Develop and deploy artificial intelligence systems and applications. Median salary in Odessa: $149K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Odessa, Texas. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
AI Engineers in Odessa earn approximately 15% lower than the US national median for this role — a $26,000 discount on annual base salary. Odessa's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 85 (US avg = 100).
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $13,857 per year at this salary level compared to a California AI Engineer on the same gross pay. A Odessa AI Engineer would need to earn $164,278 in California to net the same take-home.
This role's national salaries are growing at 12% year-over-year, well above the BLS all-occupations average of ~3.5%. If that pace holds, the Odessa median reaches $262,589 in five years.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $149K by 2030.
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The median AI Engineer salary in Odessa, TX is $149,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Odessa–TX metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level AI Engineers in Odessa with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $111,000 and $149,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $149,000 to $191,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $191,000 to $247,000 or more.
Odessa has a cost of living index of 85 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 15% further in Odessa than the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Odessa-based AI Engineers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Master's or PhD in CS or AI. This role is 72% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Odessa-based professionals.