Develop and deploy artificial intelligence systems and applications. Median salary in Winston-Salem: $164K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 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 Winston-Salem earn approximately 6% lower than the US national median for this role — a $11,000 discount on annual base salary. Winston-Salem's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 85 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for Winston-Salem's cost-of-living index (85), the median AI Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $192,941 in a US-average-cost city. That's $17,941 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
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 Winston-Salem median reaches $289,024 in five years.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $164K by 2030.
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The median AI Engineer salary in Winston-Salem, NC is $164,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Winston-Salem–NC 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 Winston-Salem with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $122,000 and $164,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $164,000 to $210,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $210,000 to $271,000 or more.
Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem than the national average. North Carolina has a 4.75% state income tax rate.
Master's or PhD in CS or AI. This role is 72% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Winston-Salem-based professionals.