AI jobs in the US 2026 are growing far faster than the overall labor market: the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects data scientist employment to rise 35% from 2025 to 2035 with a median wage of $120,230, while PwC’s 2026 AI Jobs Barometer finds that jobs requiring AI skills pay a 62% wage premium and grew 69% versus 9% for all jobs. At the same time, BLS projects customer service representative employment to fall 5.5% by 2034 (about 153,700 jobs), and workers ages 22 to 25 in AI-exposed occupations are reported to trail their peers in employment by 19%.
AI Jobs in the US 2026 – Introduction
AI Jobs in the US now split into two clear groups: roles built around AI, which are growing fast and paying well, and roles that AI tools make easier to automate, which are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says adoption of AI, including generative AI tools, is expected to fuel strong job growth among computer and mathematical occupations, with data scientists leading at 35% projected growth through 2035. BLS also projects about 280,000 openings a year across all computer and information technology occupations, and the median wage for that group reached $109,470 in May 2025, more than double the $50,980 median for all US workers.
The pay signal is just as strong as the hiring signal. PwC analyzed more than one billion job ads across 27 countries and found an average wage premium of 62% for roles that require AI skills, up from 57% a year earlier. Lightcast, using a different method, measures the premium at 28%, about $18,000 a year, and both sources agree on direction. This report covers AI Jobs in the US by projected growth, salary, wage premium, posting demand, entry-level impact, declining occupations, and the most in-demand roles, using BLS, PwC, Lightcast, and Stanford research released in 2026.
Interesting Facts About AI Jobs in the US 2026
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Data Scientist Job Growth, 2025–2035 | 35% |
| Data Scientist Median Wage (May 2025) | $120,230 |
| Data Scientist Openings Per Year | About 24,800 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientist Median Wage | $140,300 |
| AI Skills Wage Premium (PwC 2026) | 62%, up from 57% |
| Growth of AI-Skill Job Postings vs. All Jobs | 69% vs. 9% |
| US Job Postings Requiring AI Skills (2025) | 2.5%, up 55% in a year |
| AI-Skill Postings Outside IT and Computer Science | 51% |
| Projected Customer Service Rep Decline, 2024–2034 | -5.5%, about 153,700 jobs |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections, PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, and Lightcast data reported in the Stanford AI Index 2026.
The AI Jobs in the US figures above mix government projections with private job-posting data, and the two kinds of numbers answer different questions. BLS numbers describe how many jobs exist and how many are expected, based on survey data and occupation models. PwC and Lightcast numbers describe what employers advertise right now, which moves faster and reflects hiring intent rather than completed hires. Read together, they show demand for AI skills rising quickly on both measures.
The gap between the 69% growth in AI-skill postings and the 9% growth in all postings is the widest single contrast in the table. It explains why wage premiums keep climbing: employers compete for a limited pool of workers with hands-on AI experience. The 51% of AI-skill postings that sit outside IT and computer science also shows that AI skills are spreading into finance, healthcare, marketing, and operations, not staying inside technology companies.
AI Job Growth Projections in the US 2026
Projected Employment Growth, 2024–2034 (BLS)
Data scientists |██████████████████████████████████ 33.5%
Information security analysts |█████████████████████████████ 28.5%
Actuaries |██████████████████████ 21.8%
Operations research analysts |██████████████████████ 21.5%
Computer/info research scientists |████████████████████ 19.7%
Software developers |████████████████ 15.8%
All occupations |███ 3.1%
| Occupation | Projected Growth, 2024–34 | Change in Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Data scientists | 33.5% | 82,500 |
| Information security analysts | 28.5% | 52,100 |
| Actuaries | 21.8% | 7,300 |
| Operations research analysts | 21.5% | 24,100 |
| Computer and information research scientists | 19.7% | 7,900 |
| Software developers | 15.8% | 267,700 |
| All occupations | 3.1% | 5,211,800 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Economics Daily, July 16, 2026, Employment Projections program.
