An AI Engineer is usually proficient in a variety of skills, and their starting salary is reminiscent of that quality. An AI Engineer salary in India is somewhere around INR 5 – 8 LPA at the moment. From Gaming to Data Science to Engineering, AI Engineers often possess these skills during their educational degree. This, therefore, drives their demand in the corporate sphere, which in turn, further hikes their salaries in the modern-day technology-driven world. A senior AI Engineer can, therefore, earn up to INR 80 LPA as well. AI Engineers are highly sought-after professionals, with lucrative salaries across industries.
To be an AI Engineer, a student can pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, AI technologies, or any related field. They can then pursue an MBA in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence from any reputed college such as MBA ESG. An AI Engineer will have to have a diverse knowledge of various AI tools and be on the constant lookout to learn anything new and innovative. Their salaries and position in the company will depend on their adaptability and yearning to learn new things and grow every day.
There is no glass ceiling in the AI Engineer salary in India at the moment; the sky is the limit. These are exciting times for an AI Engineer to earn more.
Overview
Since AI Engineers are a group of highly sought-after professionals in almost every industry, their salary range is always on the rise. At an entry-level, AI Engineers get up to INR 5 – 8 LPA. They start from a minimum of INR 4 LPA anywhere in India. They usually get the roles of a Junior Engineer or Data Analyst.
With a few years of experience, AI Engineer salary in India jumps from INR 8 LPA to INR 15 LPA. This is when they are proficient enough to take on more responsibilities and have developed an expertise in Machine Learning or AI Development. These are the mid-level AI Engineers who have taken on the role of Machine Learning Engineer or Senior Data Scientist.
Finally, the senior level engineers with 5-10 years of experience. Here, after spending so many years as an AI Engineer, he/she may become an AI Head or an AI architect. Their salary will start from INR 15 LPA and range up to INR 30 LPA. This slab of high salary will only keep increasing and go up to INR 80 – 90 LPA.
Experience, location, company reputation, and education background all factors in the growth of an AI Engineer and the rise in their salaries.
AI Engineer Salaries Across Major Indian Cities in 2025
Tier 1 cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi typically pay higher salaries to AI Engineers as compared to the other cities. Of them, Bengaluru and Hyderabad have more opportunities in the field and a larger scope to grow due to the existing IT hub and the developing IT hub in the country.
1. AI Engineer Salary in Bangalore
In Bengaluru, the salary for an AI Engineer can range somewhere between INR 5 LPA to 9 LPA at the start. It increases to INR 10-20 LPA with 3-7 years of experience. Furthermore, the salary rises from INR 20 LPA and can reach above and beyond INR 45 LPA after 7+ years of experience in the field.
2. AI Engineer Salary in Hyderabad & Delhi
In Hyderabad and Delhi NCR, the salary range is slightly less where a fresher earns between INR 4.5 LPA and 8 LPA. Mid-level engineers earn INR 8.5 LPA to 18 LPA. Senior employees with more than 7 years of experience earn INR 18 LPA and up to 40 LPA and more. Its slightly behind Bengaluru in this respect.
3. AI Engineer Salary in Mumbai
In Mumbai, it’s slightly higher again, mainly to compensate for the overbearing cost of living in the city. At entry-level, it’s INR 5 LPA to 8.5 LPA. Mid-level employees get a slight hike with INR 9.5 LPA to 20 LPA. Senior-level employees get INR 20 LPA to 45+ LPA.
4. AI Engineer Salary in Chennai
In Chennai, the entry-level salary range for an AI Engineer is INR 4.5 to 8 LPA. The mid-level salary range is INR 8.5 LPA to 18 LPA, and the senior-level range is INR 15 LPA to 30 LPA. This is because Chennai has a strong IT base and a tech hub, which raises their salaries. It is surpassed only by Bengaluru and Hyderabad in that respect.
5. AI Engineer Salary in Kolkata
In Kolkata, the salary ranges are slightly lower. An entry-level AI Engineer earns INR 3.5 LPA to 6.5 LPA, a mid-level engineer earns INR 7 LPA to 15 LPA, and a senior-level engineer earns INR 12 LPA to 25 LPA and more. Since Kolkata isn’t a huge hub for IT, the salaries are generally lower. However, it also matches the relatively lower living cost in the city.
Top Companies Hiring AI Engineers: Best-Paying Jobs in India
Here are some of the best companies hiring AI Engineers from India and paying them with lucrative salaries:
- Google – Salary range is between INR 20 LPA to INR 50+ LPA.
- Amazon – Salary range is between INR 18 LPA to 45+ LPA to their engineers.
- Facebook (Meta) – Salary range is between INR 20 LPA and 50+ LPA.
- Microsoft – Salary range is between INR 18 LPA to 45+ LPA.
- Nvidia – Salary range is between INR 12 LPA to 35+ LPA.
- Adobe – Salary range is between INR 6 LPA to 23+ LPA.
- Apple – Salary range is between INR 18 LPA to 40+ LPA.
- Zoho – Salary range is between INR 4 LPA to 16+ LPA.
- Oracle – Salary range is between INR 8 LPA to 85 LPA.
- Salesforce – Salary range is between INR 4 LPA to 28+ LPA.
