Route Optimization AI Specialist.
Salt Lake City.
$182,000
median salary, 4% below the national average
$142,000 to $237,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Route Optimization AI Specialist pay in Salt Lake City at $182,000, within a range of $142,000 to $237,000. That is 4% 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 Route Optimization AI 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 $88,940 for Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031) across the United States, based on 108,510 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$57,060
25th percentile
$68,360
Median
$88,940
75th percentile
$125,990
90th percentile
$159,910
Workers surveyed
108,510
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$91,290
May 2025 release
$88,940
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 $182,000 is 105% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Operations Research Analysts covers a different population than the Route Optimization AI 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 Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031) rather than Route Optimization AI 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 15-2031Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $164,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$118,000
to $146,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$155,000
to $191,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$200,000
to $237,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$228,000
to $282,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $51,000 to the total package.
Base
$182,000
Equity
$29,000
Bonus
$18,000
Signing
$4,000
Estimated total: $233,000
How Salt Lake City compares.
Salt Lake City, UT
$182,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$190,000
Salt Lake City is $8,000 below
Route Optimization AI Specialist salary by city.
Salary by role in Salt Lake City.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Route Optimization AI Specialist offer in Salt Lake City, understand the terrain. 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. Route Optimization AI Specialist compensation is driven by certification depth, tooling expertise, and the criticality of the function to revenue or compliance. Equity is a major component at roughly 35% of base — candidates should weight stock grants as heavily as salary when comparing offers. Within tech-sector Route Optimization AI Specialists specifically, employer tier (FAANG and frontier-AI labs vs mid-stage startups vs traditional enterprise) drives 67%+ variance across the compensation band.
Route Optimization AI Specialists progress from entry to senior in 4 to 6 years, with lead and manager levels requiring 8+ years plus either deeper technical specialization or broader organizational scope. 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. Total compensation for Route Optimization AI Specialists runs roughly $296K at median when factoring base + equity (35% of base annually) + bonus (15% of base). Equity is the single largest non-base component — candidates should model vesting schedules (typically 4-year with 1-year cliff) and compare grant values across offers carefully. At tech companies specifically, equity and sign-on are often the largest delta between offers — two roles with matching base can differ by $100K+ at total when equity is included. 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 $182,000, 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 Route Optimization AI Specialists in Salt Lake City runs from $142,000 to $237,000. 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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"Route Optimization AI Specialist Salary in Salt Lake City, UT." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/route-optimization-ai-specialist/salt-lake-city
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