Data scientists top the list at 33.5% growth, more than ten times the 3.1% rate for all occupations. That works out to 82,500 additional jobs over the decade. BLS has since published a newer 2025 to 2035 outlook in its Occupational Outlook Handbook that puts data scientist growth at 35% and computer and information research scientist growth at 22%, so the direction has held as the projection window moved forward one year.
Software developers add the largest raw number of jobs, 267,700, even though their growth rate of 15.8% ranks lowest among the AI-related occupations shown. Information security analysts rank second at 28.5%, a sign that AI adoption is also pulling demand toward the workers who protect the systems. Actuaries and operations research analysts, both above 21%, show that quantitative roles outside classic software work are benefiting too.
AI Jobs Salaries in the US 2026
Median Annual Wage, May 2025 (BLS)
Computer/info research scientists |████████████████████████████ $140,300
Data scientists |████████████████████████ $120,230
All computer and IT occupations |██████████████████████ $109,470
All US occupations |██████████ $50,980
| Occupation Group | Median Annual Wage (May 2025) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and information research scientists | $140,300 | Projected growth of 22%, 2025–35 |
| Data scientists | $120,230 | Lowest 10% earned under $67,240; highest 10% over $199,130 |
| All computer and IT occupations | $109,470 | About 280,000 openings per year |
| All US occupations | $50,980 | Benchmark for comparison |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
The wage spread inside a single occupation matters as much as the median. Data scientists at the 10th percentile earned less than $67,240, while those at the 90th percentile earned more than $199,130, a gap of about $132,000 between the bottom and top tenth. The median of $120,230 sits 2.4 times above the all-occupation median of $50,980, but the wide band shows that experience, industry, and location decide where any one worker lands.
Government medians also understate top-of-market pay, because BLS wage data excludes most equity and bonus compensation at large technology employers. Private compensation trackers put senior machine learning engineers well above the BLS medians, and the next sections cover those higher private-sector estimates separately. For a broad comparison, full-time US workers earned a median of about $65,052 a year in the second quarter of 2026, so even the lowest AI-related median in this table clears that figure by more than $44,000.
AI Skills Wage Premium in the US 2026
AI Wage Premium by Source and Sector
Consumer markets (PwC high) |███████████████████████████████████████ 118%
PwC 2026 average |█████████████████████ 62%
PwC 2025 average |███████████████████ 57%
Lightcast posting premium |█████████ 28%
Government/public sector (low)|█████ 16%
| Measure | Wage Premium |
|---|---|
| PwC 2026 average, all sectors | 62% |
| PwC 2025 average | 57% |
| Highest sector (consumer markets) | 118% |
| Lowest sector (government and public sector) | About 16% |
| Lightcast posting premium | 28%, about $18,000 a year |
| Growth in AI-skill postings vs. all jobs (PwC) | 69% vs. 9% |
Source: PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer (June 2026, over one billion job ads) and Lightcast job-posting data.
PwC’s 62% average premium means jobs that require AI skills pay far more than the same roles without them, up 5 points from the 57% measured a year earlier. The range across sectors is wide, from 118% in consumer markets down to about 16% in the public sector. A worker in a fast-moving commercial field captures a much larger premium than one in a slower-moving sector, even with the same skill.
Lightcast reports a smaller premium of 28%, roughly $18,000 a year, because it measures the pay advertised in postings that list AI skills rather than pay across matched roles. The two numbers do not conflict; they use different methods and both show a large, rising premium. PwC also finds that jobs AI makes more valuable, which it calls professionalised roles, are growing twice as fast as jobs AI makes easier for non-experts, with 42% faster wage growth since 2021.
