AI Ethics Officer.
New York.
$215,000
median salary, 26% above the national average
$158,000 to $285,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An AI Ethics Officer in New York earns a median of $215,000 in 2026. That is 26% above the national average. The range runs from $158,000 to $285,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Understanding of AI regulation, bias auditing, and responsible deployment frameworks drives salary. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for AI Ethics Officer in New York, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $101,050 for Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, based on 23,380 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$58,990
25th percentile
$75,660
Median
$101,050
75th percentile
$128,790
90th percentile
$160,670
Workers surveyed
23,380
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $215,000 is 113% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Compliance Officers covers a different population than the AI Ethics Officer title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041) rather than AI Ethics Officer specifically. The New Yorkrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such. New York is reported by BLS within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area.
View the BLS source for SOC 13-1041Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $193,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$140,000
to $172,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$183,000
to $226,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$237,000
to $280,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$269,000
to $333,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $90,000 to the total package.
Base
$215,000
Equity
$54,000
Bonus
$23,000
Signing
$13,000
Estimated total: $305,000
How New York compares.
New York, NY
$215,000
Cost of living: 28% above average
National Average
$170,000
New York is $45,000 above
AI Ethics Officer salary by city.
Salary by role in New York.
What you should know.
Here is what the AI Ethics Officer market actually looks like in New York. New York City remains one of the world's largest and most diverse job markets, with unmatched density in finance, media, and technology. The city's tech sector has grown rapidly, rivaling the Bay Area for venture funding and startup activity. Remote work has reshaped demand slightly, but employers still pay premiums for in office presence in Manhattan. Understanding of AI regulation, bias auditing, and responsible deployment frameworks drives salary. Officers who can translate technical risks into business and legal language are rare and well compensated. Experience navigating EU AI Act compliance, algorithmic impact assessments, and cross functional stakeholder management commands premiums in regulated industries.
Junior ethics analysts start at $95,000 to $125,000. Mid level ethics leads with audit experience earn $145,000 to $185,000. Senior AI ethics officers reach $185,000 to $240,000. VP of responsible AI at major companies can exceed $300,000 in total compensation. In New York, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 28% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Bonuses of 15 to 25% are standard at large technology companies. Equity grants add 10 to 25% of total compensation. Signing bonuses of $15,000 to $40,000 are common. Benefits often include professional development budgets for policy conferences and legal training. And on the tax side: new York State income tax rates reach 10.9%, and New York City adds a local income tax up to 3.876%. Combined with federal taxes, your effective rate can be among the highest nationally. When someone quotes you $215,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work from the office in Manhattan. Many NYC employers pay 10 to 15% more for in person roles compared to remote positions. The range for AI Ethics Officers in New York runs from $158,000 to $285,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
AI Ethics Officer salary in other cities.
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