX$86,603
Greensboro, NC$86,566
South Bend, IN$86,557
Savannah, GA$86,455
Muskegon, MI$86,417
Birmingham, AL$86,408
Winston Salem, NC$86,363
Lake Charles, LA$86,138
Anderson, IN$86,120
Lexington, KY$86,092
Augusta, GA$86,064
Greenville, SC$86,064
Lima, OH$85,990
Wichita, KS$85,980
Tuscaloosa, AL$85,980
Columbia, SC$85,897
Springfield, OH$85,878
Asheville, NC$85,729
Bloomington, IN$85,664
Knoxville, TN$85,329
Shreveport, LA$85,320
Wilmington, NC$85,199
Roanoke, VA$85,199
Topeka, KS$85,032
Frankfort, KY$85,021
Oklahoma City, OK$84,957
Chillicothe, OH$84,920
Longview, TX$84,911
Melbourne, FL$84,902
Sioux Falls, SD$84,753
Mobile, AL$84,743
Terre Haute, IN$84,706
Altoona, PA$84,650
Amarillo, TX$84,585
Killeen, TX$84,557
Fayetteville, AR$84,483
Chattanooga, TN$84,455
Sioux City, IA$84,371
Idaho Falls, ID$84,353
Lynchburg, VA$84,278
Gainesville, FL$84,158
Portsmouth, OH$84,111
Little Rock, AR$84,092
Lafayette, LA$84,055
Youngstown, OH$84,055
Daytona Beach, FL$83,999
Clarksville, TN$83,990
Pensacola, FL$83,981
Temple, TX$83,974
Hopkinsville, KY$83,702
Erie, PA$83,683
Florence, SC$83,646
Charleston, WV$83,497
Great Falls, MT$83,451
Macon, GA$83,320
Tallahassee, FL$83,311
Fayetteville, NC$83,293
Waco, TX$83,274
Helena, MT$83,209
Pine Bluff, AR$83,174
Vincennes, IN$83,060
Lubbock, TX$83,023
Alamogordo, NM$82,967
Twin Falls, ID$82,883
Rapid City, SD$82,855
Jackson, MS$82,688
Huntington, WV$82,682
Greenville, MS$82,679
Parkersburg, WV$82,584
Montgomery, AL$82,567
Wichita Falls, TX$82,474
Springfield, MO$82,474
Biloxi, MS$82,428
Monroe, LA$82,335
Johnstown, PA$82,270
Sumter, SC$82,232
Columbus, GA$82,223
Pascagoula, MS$82,046
Abilene, TX$82,046
Kingsport, TN$81,805
Albany, GA$81,805
Gulfport, MS$81,777
Alexandria, LA$81,470
Fort Smith, AR$81,237
El Paso, TX$80,986
Las Cruces, NM$80,568
Harlingen, TX$80,331
Pocatello, ID$80,317
Florence, AL$80,196
Brownsville, TX$80,177
Mcallen, TX$79,982
Dothan, AL$79,852
Columbus, MS$79,299
Altus, OK$78,866
Lawton, OK$78,689
Pierre, SD$78,354
AI/ML Specialist Leader Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For AI/ML Specialist Leader roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and MFG Nondurable
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, AI/ML Specialist Leader positions in Software & Networking or Biotechnology typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view AI/ML Specialist Leader as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an AI/ML Specialist Leader
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$130,203
$63.0
40%
MFG Nondurable
$125,553
$60.0
35%
Aerospace & Defense
$120,903
$58.0
30%
Construction
$116,252
$56.0
25%
Business Services
$111,602
$54.0
20%
How Education impacts an AI/ML Specialist Leader's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many AI/ML Specialist Leaders enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for an AI/ML Specialist Leader with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$102,305
and $110,215).
Understanding how an AI/ML Specialist Leader's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$84,829
Average$93,002/year
$101,348
$7,069
Average$7,750/month
$8,446
$1,631
Average$1,789/week
$1,949
$41
Average$45/hour
$49
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$101,348
$8,446
$1,949
$49
Average
$93,002
$7,750
$1,789
$45
25th Percentile
$84,829
$7,069
$1,631
$41
Salary Trends for AI/ML Specialist Leader
Salaries for an AI/ML Specialist Leader can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $84,067 in 2023
to around $84,092 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of AI/ML Specialist Leader salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of AI/ML Specialist Leader Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$84,067
2024
$84,500
2025
$84,092
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$84,067
2024
$84,500
2025
$84,092
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for AI/ML Specialist Leader
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for AI/ML Specialist Leader
Here are companies hiring for AI/ML Specialist Leader and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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