AI Engineer Salary in India [For Beginners & Experienced] in 2025

Are you curious to learn about an AI engineer’s salary in India? As one of the most promising fields in the tech industry, AI offers exciting career opportunities across the country. The field offers lucrative job options for both fresh graduates and experienced professionals seeking a change. According to Statista, the AI market is projected to grow by $826 billion by 2030.

The growing tech industry in India creates AI applications and systems for different business sectors. These professionals develop machine learning models and language processing tools. They often collaborate with teams to build innovative AI solutions. Their role combines programming expertise with understanding business requirements. 

Companies value AI engineers who can deliver practical solutions, so understanding the pay scale is imperative. Let's explore how different roles and experience levels affect AI engineer salaries in India.

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AI Engineer Salary Overview in India 

AI engineering offers lucrative career opportunities in India. The entry-level AI salary for an AI engineer in India is around ₹5,00,000 per annum. Mid-level professionals make around ₹10,00,000 per year. Experienced AI engineers can command salaries up to ₹50,00,000 annually. Glassdoor reports the average salary for an experienced AI professional earnings in India is ₹11,36,000 yearly. 

Additional AI engineer compensation includes bonuses and profit sharing, averaging ₹1,36,000 annually. The field's competitive salaries reflect the high demand for AI expertise.

Entry-Level AI Engineer Salaries (0-1 years) 

AI career prospects in India are highly promising for engineering professionals. Entry-level engineers start at ₹5,00,000 per annum and earn up to ₹12,70,000 annually. Junior roles focus on building basic ML models and data processing. These positions provide hands-on experience with AI technologies. The average compensation across experience levels is ₹2,00,000 yearly. Below is a breakdown of entry-level AI engineer salaries in India:

Source: Glassdoor 

Mid-Level AI Engineer Salaries (4-6 years) 

With 4-6 years of experience, a mid-level AI professional salary ranges from ₹7,00,000 to ₹15,60,000 annually. Their daily work focuses on building and improving AI systems for companies. They handle tasks like creating machine learning models and implementing AI solutions. Specializing in areas like natural language processing can lead to higher salaries. Deep learning expertise also commands better compensation in the market. These engineers help companies become more efficient through AI technology. Their work involves analyzing data and optimizing AI models for various projects.

Mid-level roles generally include positions like AI Developer or Machine Learning Engineer. Their work centers on integrating AI into existing company systems.

Source: Glassdoor

Senior-Level AI Engineer Salaries (7-9 years) 

AI engineers in India earn competitive salaries that increase with experience. Senior AI engineers with 7-9 years of experience earn between ₹8,00,000 and ₹20,50,000 lakhs annually. They often receive additional bonuses averaging ₹2,00,000 per year. This compensation reflects their advanced technical skills and leadership responsibilities.

As these engineers progress to higher roles like AI Architect or Head of AI, their work becomes more strategic. They focus on designing complex AI systems that solve business challenges. These senior professionals guide their teams to make careful decisions that align with company goals.

Source: Glassdoor

Artificial intelligence salary per month for engineers with over a decade of experience can exceed ₹1,00,000. At this level, positions like Lead AI Engineer involve broader responsibilities. They create large-scale AI solutions that impact the entire organization. These experienced professionals also develop strategic plans and work across different departments.

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AI Engineer Salary by Major Indian Cities in 2025 

The AI engineer salary in India varies significantly by location. Bangalore leads here by offering a top AI engineering salary package. Hyderabad and Pune follow closely with competitive pay packages. These cities attract major tech companies and innovative startups. The concentration of IT firms drives higher salaries in these locations. Here’s why

• Bangalore leads India's AI job market with exceptional pay packages. Major companies like Infosys and Wipro offer competitive salaries. The city's startup ecosystem creates additional high-paying opportunities.
• Hyderabad attracts top talent through Microsoft and Google's local offices. The government actively supports tech growth, leading to attractive compensation. The city's modern infrastructure helps companies offer better packages.
• Pune's strong educational foundation creates valuable opportunities for AI engineers. Its connection to Mumbai's tech scene drives up local salaries. Many IT parks house companies offering competitive compensation.
• Gurgaon benefits from its location near India's capital city (New Delhi). Modern facilities draw multinational companies to set up offices here. These factors combine to create well-paying AI engineering positions.
• Chennai offers a balance of good pay and affordable living. The city's growing tech sector provides stable employment opportunities. Many companies here focus on software exports and AI development
• Mumbai, India’s financial capital, provides access to funding and resources, hosting numerous tech and finance companies amid its dynamic economic environment.

