How much does Scale AI pay?
As of Oct 15, 2026, 118 of the 168 open jobs Scale AI has on Alion state a salary. The median is $257k a year, and the middle half pays $208k to $297k. The best-paid open role is Strategist, Qatar at $500k. Scale AI pays about 34% above the market for the same roles, levels and countries.
Scale AI pay against the market
+34% Scale AI pays about 34% above the market for the same roles, levels and countries.
Each of 139 postings is compared with the median stated pay for its role, level and country across all employers on Alion; the middle ratio, drawn toward the market when few postings back it, gives the figure.
Scale AI pay by level
| Level | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior | 35 | $257k | $208k – $292k |
| Staff+ | 23 | $315k | $249k – $343k |
| Lead | 18 | $259k | $226k – $284k |
| Middle | 17 | $225k | $185k – $249k |
| Junior | 6 | $162k | $162k – $189k |
| Head+ | 5 | $214k | $168k – $337k |
Scale AI pay by role
| Role | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solutions | 21 | $249k | $225k – $270k |
| AI/ML | 20 | $270k | $226k – $343k |
| Backend | 17 | $270k | $259k – $315k |
| Product | 11 | $249k | $208k – $257k |
| Sales | 9 | $240k | $168k – $240k |
| Leadership | 7 | $311k | $270k – $315k |
| Marketing | 5 | $205k | $198k – $226k |
| DevOps | 4 | $224k | $186k – $270k |
| Management | 4 | $160k | $144k – $168k |
| Security | 3 | $297k | $297k |
| Design | 3 | $292k | $290k – $292k |
| Finance | 3 | $152k | $130k – $152k |
Scale AI pay by city
| Location | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | 81 | $259k | $207k – $300k |
| New York | 72 | $270k | $225k – $311k |
| Washington | 38 | $267k | $227k – $297k |
| Seattle | 9 | $297k | $237k – $324k |
| Saint Louis | 9 | $290k | $259k – $311k |
| Honolulu | 5 | $293k | $279k – $294k |
| Omaha | 5 | $279k | $227k – $290k |
| Colorado Springs | 5 | $279k | $249k – $290k |
| Denver | 3 | $294k | $294k |
| Austin | 3 | $279k | $227k – $279k |
Scale AI pay by work format
| Work format | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| In office | 115 | $259k | $214k – $297k |
| Hybrid | 3 | $170k | $110k – $170k |
How pay at Scale AI is spread
118 of 169 vacancies state a salary (70%). The range below is built from those 118 stated figures only, never from an estimate.
Best-paid open roles at Scale AI
| Strategist, QatarSenior | $500k |
| VP, ResearchHead+ | $496k |
| Senior / Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist, AgentsStaff+ | $378k |
| Principal ArchitectLead | $373k |
| Senior Manager, Research ScientistSenior | $363k |
| Tech Lead Manager- MLRE, ML SystemsLead | $363k |
| Senior/Staff Machine Learning Research Engineer, General Agents, Enterprise GenAIStaff+ | $363k |
| Staff Software Engineer, Public SectorStaff+ | $362k |
| Senior Staff Frontier Agents EngineerStaff+ | $360k |
| Team Lead, ARC Software Engineering TeamLead | $359k |
Questions about pay at Scale AI
What is the average salary at Scale AI?
The median salary stated in Scale AI job postings is $257k a year, across 118 open jobs with pay; the middle half pays $208k to $297k.
How much does Scale AI pay for Solutions roles?
Solutions roles at Scale AI state a median of $249k a year (21 postings with pay, middle half $225k – $270k).
How much does Scale AI pay for AI/ML roles?
AI/ML roles at Scale AI state a median of $270k a year (20 postings with pay, middle half $226k – $343k).
How much does Scale AI pay for Backend roles?
Backend roles at Scale AI state a median of $270k a year (17 postings with pay, middle half $259k – $315k).
How much does Scale AI pay in San Francisco?
Jobs at Scale AI in San Francisco state a median of $259k a year (81 postings with pay).
What is the highest-paying open job at Scale AI?
Right now it is Strategist, Qatar at Scale AI, with a stated $500k a year.
Does Scale AI pay above the market?
Scale AI pays about 34% above the market for the same roles, levels and countries. Each of 139 postings is compared with the median stated pay for its role, level and country across all employers on Alion; the middle ratio, drawn toward the market when few postings back it, gives the figure.
Does Scale AI publish salaries in its job postings?
70% of the open jobs Scale AI has on Alion state a salary: 118 of 168.
How to cite this page
Only pay an employer wrote in its own job advert is used, converted to US dollars a year; estimates are never mixed in. The figures are rebuilt twice a day from the vacancies open now.
These figures are published under a free licence. You may reuse them, including commercially, as long as you credit Alion and link back to this page.
Scale AI salaries: median $257k across 118 job postings with pay. Alion, Oct 15, 2026, https://alion.io/company/scale-ai/salaries