Indicative salaries for machine learning engineers, AI and LLM engineers, AI agent developers, data scientists, MLOps engineers, AI researchers, AI product managers, AI governance specialists and AI trainers, in London and the rest of the UK.
How much do AI jobs pay in the UK? As an indicative guide, mid-level AI engineering roles in the UK commonly advertise base salaries between about £55,000 and £100,000, and London roles typically pay more than the same role elsewhere. Senior, staff and research roles at well-funded labs and big tech can pay far more, often with equity or bonus. Non-technical AI roles such as AI trainer or GEO specialist usually start lower.
| AI role | UK (outside London) | London | Read the role guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine learning engineer | £50,000 to £90,000 | £65,000 to £115,000 | ML engineer jobs |
| LLM / generative AI engineer | £55,000 to £95,000 | £70,000 to £125,000 | LLM engineer jobs |
| AI agent developer | £55,000 to £95,000 | £70,000 to £125,000 | AI agent jobs |
| AI solutions architect | £70,000 to £110,000 | £85,000 to £135,000 | Solutions architect jobs |
| AI research engineer / scientist | £60,000 to £100,000 | £75,000 to £140,000+ | AI research jobs |
| MLOps / ML platform engineer | £55,000 to £90,000 | £65,000 to £110,000 | MLOps jobs |
| Data scientist | £40,000 to £75,000 | £50,000 to £90,000 | Data scientist jobs |
| AI product manager | £60,000 to £95,000 | £75,000 to £120,000 | AI product jobs |
| AI governance / responsible AI | £50,000 to £85,000 | £60,000 to £105,000 | AI governance jobs |
| AI consultant / transformation lead | £50,000 to £90,000 | £60,000 to £110,000 | AI consultant jobs |
| Prompt engineer / AI content specialist | £35,000 to £65,000 | £45,000 to £80,000 | Prompt engineer jobs |
| AI trainer / enablement lead | £35,000 to £65,000 | £45,000 to £80,000 | AI trainer jobs |
| GEO / AI search specialist | £35,000 to £60,000 | £45,000 to £75,000 | GEO jobs |
The biggest single factor. Junior and graduate AI roles sit below the ranges above; senior, staff, principal and lead roles sit well above them. At senior level, total compensation including equity and bonus can matter more than base salary.
London AI salaries are typically higher, reflecting the concentration of AI labs, big tech and financial services. Cambridge and Oxford research roles often pay close to London rates. Remote roles for London employers may pay a national rate or a London rate depending on company policy, and good listings say which. See AI jobs in London.
Frontier AI labs, big tech and quantitative finance pay at the top of the market. Startups may pay less in cash but offer equity and broader responsibility. Public sector and charities usually pay less but offer stability, pensions and mission. See AI jobs by industry.
Engineers who can ship and evaluate LLM and agent systems, run models efficiently in production, or bring research depth are paid a premium. Build those skills with our Building Agents in Claude Code, Advanced Claude Code and Introduction to Claude Code modules.
AI skills combined with knowledge of law, finance, healthcare or regulation command more than either alone. Our industry guides cover how AI is used in law firms, accountancy, financial advice and healthcare.
Often, yes. Employers increasingly value staff who can use AI well in ordinary roles, and some advertise AI skills as a requirement. Learn how to show those skills in how to put AI skills on a CV and which skills matter in the AI skills employees need. For the wider UK picture, read our UK AI training statistics 2026 and the State of AI Adoption Report 2026.
There is no single average because AI roles vary widely. As an indicative guide, mid-level AI engineering roles commonly advertise base salaries of roughly £55,000 to £100,000, with London typically paying more and senior or research roles paying considerably more.
Typically, yes. London AI salaries are usually higher than the same role elsewhere in the UK, reflecting the concentration of AI labs, big tech and financial services. Cambridge and Oxford research roles often come close.
Senior research scientist, research engineer and staff-level machine learning or LLM engineering roles at frontier AI labs, big tech and quantitative finance are typically the best paid, often with significant equity or bonus.
As an indicative guide, mid-level data scientists in London commonly see advertised base salaries of around £50,000 to £90,000.
No. They are indicative ranges for mid-level roles based on publicly advertised UK roles in 2025 and 2026. Actual pay depends on seniority, sector, company stage and working pattern, so always check the individual listing.