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The AI talent market in the U.S. is sending a very clear signal: demand remains high, compensation is still among the leaders, but there are significant differences from state to state and city to city. For Vietnamese marketers, this is not just a story of “high or low salaries,” but an important indicator of where technology resources are concentrated, the race to attract talent, and the collaboration models with AI teams inside businesses.
Based on aggregated data from Simplilearn, Talent and ZipRecruiter, the current picture shows a profession that is growing strongly and has very large income disparities. That has direct implications for companies hiring, building employer brands, or implementing projects related to AI, data and automation.
AI remains a highly attractive talent market
Simplilearn cites positive growth signals for the AI industry worldwide. According to Grand View Research, the global AI market was valued at 62.35 billion USD in 2020 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40.2% through 2028. Statista also forecasts that the AI software segment, including robotic process automation, machine learning and natural language processing, could reach 126 billion USD by 2025.
What stands out here is not only the market size, but the pace of expansion, which is fast enough to drive continuous hiring demand. Simplilearn also says the U.S. states with the most AI job postings are California, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, New York, Florida and Illinois. For businesses, this is a sign of where the hiring ecosystem is concentrated and where talent competition is fiercest.
In other words, high AI salaries are not a random phenomenon. They reflect the convergence of hiring demand, the density of tech companies, cost of living and the scarcity of candidates with the right skills.
Which states pay the highest AI salaries in the U.S.?
Data from Talent shows that the gap between states is very significant. New York ranks first with an average salary of 218,600 USD/year, far ahead of the rest. The next group includes California at 156,000 USD, Virginia at 152,407 USD, Massachusetts at 150,000 USD and Texas at 150,000 USD.
The remaining states in the top 12 are Georgia at 140,000 USD, Colorado at 137,750 USD, Illinois at 130,000 USD, Maryland at 124,900 USD, North Carolina at 121,875 USD, Arizona at 119,594 USD and Hawaii at 115,000 USD.
These figures reflect a familiar reality in the tech market: states with strong business ecosystems, major financial centers or developed tech clusters tend to push salary levels higher. However, higher pay does not necessarily mean “cheaper” for workers, because living costs and taxes can offset much of the difference.
For recruiters or employer branding teams, state-level data helps identify talent-competitive regions. For candidates, it provides a basis for weighing not only nominal salary, but also actual savings potential after living expenses.
Which cities are offering the most attractive AI salaries?
At the city level, the differences are even more nuanced. ZipRecruiter shows San Jose, California leading with an average salary of 153,420 USD/year, equivalent to 12,785 USD/month. Oakland, California follows closely at 151,675 USD/year.
Notably, two cities in Alaska, Tanaina and Wasilla, also recorded very high salaries, at 151,053 USD and 151,051 USD/year respectively. In addition, Hayward, California reached 148,498 USD/year; Jackson, Wyoming 148,339 USD/year; Norwalk, Connecticut 147,948 USD/year; Seattle, Washington 147,475 USD/year; and Vallejo, California 147,439 USD/year.
The takeaway is that AI salaries depend not only on the state but are also strongly influenced by each city, where business concentration, tech hubs, hiring demand and living standards differ. This explains why two cities in the same state can still create significant compensation gaps.
For B2B marketers, especially those working for tech companies or recruitment platforms, this is useful data for targeting the right message by region. For the same AI role, the way you tell the story around pay, benefits and growth opportunities may need to be adjusted for each local market.
What this means for the Vietnamese market
From a Vietnamese perspective, this data highlights two things. First, AI is one of the most highly valued skill groups globally, so Vietnamese companies that want to retain top talent must compete not only on salary but also on career paths, learning environments and sufficiently challenging projects. Second, the trend of geographic differentiation shows that businesses need to think in terms of a “talent market” rather than just an “average salary.”
For marketers, this is also a signal to better understand the profile of tech talent: they care about growth speed, the practical application of technology, opportunities to work with real data and the chance to improve their professional capabilities. If an employer brand can communicate these values, its ability to attract quality AI candidates will be higher than if it only emphasizes salary.
As AI is increasingly integrated into marketing, content, data analytics and operational automation, tracking salary shifts and hiring demand in the U.S. also helps Vietnamese businesses read international market trends early, thereby preparing better for talent strategy and internal training.
Reference sources: Simplilearn compiled from Grand View Research, Statista, CompTIA, Talent and ZipRecruiter.
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This article focuses on AI salaries in the U.S. with a perspective for the Vietnamese market.
Reference sources
- Simplilearn — Top U.S. AI Salaries by States and Cities
- Grand View Research — Artificial Intelligence Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report
- Statista — Worldwide artificial intelligence market revenues
- CompTIA — Tech Jobs Report
