Check my payAI Research Scientist salary by level
AI Research Science pay in 2026, from entry level to VP, in the highest-paying US markets.
Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026Median base salary, Senior AI Research Scientist, top-tier markets
From entry level to VP, medians run from $135k to $539k.
Individual contributor track
Median base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle.
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate AI Research ScientistIC1 Associate / Entry | $135k |
| AI Research ScientistIC2 Mid-level | $186k |
| Senior AI Research ScientistIC3 Senior | $245k |
| Staff AI Research ScientistIC4 Staff / Lead | $299k |
| Principal AI Research ScientistIC5 Senior Staff / Principal | $348k |
| Distinguished AI Research ScientistIC6 Distinguished | $405k |
Management track
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate Manager, AI Research ScienceM2 Associate Manager | $258k |
| Manager, AI Research ScienceM3 Manager | $299k |
| Senior Manager, AI Research ScienceM4 Senior Manager | $348k |
| Director, AI Research ScienceM5 Director | $412k |
| Senior Director, AI Research ScienceM6 Senior Director | $466k |
| VP, AI Research ScienceE1 Vice President | $539k |
The full range
Every market, the 10th to 90th percentiles, bonus, equity, and new hire grants, adjusted for your industry and company size.
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Where do these numbers come from?
They are modeled estimates built by compensation practitioners from publicly discussed pay and from how companies typically structure salary ranges by level and location. They are not survey results and not any company's actual ranges. Use them to get oriented before a pay conversation, not as an exact offer number.