AI Skills Demand in US Job Postings 2026
Share of US Job Postings Requiring AI Skills
2025 share of all postings |██ 2.5%
Year-over-year growth |███████████████████████████ 55%
AI-skill postings outside IT/CS|█████████████████████████ 51%
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Share of US postings requiring AI skills (2025) | 2.5% |
| Year-over-year growth in that share | 55% |
| Approximate number of added postings | About 1 million |
| AI-skill postings outside IT and computer science | 51% |
| PwC growth in AI-skill postings | 69% vs. 9% for all jobs |
Source: Lightcast job-posting data as reported in the Stanford AI Index 2026, and PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer.
Only 2.5% of US job postings required AI skills in 2025, a small share of the total but up 55% in a single year and worth roughly 1 million postings. The share is small because most jobs still do not list AI as a requirement. The growth rate matters more than the level, since a share rising by more than half in twelve months signals that employers are rewriting job descriptions quickly.
The 51% of AI-skill postings outside IT and computer science is the number that changes how workers should read this market. Roughly half of employers asking for AI skills are hiring for roles in marketing, finance, healthcare administration, sales, and operations. The label “AI job” therefore covers far more than machine learning engineers, and a worker in a non-technical field can gain a pay advantage by adding practical AI skills to an existing role.
Entry-Level AI Jobs and Young Worker Statistics in the US 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment gap, ages 22–25 in AI-exposed occupations | Trail other workers by 19% |
| Same gap one year earlier | 13% |
| AI-exposed entry-level roles requiring senior-level skills | 7 times more likely |
| Growth of AI-exposed entry-level roles since 2019 (US) | 35% |
| Change in other entry-level roles since 2019 (US) | -10% |
| Entry-level share of ML engineer postings | About 3% |
Source: Stanford Digital Economy Lab analysis of ADP payroll data (August 2026), PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, and 2026 job-posting analysis.
Young workers carry the sharpest part of the disruption. Stanford Digital Economy Lab research on ADP payroll data, as reported in August 2026, finds that employment of workers ages 22 to 25 in AI-exposed occupations trails the rest by 19%, up from 13% a year earlier. Older workers in the same occupations are growing, so the pattern reflects a tilt toward seniority, not a shrinking occupation. Only about 3% of machine learning engineer postings are entry level. For a wider view of what workers at each career stage earn, see these average salary statistics in the US broken out by age and education.
PwC’s US analysis adds a second layer. AI-exposed entry-level roles that survive are 7 times more likely to demand skills once reserved for senior staff, such as judgment and leadership, and they grew 35% since 2019 while other entry-level roles fell 10%. The takeaway for job seekers is that fewer basic tasks remain at the bottom rung, and the roles that remain expect more from new hires on day one.
Jobs Declining Because of AI in the US 2026
Projected Employment Decline, 2024–2034 (BLS)
Procurement clerks |█████████ -8.7%
Credit authorizers/clerks |██████ -6.2%
Legal secretaries/admin assistants |██████ -5.8%
Customer service representatives |██████ -5.5%
Broadcast announcers/DJs |██████ -5.5%
Claims adjusters/examiners |█████ -5.1%
Medical transcriptionists |█████ -4.9%
Secretaries/admin (non-legal/medical)|██ -1.6%
| Occupation | Projected Change, 2024–34 | Jobs Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement clerks | -8.7% | 5,400 |
| Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks | -6.2% | 700 |
| Legal secretaries and administrative assistants | -5.8% | 9,000 |
| Customer service representatives | -5.5% | 153,700 |
| Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys | -5.5% | 1,300 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators | -5.1% | 18,200 |
| Medical transcriptionists | -4.9% | 2,200 |
| Secretaries and administrative assistants (other) | -1.6% | 30,800 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Economics Daily, July 16, 2026, Employment Projections program.
Customer service representatives account for the biggest loss in raw numbers, a projected decline of 153,700 jobs, or 5.5%, by 2034. BLS ties the declines to productivity gains as AI tools take over routine office and administrative tasks, which limits labor demand for procurement clerks, credit clerks, legal secretaries, and similar roles. Procurement clerks fall furthest in percentage terms at 8.7%, though that is only 5,400 jobs.
