How Much Do AI Engineers Make

AI is continuously dominating the global job market and impacting the world’s economic output. In fact, Accenture predicts that AI can double the annual economic growth rate by 2035. 

It makes sense. After all, businesses are now integrating AI-powered solutions into their operations to boost overall efficiency. So, it’s safe to conclude that AI-related jobs have a wide scope. But before you step into this industry, you should know how much do AI engineers make.

AI engineers in Ireland can make between €38,000 and €103,000 a year, with €60,500 on average. If it seems attractive to you, know that this is just the current range, and the pay scale WILL increase in the coming years. 

Generally, an AI engineer’s salary depends on various factors, including company, skills, location, experience, qualification, and job position.

At a higher position with a diverse skill set, you can make even more than your friend at the same position with fewer skills. This guide will dig deeper into how much an AI engineer makes in Ireland depending on different factors and whether you should choose it as your career. So, let’s dive in!

What Is an AI Engineer's Salary Range?

AI engineering is becoming a leading career worldwide, including in Ireland. The best part? It’s high-paying too! The national average salary for an AI engineer in Ireland is €60,500, which is considerably higher than the median annual earnings of €44,200 in the country. 

Based on Glassdoor’s statistics, here is a quick breakdown of how much an AI engineer makes in Ireland:

• The minimum wage of an AI engineer in Ireland is €38,000 a year. It’s the salary for most beginners in junior or entry-level positions. 

• The maximum wage of an AI engineer in Ireland is €103,000 a year. That’s how much an AI engineer in the highest position makes in the country. 

• The median salary of an AI engineer in Ireland is €70,500, meaning 50% of the employees earn less than €70,500, and the remaining 50% make more.

• The average AI engineer salary is 136.8% more (€60,500) than the average earnings (€44,200) in Ireland for all occupations. 

A Comprehensive Job Outlook for AI Engineers in Ireland

According to James O’Connor — the Site Lead at Microsoft Ireland and Vice President at Microsoft Global Operations Service Center — 75% of companies will use AI solutions by 2030. That’s all due to the efforts of the Government's Digital Ireland Framework. Additionally, the Zion Market Research study forecasted that the AI market will grow at a 39.4% CAGR to hit US $422 billion by 2028. 

Nowadays, almost every company needs an AI engineer. Whether it's product development, operations, or healthcare, AI specialists assist in various departments to increase the business’s overall productivity and efficiency. This versatility relates to their hiring growth.

The higher the demand for a profession, the more chances it has for higher salaries and scope. Let’s look at how experience, location, job title, and industry can affect your income as an AI engineer.

AI Engineer's Salary by Experience

Your level of experience will affect your salary the most. The more experienced you are, the higher you can move up to the career ladder. For example, starting as an entry-level Machine Learning Engineer and then advancing to Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Lead Machine Learning Engineer, Principal Machine Learning Engineer, and so on. Your salary will keep increasing across the ladder. 

Here is how your salary as an AI engineer will vary based on your experience:

• Machine Learning Engineer (2 to 4 years): €52,000 to €80,000 per year

• Senior Machine Learning Engineer (2 to 4 years): €63,000 to €107,000 per year

• Lead Machine Learning Engineer (5 to 7 years): €68,000 to €110,000

• Principal Machine Learning Engineer (8+ years): €73,000 to €120,000

• Director of Machine Learning (8+ years): €80,000 to €130,000

• Vice President of Machine Learning (8+ years): €90,000 to €150,000

Promoting to managerial or leadership positions (principal, director, or vice president) significantly increases your salary. You can further boost your wage by developing your skill set or expertise. In fact, there is also a chance of earning more if you switch your job and successfully negotiate a good salary during the interview.

AI Engineers' Salary by Industry

Most industries require AI engineers for various purposes, including healthcare, finance, tech, retail, etc. The salaries of these professionals vary greatly as you move from one industry to the other. 

AI engineers working in finance and technology are typically paid more than other industries worldwide. That’s mainly because these industries give AI engineers more chances to upscale themselves, learn more skills through courses, and progress in their career path. 

