Introduction

If you’re on an AI job-hunting journey, good for you - it means you have realized the growing importance of AI jobs. 

And rightfully so. According to Statista, in 2023 the global AI market was close to $208 billion. Not so far in the future, by 2030, the market size is expected to reach a staggering $2 trillion. Labor market watchers believe that this year many employers will likely hire people with skills in AI - machine-learning specialists who train models, as well as professionals in wider areas that touch the technology.

Entering any industry might seem like a challenge at first, but all becomes possible when you have passion and eagerness to learn. While entry salaries may not be enough for a house down payment, numbers can go up to over 300,000 per year! 😱 

Join us as we go through the highest-paying AI jobs and feel free to update and expand your shopping wish list.

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The reason behind the rise of AI jobs

By now we all know it - AI is finding its way into most industries out there. Some of them are less likely to implement the technology and this can reassure workers that AI won’t take over people’s jobs - restaurants and food services, social services, manufacturing, logistics and manual labor jobs such as housekeeping, construction, etc. wouldn’t to succumb to AI the way technology and insurance do). 

Turns out bigger companies are doing more in order to adopt AI in comparison to small businesses. Here’s a visual representation of the data gathered by McKinsey and Company. 

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McKinsey and Company’s research also shows that companies are investing in reskilling employees due to AI use - a much needed practice since organizations are increasing the use of AI in multiple functions. With these rates, the demand for AI specialists is only going to increase. And while the pressure to implement AI is also growing, businesses are facing a severe shortage of skilled workers in the realm of AI. A new research from Bain & Company shows a 21% increase in AI-related job postings, together with an 11% increase in compensation. 

If you have the skills needed to succeed in an AI job, you’re in for a real treat. 

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The highest-paying AI jobs in 2025

Let’s see which are the highest paying AI roles and what are the medium yearly salaries. All the salary data is from Glassdoor for the US.

Data Scientist - up to $105,000 a year

This is someone who analyzes and interprets large amounts of data in order to help companies make informed, data driven decisions. 

Machine Learning Engineer - up to $152,000 a year

This is someone who designs, builds and deploys machine learning systems to allow computers to learn from data and make predictions or decisions based on this data and without being strictly programmed to do so. 

AI Consultant - up to $254,000 a year

This is the person who advises businesses on how to implement and use AI technologies within the organization in order to improve processes, solve problems and scale faster.

AI Engineer - up to $268,000 a year

This is someone who develops and implements AI systems and algorithms to enable machines to perform tasks that are usually done by people - things such as problem solving, decision making and natural language processing.

Computer Vision Engineer - up to $275,000 a year

This is someone who develops algorithms that enable computers to interpret and understand visual information (images and videos for object detection, recognition, etc.)

AI Product Manager - up to $276,000 a year

This is someone who is tasked with overseeing the development and strategy of AI-based products. This person works closely with different departments, such as engineering, design and business development to make sure that the final product meets customers’ needs. 

Business Development Manager - up to $326,000 a year

This is someone who is responsible for identifying new business opportunities for AI products and services.

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I don’t know about you, but my head is definitely dizzy after seeing these numbers.

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What skills you need to succeed in AI jobs - get nPloy’s checklist

Money will only come when you actually know what you’re doing. Let’s see which are the technical and soft skills you need to advance in your career.

Technical skills for success in AI jobs

• Programming languages
  You’d better sharpen your Python, R and Java knowledge.
• Machine learning and deep learning
  Machine learning is all about the creation of algorithms that empower computers to learn from data and make predictions and deep learning focuses on deep neural networks.
• Data processing
  The AI industry requires processing large amounts of data in order to clean, organize and prepare information before training AI models with it.
• Analytical skills
  Analytical and mathematical skills are the backbone of AI. Statistics, probability and algebra are a must.
• Critical and logical thinking
  To be fair, these skills are useful in any industry, but will come especially handy in AI.

Soft skills for success in AI jobs

• Communication skills
  You will not only be communicating with people, but machines also. 
• Team collaboration
  A job in AI is all about collaborating with different specialists and departments in order to create something truly outstanding. It’s a hard task that requires a lot of people and personal attitude has no place in the industry.
• Lifelong learning mindset
  In such a fast paced tech world, being eager to learn more and expand your skills is key. You should keep up with industry trends, think forward and make sure you’re always on top of your game.

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In conclusion

Securing a high paying AI job is possible when you have the right technical skills and a future-oriented mindset. After all, you’ll be working on the technologies of tomorrow, ultimately making life easier for people all around the world. 

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