These projections describe expected employment, not confirmed layoffs, and BLS notes that growth elsewhere in the economy offsets part of the loss. Even so, announced job cuts in technology and media already reflect the shift, as shown in this look at TikTok layoffs statistics in the US. Workers in shrinking occupations gain the most from moving toward tasks that need judgment, client contact, and exception handling, which AI tools handle least well.
Most In-Demand AI Job Roles in the US 2026
Reported Pay for Top AI Roles (annual, USD)
AI engineer, median posted pay (LinkedIn data) |█████████████████████████████ $176,000
Computer/info research scientist (BLS median) |███████████████████████ $140,300
Data scientist (BLS median) |███████████████████ $120,230
| Role | Demand Signal | Reported Pay |
|---|---|---|
| AI engineer | Top of LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise in 2025 and 2026; about 1,550 new US postings a week | Median $176,000 |
| Data scientist | 35% growth, 2025–35; about 24,800 openings a year | Median $120,230 (BLS) |
| MLOps engineer | 9.8 times growth in five years (LinkedIn); over 5,500 open US positions | Base $90,000 to $257,000 |
| AI/ML researcher | Fifth-fastest-growing role on LinkedIn for 2026 | About $140,300 (BLS median) |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise and Emerging Jobs reports, and Indeed job listings, as reported in 2026.
AI engineer leads the private-sector demand list, with about 1,550 new US postings a week at a reported median of $176,000. That figure sits well above the BLS medians because private-sector data captures large technology employers and includes senior roles. BLS does not yet publish a dedicated AI engineer category, so government data covers this work through the data scientist, software developer, and research scientist groups instead.
MLOps engineers, who keep models running in production, show the steepest growth curve at 9.8 times in five years, with more than 5,500 open US positions on Indeed. Prompt engineering, once a headline title, has largely dissolved into other roles as a skill rather than a job. Behind all of these roles sits large physical infrastructure, and this overview of AI data center statistics in the US shows how few permanent jobs that infrastructure creates compared with the software roles it supports.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI Jobs in the US
How fast are AI jobs growing in the US in 2026?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects data scientist employment to grow 35% from 2025 to 2035, and PwC finds that job postings requiring AI skills grew 69% versus 9% for all jobs.
How much do AI jobs pay in the US?
BLS reports a median wage of $120,230 for data scientists and $140,300 for computer and information research scientists as of May 2025, with private-sector AI engineer pay reported near $176,000.
What is the AI skills wage premium in 2026?
PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer puts the average premium at 62%, up from 57%, while Lightcast measures 28%, or about $18,000 a year, using a different method.
What share of US job postings require AI skills?
Lightcast data reported in the Stanford AI Index shows 2.5% of US postings required AI skills in 2025, up 55% in one year.
Are AI jobs only in the tech industry?
No. About 51% of job postings requiring AI skills sit outside IT and computer science occupations, according to Lightcast.
Which jobs is AI expected to reduce?
BLS projects declines through 2034 for customer service representatives (-5.5%), procurement clerks (-8.7%), legal secretaries (-5.8%), claims adjusters (-5.1%), and medical transcriptionists (-4.9%).
How many customer service jobs are projected to disappear?
BLS projects about 153,700 fewer customer service representative jobs between 2024 and 2034, the largest raw decline among the occupations it highlights.
Is AI hurting entry-level jobs?
Stanford Digital Economy Lab research reports that employment of workers ages 22 to 25 in AI-exposed occupations trails other workers by 19%, up from 13% a year earlier, though older workers in the same occupations are growing.
What is the most in-demand AI job in 2026?
AI engineer tops LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list for 2025 and 2026, with about 1,550 new US postings a week, while data scientist has the largest BLS-projected opening count, about 24,800 a year.
How many openings are projected in computer and IT jobs?
BLS projects about 280,000 openings a year across computer and information technology occupations from 2025 to 2035, with a median wage of $109,470.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