So, if you are tech-savvy, you can kickstart your career as an AI engineer in this high-paying industry.

AI Engineers' Salary by Geography

As we know, the geography or location of the company you’re employed at also plays a significant role in deciding your pay rate. In general, AI engineers working at companies in Dublin are more likely to make more. The salaries in cities are usually higher, considering the higher cost of living. 

Many companies consider offering geography-based salaries to their remote and in-house employees. But it can be challenging, as they’d have to consider every employee’s experience and qualification levels as well.

Dublin is, without any doubt, a heaven for tech experts with headquarters of renowned companies like LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook. Currently, 70,000+ people are working in the industry. The second hottest city for AI engineers is Galway, home to 105 tech companies, including some big names like Alison, Orreco, BriteBiz, and more.

Cork, Limerick, and Waterford are also excellent places for starting a career in AI engineering. There are 140+ tech companies in Cork, 63 in Limerick, and 26 in Waterford. So, as an AI engineer, you can choose any of these locations for employment as they all are high-paying. 

AI Engineers Salary by Jobs Title

AI engineering is a vast field with many career opportunities. You can be a software engineer, data engineer, or machine learning engineer based on your interest and qualification. Yes, your salary will vary with your job title. So, how much do AI engineers make while working at different job titles? Let’s have a look.

1. Machine Learning Engineer

A machine learning engineer works with massive data sets to develop algorithms for computers to enable them to learn from data. These professionals not only design machine learning models and algorithms but also test and implement them for the proper execution. 

A machine learning engineer can make around €57,300 annually on average. However, this figure varies depending on your job position or experience. For example, an entry-level machine learning engineer makes €43,000 annually on average. With more experience, they can become a senior machine learning engineer, with a bright chance of making €91,000 annually.

2. Data Scientist

Data scientists are experts in mathematics, statistics, and computer science. They use their skills in analysing and interpreting complex data sets to help managers make informed decisions. 

A data scientist in Ireland can expect to make around €54,800 annually on average. This pay scale will change based on your job level. A junior machine learning engineer can start from €36,000 a year. In a senior position, they can earn as high as €86,000.

3. AI Researcher

AI researchers explore different AI algorithms and develop a solution or application based on their research. They search thoroughly, write papers, and present their findings in simple language at team meetings or conferences.

As an AI researcher, expect to earn around €62,500 a year, depending on your job level. You may start with €36,000 at an entry-level position and earn €109,000 after climbing to the senior level.

4. Software Engineer

Software engineers perform a range of job responsibilities to function computers to their total capacity. It includes code testing, developing algorithms, and debugging AI-related software. 

If you’re a software engineer in Ireland, you can earn €60,000 a year on average. You will likely make €40,000 a year as a junior software engineer. This figure can reach €90,000 as you become a senior software engineer.

5. Systems Engineer

Systems engineers develop and monitor the implementation of all major and minor systems in an organisation. Their responsibilities include ensuring components’ compatibility, fixing issues, coordinating system development, and more.

These professionals make €55,000 yearly on average, with €33,000 as an entry-level salary and €87,000 for senior positions.

6. Information Security Analyst

Information security analysts design and implement measures that help an organisation secure its computer systems and networks. It includes risk assessment, security threat research, and preventive measures development. 

As an information security analyst, you can earn around €45,000 a year on average. Your annual salary will be a bit low at a junior level, anywhere near €32,000. But as you progress in your career path, you can expect to earn as high as €72,000 a year.

7. User Experience Designer

Another important AI-related job is the user experience designer. These professionals create simple and efficient interfaces that users can use easily. They develop graphical elements, test prototypes, design navigation solutions, and more.

User experience engineers can make €50,000 a year. This figure is usually at the lower end for junior user experience engineers, averaging €35,000 a year on average. Senior-level user experience designers can earn as high as €74,000 every year.

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How To Become an AI Engineer?