Some of the other companies, across sectors, hiring AI Engineers with lucrative salaries are TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Accenture, Capgemini, etc.
Educational Requirements to Start a Career in Artificial Intelligence
The path to becoming an AI Engineer begins with education in the relevant field, with relevant subjects.
An aspirant needs to take up science subjects in Class 12 and pass with an aggregate of 50% or more marks across academics. They can then study their Bachelor’s course from a stream with Computer Science, AI Technologies, or any related field. Once they graduate with a minimum of 50% or more marks across academics, they can then enroll in an MBA course for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
During these courses, students can develop their skills in programming and AI training. AI Engineers need to develop expertise in frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch and work with large datasets to train models. A healthy number of internships, workshops, and seminars in an aspirant’s resume also helps them understand this field more clearly. It also gives recruiters more confidence in hiring such employees.
Key Elements Shaping AI Engineer Salaries in 2025
Here are some of the key elements that are shaping an AI Engineer’s salary in India in 2025:
1. Education Background
Depending upon what business school a student has pursued their MBA in ‘Data Science and Artificial Intelligence’ from, their placements vary. Bigger companies hire those from more reputable institutions and naturally, their salaries are higher as compared to others.
2. Company
The reputation and size of a company directly impacts an AI Engineer’s salary. The bigger the company, the higher the chances are that they will pay larger salaries.
3. Experience
An AI Engineer’s salary will increase depending upon the experience they gain over time. It’s not just the years spent in an organization, but the skills developed and knowledge gained in that time as an AI Engineer.
4. Geographical Location
Depending upon where an AI Engineer is based out of, their salaries will vary. For example, Bengaluru-based employees will naturally earn more than Kolkata-based employees.
5. Demand for Specialized AI Skills
Since the AI market is growing, and too many AI Engineers are being produced by business schools per year, it is the expertise of specialized AI skills that will set some of those engineers apart from the rest. That will help them unlock their dream jobs and earn significantly higher than others. Skills like Deep Learning & Neural Network, Natural Language Processing (NLP) & Computer Vision, and Reinforcement Learning & Robotics are high in demand.
6. AI Integration in Traditional Industries
The use and application of AI is spreading far and wide into sectors that had previously never relied on AI. This expansion and integration of AI has driven the demand for AI Engineers in an unprecedented manner. Since AI Engineers were always in demand in technology sectors, these traditional sectors are now offering lucrative packages to attract more AI Engineers towards them.
7. Remote Work Opportunities
As AI Engineers can perform their tasks almost entirely, companies from developed countries like the USA and UK are offering more jobs to talented professionals from around the world. Borders or geographic boundaries won’t be a deterrent for any proficient engineer to earn more. Employees can sit in their own country and work for companies from countries with a higher currency rate. This changes the salary landscape.
What Drives AI Engineer Salaries in India in 2025?
Besides the aforementioned factors, AI Engineer salary in India gets a boost when the overall ecosystem of jobs supports the rise and growth of such a field of work.
Government initiatives play a huge part in driving AI Engineer salaries. The CoE (Centres of Excellence) in AI is an initiative that the Government has announced in three sectors – Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities. At the 2025 budget, an additional INR 500 crores were added to AI in Education.
The industry growth is a massive factor in driving AI Engineer salaries. It is the largest growing sector in the modern-day world that is driven by technology, and India is playing a major role in its spur. There has been an increased adoption of AI tools and technologies into every single operational industry. This has given a big jolt to the demand for AI Engineers, and thereby, AI salaries.
Future Trends in AI Engineer Salary in India
Here are some of the future trends for AI Engineer salary in India:
- An Increased Demand for AI Talent Across Industries
- Specialized AI Skills and Knowledge About Various Tools
- Higher Compensation for AI Engineers with Cross-Industry Expertise
- Rise of Remote and Global Opportunities
- Corporate and Government Investments in AI Research
- AI-as-a-service and AI Cloud Platforms
- Performing Routine Automation Tasks with AI
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is an Artificial Intelligence Engineer?
An Artificial Intelligence Engineer is someone who designs, develops, and deploys AI systems into any technological innovation or function. AI and Machine Learning become the two most vital components of an AI Engineer to learn and apply in their daily task. This way, they solve problems and automate tasks. AI Engineering requires skills related to programming, Machine Learning, Data Science, Analytical Thinking, and Communication. It involves the use of AI frameworks and tools to build solutions.
2. What is the Salary of an AI Engineer in India?
An AI Engineer typically earns somewhere around INR 8 LPA in India as a beginner. However, with experience, their salary can rise to INR 80 LPA. This depends upon the skills they developed, their education background, their company, and college.
3. What is the Artificial Intelligence Starting Salary in India?
The starting salary for an Artificial Intelligence Engineer may vary based on many factors, including the company they are joining. However, it usually ranges somewhere between INR 4 LPA and 8 LPA.
4. What is the Artificial Intelligence Salary in India for Freshers?
For Artificial Intelligence freshers, the starting salary in India is usually between INR 4 LPA to 6 LPA.
5. What is the Artificial Intelligence Salary in India for Freshers?
For Artificial Intelligence seniors, the starting salary in India is usually between INR 10 LPA to 15 LPA. It can, however, range up to 50 LPA or more.
