AI Careers & Salaries for an Artificial Intelligence Degree

What Does a Machine Learning Engineer Do?

Machine learning (ML) is a branch of artificial intelligence. AI initiatives make it possible for a machine to mimic human behavior based on what it has been taught, whereas ML models help machines teach themselves. ML engineers develop and refine algorithms that allow machines to learn from data, self-improve, make predictions, and make decisions without explicit programming. They work on projects such as recommendation systems, predictive analytics, and fraud detection. 

How Much Does a Machine Learning Engineer Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups roles like machine learning engineer under the title of computer and information research scientists with a $140,910 median salary (as of May 2024) and 20% growth through 2034.

What Does an AI Engineer Do?

AI engineering is a broader role in which engineers help integrate AI solutions into products or workflows. Their focus is on applying AI in the real world, and they concentrate on the end result rather than developing and training models. AI engineers work on end-to-end system implementation of existing AI technologies, while machine learning engineers focus on building and training models and technologies from scratch. For example, an AI engineer might adapt a pre-trained chatbot using company data and add guardrails to make the bot safe and useful for employees. 

How Much Does an AI Engineer Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups roles like AI engineer under the title of computer and information research scientists with a $140,910 median salary (as of May 2024) and 20% growth through 2034.

What Does a Data Scientist Do?

Data scientists analyze and interpret complex datasets to uncover insights that inform business decisions. They use machine learning models to predict trends, optimize operations, and drive innovation. Data scientists help answer business questions and find technical solutions. A lot of their work aims to identify patterns in data sets and build statistical models to inform decision making. 

How Much Does a Data Scientist Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists data scientists at a $112,900 median salary (as of May 2024) with 34% projected growth between 2024 and 2034. A likely national base-pay range using the 10th–90th percentiles is $63,650–$194,410.

What Does a UX Designer/Developer Do?

UX designers leverage AI to create an intuitive and personalized look and feel on websites, apps, and digital tools; UX developers have a similar role and work closely with designers and software engineers to build digital experiences using code and to create AI-enhanced user experiences. Both roles use AI tools to analyze user behavior and optimize interface designs for efficiency and ease of use. UX designers and developers blend creativity with technical skills.

How Much Does a UX Designer/Developer Make?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for web and digital interface designers was $98,090 in May 2024. The median annual wage for web developers was $90,930 in May 2024.

What Does a Robotics Engineer Do?

Robotics specialists build autonomous or semi-autonomous systems that sense, process, and respond to their environments. This work combines mechanical design, sensor integration, and AI. These engineers might work on warehouse automation, surgical robots, drones, or self-driving vehicles.

How Much Does a Robotics Engineer Make?

On average, robotics engineers earn $122,930 annually.

What Does a Natural Language Processing Engineer Do?

A natural language processing (NLP) engineer enables AI to recognize and understand human language. For example, they might assist in creating models that help AI understand spoken commands (such as those used by Siri or Alexa), read online documents, or generate subtitles for videos and movies. The rise of generative AI has made this one of the fastest-growing specializations, as NLP specialists develop large language models such as chatbots. Typical tasks include training language models, improving chatbot responses, building question-answering systems, and creating summarization tools.

How Much Does a Natural Language Processing Engineer Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups roles like natural language processing engineer under the title of computer and information research scientists with a $140,910 median salary (as of May 2024) and 20% growth through 2034.

What Does a Computer Vision Engineer Do?

Computer vision engineers develop systems that analyze and interpret visual data from the real world. They work on applications such as facial recognition, augmented reality, medical imaging, retail analytics, and autonomous vehicles.

How Much Does a Computer Vision Engineer Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups roles like computer vision engineer under the title of computer and information research scientists with a $140,910 median salary (as of May 2024) and 20% growth through 2034.

What Does a AI Product Manager Do?

AI product managers connect technical teams, designers, and business stakeholders, ensuring the successful development and deployment of AI-enabled products. They oversee the product life cycle, from ideation to implementation. This role requires excellent communication skills, strategic thinking, and a strong understanding of how AI technologies work and what trade-offs exist (for example, accuracy versus speed). 

How Much Does an AI Product Manager Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows computer and information systems managers at a $171,200 median salary (May 2024) with a 15% projected growth between 2023 and 2034. That suggests a national 10th–90th percentile base-pay range around $104,400–$239,200.

What Does an AI Ethics Specialist Do?

AI ethics specialists ensure that AI systems are developed in a transparent, unbiased, and fair manner. They develop guidelines and ethical frameworks and assess products’ ethical risks and moral implications. These specialists often work as independent consultants or as part of consulting firms.

How Much Does an AI Ethics Specialist Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t track this role currently because it is relatively new; however, the median annual wage for the Computer and Information Technology Occupation sector was $105,990 in May 2024.

What Does an AI Research Scientist Do?

AI research scientists develop new algorithms, improve existing methods, or explore theoretical questions about intelligence and learning. They work in academic labs, corporate research and design teams, or government research institutes. This role focuses on experimentation, publication, and collaboration with other researchers. AI research scientists might study reinforcement learning, generative models, explainability, or AI safety, often working on problems that don’t yet have commercial applications. Many positions prefer a PhD, but some applied research roles accept a master’s degree.

How Much Does an AI Research Scientist Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists research scientists at a $140,910 median salary, with “much faster than average” growth.

AI majors go on to write code, train and monitor AI models, develop applications for AI processes, analyze data, oversee the rollout of new AI tools, and consider ethical implications of AI features. Specializing in AI allows you to span a variety of roles across industries, including technology, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, retail, government, transportation, education, agriculture, energy, and entertainment. At their core, people who work in AI train computers to behave in human ways and pioneer new business, technology, and social impact processes that rely on advanced algorithms to function and improve.

Start by learning AI programming languages, such as Python, and building foundational skills in mathematics and statistics. Pursue a bachelor's degree in AI, computer science, or data science. Build a portfolio through personal projects, then apply for internships. 

You need proficiency in programming languages, understanding of machine learning algorithms, and experience with deep learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. Essential knowledge includes Structured Query Language (SQL) for managing databases, cloud platforms, and mathematics (linear algebra, calculus, and statistics). Analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration are also critical aspects of a career in AI.