Now that you know how much do AI engineers make, you must decide whether you want to become one. But that’s not just it. Instead, you should also evaluate other things, such as your interests and qualifications and if you're ready to enrol in a course or certification to learn new skills. 

If you’re still willing to become an AI engineer, just follow the below steps to get started:

Step 1: Find Your Interest

Your first step should be to find what you are interested in. AI engineering is a broad field with many career opportunities like machine learning, software engineering, AI research, and more. When you start with just one or two skills, it helps you build a strong profile. 

So, pick any AI engineering job option and try to excel. Once done, you can move on to learning other skills and keep adding them to your portfolio. This will provide you with a solid base.

Step 2: Obtain a Course Certification

If your qualification differs from AI, it’s still not too late for you to start a career in AI engineering. Consider enrolling in a short course to gain a certification in AI.

Your mentors would help you develop the skills required in the AI industry. They will also give you hands-on training on how things work and how you can come up with solutions. 

You can easily find an AI engineering job if you specialise in data science, machine learning, and other AI-related skills.

Step 3: Enhance Your Skills

As AI constantly transforms the world, you’d need to pace up and keep enhancing your skills. It means you can’t just learn machine learning and think it would be enough for you to bag an AI engineering job. Instead, you must learn more AI-related skills before entering the market and applying for your dream job. 

So, keep adding to your CV’s skills column to attract the interviewer’s eyes. Again, earning certifications is really important. These certification courses are relatively less expensive and can be done online.

Step 4: Enter the Job Market 

Now, it’s time to step into the job market. Based on your expertise, you can apply for the best-suited job positions in the right AI-engineering discipline. For example, many companies post jobs for machine learning engineering, AI researchers, and data scientists, so you can pick those with a higher chance of winning. 

Don’t forget to design a comprehensive CV and a strong portfolio beforehand. These are the first two things an interviewer uses to decide about a candidate. 

If you succeed in winning that job, you will start as a junior-level AI engineer. But as you advance to higher positions, you will have more job responsibilities and a higher pay rate.

FAQs

How Much Does an Average AI Engineer Earn in Ireland?

The average pay of an AI engineer in Ireland is €60,500 a year. It can go as low as €38,000 and as high as €103,000 depending on the company you’re employed at, your geography, experience, qualification, skills and industry. So, do your research before applying to an AI engineering job to start your career with an attractive salary package. 

Are AI Engineers in High Demand?

AI engineering is a highly-demanded job with great potential to become even more popular in the upcoming decades. Almost every industry now needs AI engineers in product development, operations, delivery, and boosting a company’s overall productivity. In fact, Accenture's report found AI will dramatically increase the world’s

economic growth by 2035! 

What is the Highest Paid Position in AI Engineering?

The highest-paid position in AI engineering is senior AI engineer. In this position, you will have thorough knowledge and experience in AI, machine learning, data analysis, and all the fields related to AI engineering. You will also be leading and managing tech teams. Considering this much workload, you can expect to negotiate an attractive salary at most tech companies and earn even more than €100,000 annually.

Is It Difficult to Learn Artificial Intelligence?

Learning AI can be difficult if you don’t enrol in a quality course or learn the necessary skills. With an expert’s guidance and an AI engineering course, you can quickly gain a good command of this field and excel in your career.

Conclusion

Salary is one of the top considerations of a candidate when applying for a job position or changing their field. If you’re looking into the vast area of AI, you’re undoubtedly making the right choice—financially and professionally. As a beginner, you will start as a junior-level AI engineer and then upskill yourself to advance to a higher position with more earning potential. 

A good AI engineering course can help you learn the required skills through well-designed lessons. That’s when UCD Professional Academy’s Diploma in Artificial Intelligence can help you. The course consists of informative lessons to inform students about how AI plays a significant role in businesses. 

With the help of industry experts, you can also learn about the AI implications from different organisational perspectives. The best part? You don’t need specific technical or coding skills to enrol in this course. So, what are you waiting for? Kickstart your AI career now with UCD Professional Academy!