AI Research Scientist.
New York.
$175,000
median salary, 24% above the national average
$120,000 to $232,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating an AI Research Scientist offer in New York, NY, here is the reality: $120,000 to $232,000, with $175,000 as the midpoint. 24% above the national average. Publication record at top venues (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR), novelty of research contributions, and ability to translate research into product impact are the primary factors. Do not accept the first number. 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 Research Scientist 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 $170,890 for Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, based on 2,100 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$94,550
25th percentile
$129,990
Median
$170,890
75th percentile
$252,670
90th percentile
$314,130
Workers surveyed
2,100
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) rather than AI Research Scientist specifically. The New York range 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 15-1221Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $157,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$114,000
to $140,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$149,000
to $184,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$193,000
to $228,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$219,000
to $271,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $87,000 to the total package.
Base
$175,000
Equity
$53,000
Bonus
$23,000
Signing
$11,000
Estimated total: $262,000
AI Research Scientist salary by company.
Total compensation estimates include base, equity, bonus, and signing. Ranges reflect mid to senior level. Derived from public H-1B LCA filings (DOL).
How New York compares.
New York, NY
$175,000
Cost of living: 28% above average
National Average
$141,000
New York is $34,000 above
AI Research Scientist salary by city.
Salary by role in New York.
What you should know.
Here is what the AI Research Scientist 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. Publication record at top venues (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR), novelty of research contributions, and ability to translate research into product impact are the primary factors. Scientists with foundational contributions to active areas like alignment, scaling laws, or multimodal learning are exceptionally sought after. The scarcity of qualified researchers keeps competition for talent intense.
Research scientists (with PhD) start at $150,000 to $200,000, reaching senior scientist at $220,000 to $300,000 in three to five years. Staff research scientists earn $300,000 to $450,000. Distinguished scientists and research directors at leading labs can exceed $600,000 to $1,000,000+ 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. Equity at AI labs can represent 40 to 60% of total compensation, with grants of $100,000 to $300,000+ annually at top labs. Bonuses of 20 to 30% are common. Benefits include generous compute budgets, sabbatical programs, publication incentives, and funding for personal research agendas. 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 $175,000, 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 Research Scientists in New York runs from $120,000 to $232,000. 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 Machine Learning Engineer in New York earns $174,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in New York is CTO at $376,000
- See all ai research roles tracked in Orbyt Intelligence
Common questions.
AI Research Scientist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in New York.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"AI Research Scientist Salary in New York, NY." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/ai-research-scientist/new-york
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