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  1. Home/
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  5. Boston
Salaries

AI Research Roles · Boston, MA

AI Research Roles salary in Boston.

39 roles tracked. Median $172,020. 22% above national.

$76,860

Low

$172,020

Median

$423,340

High

Boston's job market is powered by world class universities, a thriving biotech corridor, and established finance and healthcare sectors. The Kendall Square area is one of the most concentrated biotech hubs globally. Tech salaries in Boston are competitive with West Coast markets, particularly for roles that intersect with life sciences, AI, and robotics.

Massachusetts has a flat 5% income tax on most earnings, plus a 4% surtax on income above $1 million. There is no city income tax in Boston, keeping the total burden moderate.

Emphasize specialized credentials or advanced degrees. Boston employers, especially in biotech and finance, place a premium on educational pedigree and certifications.

AI Research Roles ranked by pay in Boston.

RoleLowMedianHigh
AI Research Director$276,940$325,740$423,340Staff AI Research Scientist$236,680$276,940$337,940Principal AI Research Scientist$236,680$276,940$337,940Staff AI Safety Researcher$236,680$276,940$337,940Senior AI Research Scientist$190,320$220,820$257,420Senior AI Safety Researcher$190,320$220,820$257,420Senior Data Scientist (AI-Specialized)$157,380$190,320$231,800AI Research Scientist$118,340$172,020$228,140Applied AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Machine Learning Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140NLP Research Scientist$118,340$172,020$228,140Computer Vision Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Reinforcement Learning Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Multimodal AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Neurosymbolic AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140AI Alignment Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140AI Interpretability Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Cognitive AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Alignment Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140AI Robotics Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140AI Swarm Intelligence Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Interpretability Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140DeFi Protocol AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Synthetic Biology AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140Generative AI Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140AI Evaluation Researcher$118,340$172,020$228,140AI UX Researcher$128,100$168,360$222,040Federated Learning Engineer$120,780$162,260$212,280Swarm Intelligence Engineer$120,780$162,260$212,280AI World Model Engineer$120,780$162,260$212,280Multimodal AI Applications Engineer$120,780$162,260$212,280Neural Architecture Search Engineer$120,780$162,260$212,280Multimodal AI Engineer$95,160$137,860$197,640Reinforcement Learning Engineer$95,160$137,860$197,640AI Data Scientist$95,160$137,860$197,640Federated Learning Specialist$95,160$137,860$197,640AI Materials Scientist$92,720$126,880$169,580Junior AI Research Scientist$102,480$125,660$150,060AI Operations Research Engineer$76,860$111,020$157,380

Salaries adjusted for Boston cost of living (+22% vs. national). Click any role for the full role-city breakdown including equity, bonuses, and city-specific negotiation tips.

Common questions.

The median salary across 39 ai research roles tracked in Boston, MA is $172,020. The full range runs from $76,860 at the entry level for the lowest-paying tracked role up to $423,340 at the top of the highest-paying tracked role. Boston sits 22% above the national average for cost-adjusted compensation.

AI Research Director is the highest-paying ai research role in Boston, with a median base salary of $325,740 when adjusted for local cost of living. Total compensation including equity and bonuses runs significantly higher at top-tier employers.

Yes. Boston is one of the active markets for AI talent in 2026. Boston's job market is powered by world class universities, a thriving biotech corridor, and established finance and healthcare sectors. AI Research Roles specifically benefit from local employer demand and the broader AI hiring boom that has pushed compensation up year over year.

Boston pays roughly 22% more than the national average for ai research roles. Top markets like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle typically pay 30-50% above national. Mid-cost metros like Austin, Denver, and Raleigh pay closer to national.

AI Research Roles in other cities.

San JoseSan FranciscoHonoluluNew YorkWashington DCSeattleLos AngelesNewarkSan DiegoAnchorageMiamiPortland

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