Average Salaries and Influencing Factors

Higher salaries reflect the increasing demand for advanced AI expertise. However, factors like cost of living, demand for AI skills, and the availability of talent significantly impact the AI engineer pay scale.  Below is an overview of the annual average salaries of AI engineers in major cities, along with influencing factors:

Source: Glassdoor

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Best Companies for AI Engineers: High-Paying Jobs in India 

Top tech companies in India offer competitive salaries to AI engineers. The AI engineer's pay varies based on company size and location. Global tech leaders like Google and IBM provide attractive compensation packages. They value AI talent and drive innovation in the field. 

Smaller companies may offer lower salaries but provide good learning opportunities. Major tech hubs like Bangalore and Hyderabad offer better pay. Companies consider experience and expertise when determining an AI engineer's salary.

Top Global Tech Giants in India 

Many top global tech companies are hiring AI engineers in India and offering competitive salaries. Here’s a table including the average annual AI engineer salary in India at top global companies:

Source: Glassdoor

These examples highlight how the presence of top firms in India drives high salaries for AI engineers. The cutthroat competition among these giant players ensures that salaries for AI engineers will remain high in the coming years.

Leading Indian IT Firms 

The following table shows how the leading Indian IT firms integrate AI in their projects to boost their customer engagement and drive sales. Let’s check out:

Source: Glassdoor

FinTech and Healthcare AI Companies 

Below is a table that highlights sector-specific companies like Paytm (FinTech) and Practo (Healthcare) integrate AI into their solutions. Moreover, this table also includes the AI positions offered by these companies with annual average salaries. Take a look:

Source: Glassdoor

Prominent Startups Offering Competitive Salaries 

Besides giant companies, there are many startups as well that are investing heavily in AI. Here are some of the prominent startups offering competitive AI engineer salaries In India:

These examples show how AI engineers create practical solutions. They develop systems that directly impact business operations, improving customer experience while generating business value. The demand for such AI solutions drives competitive salaries. Companies need engineers who can build similar intelligent systems, making AI engineering a lucrative career choice in India.

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Educational Requirements to Start a Career in Artificial Intelligence

To initiate your career in artificial intelligence, entry-level jobs demand some basic educational requirements. It includes a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics/Computer Science/Statistics/IT. However, for mid-level and senior-level positions like managerial or R&D roles, you must need a master’s degree or Ph.D in the above-related subjects or engineering. Below is the breakdown of essential educational requirements, from foundational degrees to programming skills.

Foundational Degrees and Academic Qualifications 

To start a career in artificial intelligence (AI), having the right educational background is crucial. Foundational degrees in fields like computer science and IT provide the necessary skills and knowledge. Here are some foundational degrees to kickstart your career in AI:

Importance of Mathematics and Statistical Knowledge 

Proficiency in mathematical and statistical skills, such as linear algebra, probability, and calculus, can increase your artificial intelligence salary per month. This expertise can be particularly helpful in data science-oriented jobs that need a robust understanding of mathematical modeling and statistical analysis. Knowing calculus and algebra is useful for logical reasoning and algorithm design. A strong foundation in these areas is key to understanding uncertainty, learning from data, and making accurate predictions.

Essential Programming Skills

To fulfill your dream of becoming an AI engineer in India, you must have the essential skills (both technical and soft skills). Top technical courses include programming languages like Python, R, Java, and C++, while effective communication and collaboration are considered soft skills.

Below are some of the most common programming languages and their importance in building AI algorithms and models:

Specialized AI and Machine Learning Courses 

Certifications in AI and ML can result in career advancement including opening up doors for new opportunities or promotions. These may include positions like AI specialists, AI project managers, ML engineers, and data scientists. Besides, skill-specialized professionals have higher earning potential as they bring value to companies. Below we have mentioned some popular AI and ML specialized courses:

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Continuous Learning and Staying Updated with AI Trends 

Continuous learning is a key to staying with AI salary trends in 2025. Adopt lifelong learning habits by exploring new tools, technologies, and innovations. Regularly attend webinars, enroll in courses, and follow AI research. Online platforms like upGrad, Coursera, or edX offer beginner to advanced programs to enhance AI skills. Besides, engaging in online communities and reading industry blogs keeps you informed. Making a habit of continuous learning not only boosts your expertise but also ensures you remain competitive in an AI-driven world.

