AI Protein Structure Specialist.
Salt Lake City.
$218,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$170,000 to $283,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates AI Protein Structure Specialist pay in Salt Lake City at $218,000, within a range of $170,000 to $283,000. That is 1% below the national average. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. 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 Protein Structure Specialist in Salt Lake City, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. BLS does not publish this occupation for this metro area, so the national published benchmark is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $127,410 for Biochemists and Biophysicists (SOC 19-1021) across the United States, based on 33,830 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$74,290
25th percentile
$95,000
Median
$127,410
75th percentile
$163,460
90th percentile
$201,110
Workers surveyed
33,830
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$103,650
May 2025 release
$127,410
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.
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $218,000 is 71% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Biochemists and Biophysicists covers a different population than the AI Protein Structure Specialist 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 Biochemists and Biophysicists (SOC 19-1021) rather than AI Protein Structure Specialist specifically. 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 19-1021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $196,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$142,000
to $174,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$185,000
to $229,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$240,000
to $283,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$273,000
to $338,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $100,000 to the total package.
Base
$218,000
Equity
$61,000
Bonus
$26,000
Signing
$13,000
Estimated total: $318,000
How Salt Lake City compares.
Salt Lake City, UT
$218,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$220,000
Salt Lake City is $2,000 below
AI Protein Structure Specialist salary by city.
Salary by role in Salt Lake City.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for AI Protein Structure Specialist roles in Salt Lake City, here is what you are walking into. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. The region has attracted significant venture investment and tech relocations. Utah's business friendly environment, young educated workforce, and outdoor lifestyle make it a rising destination for tech professionals seeking affordability without sacrificing career growth. Model complexity, data pipeline scale, and infrastructure cost optimization are the primary drivers. AI Protein Structure Specialists with experience across the full ML lifecycle, from research prototyping to production serving, earn more than those focused on a single phase. Domain expertise in high-stakes verticals like healthcare, finance, or autonomous systems adds measurable premiums.
Entry-level AI Protein Structure Specialists start near $172,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $220,000 to $286,000. Senior-level roles command $282,000 to $341,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $363,000 and above. In Salt Lake City, 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. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. And on the tax side: utah has a flat 4.65% state income tax. Salt Lake City imposes no additional city income tax. The moderate rate combined with affordable living costs results in strong net compensation. When someone quotes you $218,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent. The range for AI Protein Structure Specialists in Salt Lake City runs from $170,000 to $283,000. 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.
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Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"AI Protein Structure Specialist Salary in Salt Lake City, UT." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/ai-protein-structure-specialist/salt-lake-city
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