AI Ethics Officer.
Portland.
$189,000
median salary, 11% above the national average
$139,000 to $250,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Portland is 10% more expensive than the national average. For AI Ethics Officers, that shakes out to a median of $189,000, with the full range spanning $139,000 to $250,000. Understanding of AI regulation, bias auditing, and responsible deployment frameworks drives salary. Know the range before you walk in. 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 Portland, 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 $86,600 for Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041) in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metropolitan area, based on 3,090 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$55,500
25th percentile
$66,380
Median
$86,600
75th percentile
$107,410
90th percentile
$132,700
Workers surveyed
3,090
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $189,000 is 118% 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 Portland 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 13-1041Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $170,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$123,000
to $151,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$161,000
to $198,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$208,000
to $246,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$236,000
to $293,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $78,000 to the total package.
Base
$189,000
Equity
$47,000
Bonus
$20,000
Signing
$11,000
Estimated total: $267,000
How Portland compares.
Portland, OR
$189,000
Cost of living: 10% above average
National Average
$170,000
Portland is $19,000 above
AI Ethics Officer salary by city.
Salary by role in Portland.
What you should know.
The AI Ethics Officer landscape in Portland is not what most salary sites will tell you. Portland's tech scene is anchored by Intel's semiconductor campus and a strong cluster of sportswear and creative companies including Nike and Adidas. The city attracts professionals who value work life balance and sustainability. Salaries are moderate compared to Seattle, but the lower cost of living makes Portland a solid value proposition. 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 Portland, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
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: oregon has no sales tax, but state income tax rates climb to 9.9%. Portland adds a local arts tax and metro supportive housing tax. Factor these into your net pay calculations. When someone quotes you $189,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight your willingness to work hybrid in Portland's tech campuses. Intel, Nike, and other major employers reward in person collaboration with higher compensation bands. The range for AI Ethics Officers in Portland runs from $139,000 to $250,000. 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
Considering a related role?
- A Dentist in Portland earns $190,000 (1% more)
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- See all ai legal & policy roles tracked in Orbyt Intelligence
Common questions.
AI Ethics Officer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Portland.
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Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"AI Ethics Officer Salary in Portland, OR." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/ai-ethics-officer/portland
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