Top Factors Influencing AI Engineer Salaries in 2025

Several factors influence AI engineering salaries in 2025. First, candidates with more experience and expertise in a particular field can grasp higher salaries. The location of the company, particularly metropolitan cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune can offer more salary packages than other tech hubs. Industry and company reputations also influence AI engineer salaries in India, as IT, finance, and e-commerce highly depend on AI technologies, leading to pay more than other industries. Likewise, global tech giants and successful startups offer higher salaries with better compensation to allure top talent. Let’s discuss them in detail:

The Importance of Skills and Specializations 

Getting specialized skills in AI or a related field is highly valuable. Companies actively seek professionals who deeply understand specific AI domains. For beginners or early-career professionals, focusing on key areas like NLP projects or Computer Vision can significantly boost your earning potential. Start with a free online course to explore different specializations and then build small projects to gain hands-on experience. 

Entry-level NLP engineers earn more than general AI job roles and salaries. They only need some specialized skills like text analysis, sentiment analysis, and chatbot development. Google’s NLP Specialization and Stanford's NLP Certification are valuable certification courses if you want to excel in this field.

In the case of Computer Vision specialists, they often command premium salaries up to 20-30% higher with relevant experience and skills. These include image recognition, object detection, and video analysis. Popular certification courses like DeepLearning.AI Computer Vision Specialization can help you achieve your goal. Robotics and automation engineers are among the highest-paid specialists. Their core skills are robot control systems, motion planning, and sensor integration. With certification courses like Udacity’s Robotics Software Engineer Nanodegree, you can understand the basics of simple robot creation. 

Educational Background and Certifications 

Advanced degrees and certifications boost earning potential by up to 47% in AI. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and AWS offer recognized programs that enhance expertise, validate skills, and make candidates stand out in competitive markets. Here’s how educational background and certification help in getting higher AI specialist remuneration:

• Industry-recognized programs enhance credibility and showcase specialized knowledge.
• Certifications demonstrate expertise in machine learning, NLP, and deep learning.
• Courses from reputed platforms offer global recognition and hands-on experience.

For instance, upGrad offers industry-relevant AI courses with career support and practical projects. It also prepares students with real-world AI scenarios and provides personal feedback. Overall, its programs provide comprehensive AI training and job assistance.

Industry-Specific Salary Trends 

Not all industries need AI engineers, but the most dominant ones, like IT, healthcare, and finance, are hiring AI professionals. These industries demand AI-driven solutions, which is why they offer higher AI engineer salaries in India than other industries. AI engineers specializing in machine learning, computer vision, and Gen AI earn more due to their specialized knowledge and high demand in these areas.

For instance, AI engineers in IT can earn competitive salaries due to the high demand for tech solutions. In the health industry, the integration of AI improves diagnostics and patient care, boosting salaries. In addition to IT and health, AI is revolutionizing financial services, leading to increased compensation for skilled professionals. Companies are investing heavily in these industries to improve efficiency and customer experience. 

Future Trends in AI Engineer Salary in India 

The future of AI engineer salaries in India looks exceptionally promising. Due to the rapid tech advancements and significant investment in AI, there’s a high chance of better pay for AI engineers. India has world’s one of the largest and fastest-evolving technology markets, it can outshine as global leader in AI innovation. The government also makes several efforts for this digital transformation by providing adequate funding for R&D, creating a fruitful atmosphere for AI growth. Here’s why:

Increasing Demand for AI Skills 

With the rapid growth of the AI industry in India, there’s a high demand for skilled professionals across all industries. These professionals have years of experience performing tasks like machine learning, NLP, and robotics. Therefore, companies seek AI engineers to innovate and solve complex problems in sectors like IT, healthcare, and finance. This growing need highlights that salaries for AI engineers will continue to grow as demand increases.

Impact of Emerging Technologies 

Advancements in AI subfields, such as deep learning, autonomous systems, and generative AI, redefine job roles. These innovations require specialized talent, resulting in higher wages for niche roles. Moreover, India’s large skilled workforce can be a valuable asset in the country's AI future. Many educational institutions and tech firms have started focusing on AI-related courses and training to boost skill development.

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Economic Factors 

Economic trends and industry growth directly influence AI engineer salaries in India. Key factors include:

• Industry growth and investment in AI.
• Demand for innovative AI solutions.
• Global competition for AI talent.
• Startups integrating AI solutions

Wrapping Up

As industries embrace AI, AI engineer salaries in India are expected to rise significantly. From AI engineers to data scientists, the AI job market in India varies based on expertise, location, and industry. By exploring the market and focusing on specialized skills relevant to a particular position, AI engineers in India can increase their earning potential.

If you are still unsure, then consider upGrad, a popular online platform. Regardless of your skill level, upGrad can help you understand how AI/ML can get a higher AI engineer or data scientist salary in India. We offer many online certifications and courses related to AI, ML, deep learning, and more for all level learners. 

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