Technology · Family
Data & AI
Turn data into decisions and build the ML systems behind AI products — the roles the AI buildout is growing, not shrinking.
Typical total compensation across this family (US)
$102,000–$530,000
6 roles · Data Analyst → Staff ML Engineer · levels D1–D4
Indicative, sourced ranges — not a guarantee.
Roles at a glance
| Role | Level | Median | Difficulty | Demand | AI-risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analyst | D1 | $102,000 | Med | Med | High |
| Data Scientist | D2 | $177,000 | High | High | Med |
| ML Engineer | D2 | $238,000 | High | High | Low |
| Senior Data Scientist | D3 | $280,000 | High | High | Low |
| Senior ML Engineer | D3 | $365,000 | High | High | Low |
| Staff ML Engineer | D4 | $530,000 | High | High | Low |
What each role pays
Data Analyst
$102,000
Data Scientist
$177,000
ML Engineer
$238,000
Senior Data Scientist
$280,000
Senior ML Engineer
$365,000
Staff ML Engineer
$530,000
Climb the ladder
Progression is driven by scope and level, not tenure.
Data Analyst→Data Scientist~2 yrs · specialisation
Data Scientist→Senior Data Scientist~3 yrs · impact-promotion
ML Engineer→Senior ML Engineer~3 yrs · impact-promotion
Senior ML Engineer→Staff ML Engineer~4 yrs · impact-promotion
Credentials that help
Credentials help entry and specialisation; scope drives seniority.
- CS / related bachelor's degree · $10k-$40k+/yr public in-state to private; highly variable
- Coding bootcamp (e.g. Hack Reactor, App Academy, Nucamp) · $13,584
- Applied ML/AI course (DeepLearning.AI, fast.ai, Coursera ML) · Free (fast.ai) to ~$49/mo Coursera specialisations
- Master's in Data Science / Statistics / CS · $20k-$60k+; online options (e.g. OMSCS) far cheaper (~$7k)
- Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer · $125
FAQ
What does a career in data & ai pay?
Typical total compensation across this family runs $102,000–$530,000 (US, indicative), from Data Analyst to Staff ML Engineer.
Which data & ai role is most in demand?
Data Scientist carries the strongest hiring demand in this family (high).
How do you move up in data & ai?
Progression is by scope and level, not tenure — e.g. Data Analyst → Data Scientist (~2 yrs typical).
Explore the roles
Figures are indicative, in USD, and never a guarantee of an outcome. Personas and guides are added as the family's content is authored.