AI Testing Engineer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$103,000
national median salary
$76,000 to $136,000. Last updated August 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $104,300 for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (SOC 15-1253) across the United States, based on 186,740 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$61,440
25th percentile
$80,310
Median
$104,300
75th percentile
$133,180
90th percentile
$167,010
Workers surveyed
186,740
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$102,610
May 2025 release
$104,300
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (SOC 15-1253) rather than AI Testing Engineerspecifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1253Highest Paying
$142,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$107,000
Boston, MA
Lowest Paying
$78,000
Charleston, WV
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated August 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 15-1253. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average AI Testing Engineer salary in the United States at $103,000 in 2026, within a range of $76,000 to $136,000. 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. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $142,000, while Boston offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Compensation reflects expertise in validating non-deterministic AI systems.
AI Testing Engineer salary by city.
Skills that increase AI Testing Engineer pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for AI Testing Engineers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $14,420 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$14,420 per year
≈ +$13,390 per year
≈ +$12,360 per year
≈ +$11,330 per year
≈ +$10,300 per year
≈ +$10,300 per year
≈ +$10,300 per year
≈ +$9,270 per year
What you should know.
Compensation reflects expertise in validating non-deterministic AI systems. Engineers who can design test suites for LLM applications, build adversarial test cases, and create automated evaluation pipelines for model quality earn premiums. Experience with statistical testing approaches for ML, property-based testing for AI systems, and regression testing for model updates is highly valued.
Junior AI testing engineers start at $85,000 to $105,000. Mid-level engineers designing AI evaluation frameworks reach $125,000 to $150,000. Senior engineers leading AI quality programs earn $155,000 to $190,000. Directors of AI quality assurance can reach $210,000 to $260,000 in total compensation.
Equity at AI testing and quality companies adds $15,000 to $50,000 annually. Bonuses of 10% to 15% are standard. Some companies offer certification stipends for quality engineering credentials. Conference travel and publication budgets support career development.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote AI Testing Engineers typically earn $96,000 (7% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about AI Testing Engineer pay.
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