Introduction
AI engineering has rapidly become one of the most sought-after careers today, as more companies move towards integrating AI into their systems. And the AI engineer’s job sits right at the core. For students at top engineering colleges in Tamilnadu, this field offers a blend of innovation and financial reward. Moreover, its scope continues to expand as enterprises continue to use AI in their products and operations. The average salary of an AI engineer in India is between INR 16.4 and 18.2 LPA. In this blog, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of ‘What is the AI Engineer Salary in India?’ and the factors that influence it.For updates, check out our latest blog about Top B.Tech ECE Government Jobs
What Does an AI Engineer Do?
AI engineers combine the technical skills of machine learning, deep learning, data science and software development to build and maintain AI systems. For students aspiring to reach the top of this field, selecting the Best Colleges for AI Engineering is a vital first step. These can analyse large amounts of data, learn tasks based on it, think about its patterns as humans do, and predict risks and future possibilities. Working on such systems requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills and extensive knowledge of machine learning, natural language and generative models, and automation.
Future Scope of AI Engineering
Before we dive into the answer to ‘What is the AI engineer salary in India?’, let’s explore the scope of this role. All popular voice assistants, like Siri and Alexa, recommendation engines available virtually everywhere today, autonomous vehicles, chatbots, and fraud detection are all wonders created by AI and ML engineers. As artificial intelligence rises, companies are scrambling to find new ways to integrate AI into their products and services, thus increasing the demand for AI engineers.
It is predicted that by the end of 2026, India will have over 1 million opportunities for AI- and ML-based roles. The average salary is expected to increase by 15-20% every year. It’s clear that an AI-driven paradigm shift is around the corner, and the rise of people who understand it well will be at the forefront of this tech revolution.
To understand their demand in further detail, look at these statistics:
>>PwC predicted in 2024 that AI investments might reach $300 billion globally, while India is to be one of the frontrunners.
>>According to NASSCOM surveys, over the last few years, the demand for AI engineers has increased by around 40% every year.
>>Specifically in India, more than 75% of large enterprises have already adopted AI or are in the process of doing so, says a 2023 report by Deloitte India.
>>There’s a gap of 51% in hiring in India, implying more roles but not enough qualified people for them.
What is the AI Engineer Salary in India?
Finally, we arrive at the question, ‘What is the AI engineer salary in India?’ It is crucial to understand that the salary numbers mentioned here are estimates. The actual figures depend on skills, experience, education, industry and overall selection performance.
The average salary of an AI engineer in India falls between INR 6 and 40 LPA. Freshers typically earn around INR 5 to 8 LPA. As you gain more experience and skill sets, your value increases. For instance, experienced professionals can earn over INR 50 LPA as well!
What is the AI Engineer Salary in India? – By Experience
Here’s a tabular breakdown of how the average salary of an AI engineer in India increases based on experience.
| Number of years of experience | Average Salary |
| 0-2 years | INR 5-8 LPA |
| 2-5 years | INR 8-20 LPA |
| 5-10 years | INR 20-40 LPA |
| >10 years | INR 40-60 LPA |
As you move into more leadership or management-based roles, you can expect your salary to grow accordingly. However, understand that these require additional skill sets, along with your usual technical skills.
What is the AI Engineer Salary in India? – By Industry
Some industries, like fintech, e-commerce, healthcare, etc., are actively looking to hire AI engineers. So, their salary packages are comparatively higher. Note that the figures below are averages and may vary with individual companies.
| Industry | Average Salary |
| IT/Software | INR 6-35 LPA |
| EdTech | INR 6-20 LPA |
| Finance and Banking | INR 8-30 LPA |
| Automotive | INR 8-30 LPA |
| Healthcare | INR 7-25 LPA |
| E-commerce | INR 10-40 LPA |
What is the AI Engineer Salary in India? – By Location
Some cities have a higher concentration of startups and head offices, like Bangalore, for example. Other cities, like Mumbai, are more focused on services and global connections. Thus, where you’re based contributes significantly to your average salary package as an AI engineer. Here’s how:
| Location | Average Salary |
| Bangalore | INR 10-40 LPA |
| Mumbai | INR 8-28 LPA |
| Hyderabad | INR 8-30 LPA |
| Chennai | INR 6-18 LPA |
| Pune | INR 7-25 LPA |
| Delhi NCR | INR 6-20 LPA |
What is the AI Engineer Salary in India? – At Top Companies
Every AI or ML engineer wishes to work at the top global companies of today’s tech scene. Hence, it is inadvertent that we consider them when discussing the question ‘What is the AI Engineer Salary in India?’. Take a look at the table below for a deeper analysis:
| Company | Experience | Average Salary |
| 1-6 years | INR 38.5 LPA | |
| IBM | 1-9 years | INR 26.7 LPA |
| Deloitte | 2-6 years | INR 18.8 LPA |
| Accenture | 3 years | INR 10.1 LPA |
| Wipro | 3 years | INR 9.8 LPA |
| Infosys | 3 years | INR 7.8 LPA |
| TCS | 0-4 years | INR 7.4 LPA |
| LTIMindtree | 0-6 years | INR 9.4 LPA |
| American Broadcasting Company | 4-5 years | INR 25.4 LPA |
| Tata Elxsi | 1-2 years | INR 5.8 LPA |
Factors Influencing an AI Engineer’s Salary in India
As mentioned above, multiple aspects can deviate your salary from the average numbers, both for the better and the worse. Listed below are some of these key influencers:
1.Education: Educational background matters the most. The college or university you graduated from, whether or not you have a master’s degree, and your overall GPA are some of the first few things that recruiters look at.
