Gen Z, Millennials Dominate AI Jobs Paying Up to $236,000 as Postings Jump 156%
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Aug 18
Gen Z, Millennials Dominate AI Jobs Paying Up to $236,000 as Postings Jump 156%
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 18
Summary
LinkedIn found Gen Z accounts for more than two-thirds of hires in forward deployed engineer and AI engineer roles, while millennials make up 60% of new head of AI hires.
Those jobs pay far above the broader market: median salaries reach $199,000 for forward deployed engineers, $166,000 for AI engineers and $236,000 for heads of AI, versus $177,000 for typical AI roles and $80,000 for non-AI roles.
Demand is accelerating fast, with AI job postings on LinkedIn rising 14% from 2023 to 2024 and then 156% from 2024 to 2025 as companies spend heavily to attract talent.
The boom stands out against a weak youth labor market: unemployment was 7.2% for workers ages 22 to 27 in June, compared with 4.1% for all workers.
LinkedIn said the gains are uneven because 91% of AI workers have at least a bachelor's degree and women made up only 26% of new AI hires in 2025, raising concerns about wider pay inequality.