Healthcare AI Researcher Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$210,000
estimated national base salary
$164,000 to $273,000. Last updated September 2026.
Orbyt prices 11 titles at this same figure, including Head of Partnerships, Principal Product Designer, and Director of Legal. Orbyt does not hold title-level wage data that would separate them.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $103,410 for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1042) across the United States, based on 172,340 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$64,800
25th percentile
$79,840
Median
$103,410
75th percentile
$139,380
90th percentile
$177,780
Workers surveyed
172,340
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$100,590
May 2025 release
$103,410
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 $210,000 is 103% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists covers a different population than the Healthcare AI Researcher 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 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1042) rather than Healthcare AI Researcher 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 19-1042Highest Paying
$290,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$219,000
San Diego, CA
Lowest Paying
$165,000
Wichita, KS
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 September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 19-1042. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Healthcare AI Researcher salary in the United States at $210,000 in 2026, within a range of $164,000 to $273,000. 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. This figure is not specific to this title: Orbyt prices 11 titles at the same estimate. San Jose is the highest of the 81 cities at $290,000, while San Diego offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built.
Healthcare AI Researcher salary by city.
Skills that increase Healthcare AI Researcher pay.
The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for Healthcare AI Researchers, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $29,400 a year.
≈ +$29,400 per year
≈ +$27,300 per year
≈ +$25,200 per year
≈ +$23,100 per year
≈ +$21,000 per year
≈ +$21,000 per year
≈ +$21,000 per year
≈ +$18,900 per year
What you should know.
Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built. Healthcare AI Researchers who have shipped models serving millions of users command the highest premiums. Employer type matters significantly: AI labs and foundation model companies pay 20% to 40% more than enterprises adopting AI for internal use.
Entry-level Healthcare AI Researchers start near $164,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $210,000 to $273,000. Senior-level roles command $269,000 to $326,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $347,000 and above.
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.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Healthcare AI Researchers typically earn $195,000 (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 Healthcare AI Researcher pay.
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