2.Technical Skills: Most companies conduct multiple rounds of hiring, from technical rounds to interviews. The skills you display during this process will account for a lot.
3.Projects: Companies often expect their candidates to have indulged in multiple projects and built a strong portfolio. What AI deployments you present can potentially make or break your hiring.
4.Certifications: Candidates need to stay updated on their skills by obtaining certifications and completing other courses.
5.Soft skills: Skills like team collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and adaptability are also quite important, along with technical skills.
How to Get a Good AI Engineer Salary in India?
Once we’ve moved past ‘what is the AI engineer salary in India?’, let’s look at ‘How to get a good AI engineer salary?’ The most important of all is to stay on top of the current tech scene. The field of AI is so rapidly transforming that you must continue learning new skills. These are a few that can help:
>>Python, R, and C++ proficiency
>>TensorFlow, Keras, and PyTorch frameworks
>>Statistics and mathematics
>>ML algorithms
>>Deployment skills with AWS, Azure, or GCP
>>MLOps, like AWS SageMaker and MLflow
>>Data Engineering, like SQL and Spark
>>CI/CD pipelines
>>Real-time data and stream processing
If you’re unsure about where to start, you can begin by building a GitHub portfolio. Then, contribute to open-source AI projects. To learn more, you can attend AI conferences and workshops. Explore Kaggle competitions and learn more about AI ethics and explainability models. Simultaneously, you can maintain a blog or publish your research papers online to keep a record of your progress and complement your portfolio.
Lastly, at the time of hiring, don’t forget to negotiate! Knowing your value is the first step to getting the salary you want!
Similar Jobs and Their Starting Salaries
| Job Profile | Average Starting Salary |
| Machine Learning Engineer | INR 10 LPA |
| Software Engineer | INR 9 LPA |
| Data Engineer | INR 9 LPA |
| Data Scientist | INR 9 LPA |
Takshashila University: The Best State Private University in Tamil Nadu
The biggest part of acquiring a good package depends on your educational background. Your technical skills are rigorously tested, your theoretical knowledge is assessed, and your grades are also reviewed. But with Takshashila University, you no longer need to worry about these aspects. We ensure that you’re trained well and have a strong background and portfolio to present at the time of your hiring.
When these factors are eased, you can rest assured about getting a good package. The worry of ‘What is the AI engineer salary in India?’ is resolved, and you can aim higher..Join the Takshashila community! Follow @TakshashilaCollege.
Related: Learn more about: Why BTech Information Technology?
Conclusion
In conclusion, there isn’t one fixed answer to ‘What is the AI engineer salary in India?’ It differs based on experience, technical expertise, your portfolio, and the industry you choose. By improving your skills, experimenting with real-world projects, building a strong portfolio, and staying updated with new tech, you can change your career trajectory and acquire high-paying jobs!
FAQs
Q1. What is the AI engineer’s salary in India?
Ans: The average salary of an AI engineer in India is between INR 16.4 and 18.2 LPA.
Q2. Is AI a high-paying job?
Ans: Since the field of AI is quickly gaining traction, all AI-related jobs are in high demand. More job roles are opening routinely, and the average pay is also increasing. In fact, companies are willing to pay way more than average for good candidates.
Q3. Is being an AI engineer difficult?
Ans: AI engineers have to routinely combine the theoretical and practical knowledge of several disciplines and find solutions. They also rely on complex math, advanced programming, continuous learning and big data for everyday functions. Also, as the field is constantly evolving, they must stay on top of the developments. Thus, AI engineering can be deemed to be a challenging field.
Q4. Can an AI engineer earn 1 crore annually?
Ans: The annual package depends on seniority, experience, skill, location, company, and soft skills like leadership and collaboration. Senior AI engineers with a lot of experience and jobs at top global companies might get the opportunity to earn an annual package of around a crore.
Q5. What is the salary of an AI engineer from IIT?
Ans: An AI engineer from IIT can expect to earn around INR 12 to 20 LPA, and with some experience, INR 25 to 45 LPA.
