I've been tracking the AI job market closely, and after reading a comprehensive salary breakdown on the Testleaf blog, I realized there's a massive opportunity happening right now that many developers are missing.
The Numbers Are Wild
Here's the reality in 2026:
Freshers (0-2 years): ₹5-9 LPA
Mid-level (3-5 years): ₹12-22 LPA
Senior (6-10 years): ₹25-45 LPA
Lead/Principal (10+ years): ₹50-80 LPA
What caught my attention? Senior engineers working remotely for US firms are pulling ₹60-80 LPA. That's not a typo—those are actual numbers from the market right now.
Location Still Matters (But Less Than Before)
City-wise breakdown:
Bengaluru: ₹15-40 LPA
Hyderabad: ₹12-32 LPA
Pune/Mumbai: ₹10-30 LPA
Chennai/Coimbatore: ₹9-25 LPA
Delhi NCR: ₹10-28 LPA
Bengaluru still leads, but tier-2 cities are catching up fast as companies decentralize. Remote work is leveling the playing field significantly.
The Skills That Actually Pay
Not all AI skills are created equal. Here's what drives the biggest salary jumps according to that Testleaf analysis:
Generative AI (LLMs, LangChain): +35% salary boost
Python + TensorFlow + PyTorch: +25%
MLOps (AWS SageMaker, MLflow): +20%
AI in Testing & Automation: +30%
Data Engineering (SQL, Spark): +15%
That last point about AI in testing was eye-opening for me.
The Testing Connection Nobody Talks About
Here's something fascinating: modern QA teams are now using AI-powered models to detect flaky tests, predict defect patterns, and even auto-generate test data. Some tools using AI in software testing can self-heal test scripts when UI elements change—cutting manual maintenance by over 50%.
This has created a completely new career vertical: AI Testing Engineers. People transitioning from Selenium or Playwright into AI-powered testing are commanding ₹12-22 LPA after upskilling.
If you're already doing test automation, adding AI capabilities to your skillset can dramatically accelerate your salary growth. The demand is real, and the supply of qualified professionals is still catching up.
What Surprised Me Most
Three things stood out from that salary guide:
- The Growth Trajectory A dedicated AI/ML engineer can go from ₹7 LPA to ₹30 LPA+ in just five years. That's not typical in most tech domains.
- Domain Matters More Than Company Size Fintech and healthcare AI roles pay 1.5× more than service-based companies. Choosing your industry carefully can have as much impact as years of experience.
- Projects Trump Certifications While certifications help, proven project portfolios influence pay hikes more significantly. Employers want to see working models and deployed solutions, not just course completion badges.
The Career Roadmap
From what I gathered (and this aligns with the Testleaf blog's - AI & ML Engineer Salary in India 2026):
Years 0-2: Master fundamentals—Python, statistics, ML basics. Build small projects or contribute to Kaggle competitions.
Years 3-6: Specialize in NLP, computer vision, or MLOps. This is where salary growth accelerates.
Years 7+: Lead teams, architect AI systems, or consult across multiple products. This is the ₹30-50 LPA zone.
The 2026 Outlook
India is expected to host over 1 million AI/ML job roles by 2026, with 15-20% year-on-year salary growth projected. The rise of GenAI and enterprise automation is pushing demand through the roof.
Engineers who can blend data engineering, model deployment, and AI-driven testing are positioned at the forefront of this wave.
My Take
After diving into these numbers and reflecting on the comprehensive Testleaf analysis, I'm convinced: 2026 is a pivotal year for AI careers in India.
If you're in QA or automation, exploring AI in testing could be your fastest path to a significant salary jump. If you're starting fresh, now's the time to build projects and get into the market.
The opportunities are expanding faster than the talent supply. That gap won't last forever.
What's your experience with AI career growth? Are you seeing similar salary trends in your network? Drop your thoughts below.
This post draws insights from the detailed AI/ML salary guide on the Testleaf blog. Numbers and trends reflect their 2026 market analysis combined with my perspective on the opportunities ahead.Retry
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