Design and test new machine-learning methods, then publish or ship the ideas that prove out.
Universities, corporate labs, and tech companies
Full-time, often flexible
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Master's degree
Training path: Master's or doctoral degree.
No license required to start in most places.
Among the most competitive tech roles, and it usually takes graduate study in math and machine learning to break in.
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Standard Occupational Classification 15-1221. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.