Artificial Intelligence Salary in India 2026
AI professionals are among the highest-paid tech specialists — here is what you can expect to earn.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry Level
0–2 years
₹6–12 LPA
Junior AI Engineer, ML Associate, Data Analyst
Mid Level
2–5 years
₹15–30 LPA
AI Engineer, ML Engineer, Data Scientist
Senior Level
5+ years
₹30–60 LPA
Senior AI Engineer, AI Lead, Principal ML Engineer
Salary by AI Role
| Role | Fresher | 3-5 Years | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Engineer | ₹6–10 LPA | ₹15–25 LPA | ₹25–45 LPA |
| Data Scientist | ₹6–10 LPA | ₹12–25 LPA | ₹25–50 LPA |
| ML Engineer | ₹8–12 LPA | ₹18–30 LPA | ₹30–55 LPA |
| MLOps Engineer | ₹8–12 LPA | ₹18–30 LPA | ₹28–50 LPA |
| AI Researcher | ₹10–15 LPA | ₹20–40 LPA | ₹40–80 LPA |
| LLM/GenAI Engineer | ₹10–15 LPA | ₹20–35 LPA | ₹35–60 LPA |
Salary by City in India
Bangalore
MNC hub with highest AI salaries
Hyderabad
Fast growing AI ecosystem
Pune
Strong product company presence
Mumbai
Fintech and startup AI growth
Delhi NCR
Growing startup ecosystem
Chennai
IT hub with expanding AI roles
Earn ₹8–25 LPA as an AI Engineer
Join Shifttotech's AI program and start your high-paying AI career in 2026.
Related Guides
AI Salary in India — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average AI engineer salary in India?+
The average AI engineer salary in India ranges from ₹8–20 LPA depending on experience. Entry-level: ₹6–12 LPA, Mid-level: ₹15–30 LPA, Senior-level: ₹30–60 LPA in top product companies.
Which city pays the highest AI salary in India?+
Bangalore typically offers the highest AI salaries in India, followed by Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR. MNC and product company hubs in Bangalore pay 20-30% more than the national average.
What is the fresher AI salary in India?+
Freshers with AI skills can expect ₹4–8 LPA as a starting salary. Candidates with strong projects, relevant internships, and certifications can command ₹8–12 LPA even as freshers.
Which AI specialisation pays the most in India?+
Generative AI, LLM and MLOps engineers currently command the highest pay — often 30–60% above a general AI engineer at the same experience level — because the skills are scarce and in heavy demand. NLP and computer vision specialists also earn a premium over generalists.
How much can AI salaries grow in 5 years?+
A typical path moves from ₹6–12 LPA at entry to ₹15–30 LPA by 3–5 years, with senior and architect roles at product companies reaching ₹30–60 LPA and above. The biggest jumps come from shipping real projects and moving into product or GCC roles rather than from years alone.
Data sources
Salary ranges on this page are compiled from publicly available 2026 data on AmbitionBox, Glassdoor India, and NASSCOM industry reports, cross-checked against roles advertised on major Indian job boards. Figures are indicative and vary by company, skills and negotiation. Last reviewed October 2026.