AI skills can boost your salary by $18,000: Report
If you've got artificial intelligence (AI) skills on your resume, you could be earning a lot more this year.
A Lightcast study of over a billion job postings found that roles needing AI skills pay about 28% higher—roughly $18,000 extra each year.
If you know two or more AI skills, the pay bump can reach up to 43%.
Industries like marketing, finance, human resources, and education are especially on board.
Companies are increasingly prioritizing AI know-how
The 2025 AI Jobs Barometer from PwC reports that wages for people with AI skills are now up to 56% higher than those without.
Foote Partners also found practical AI know-how brings a 19-23% salary boost—much more than just having certifications.
These jumps show how quickly companies across all fields are making AI expertise a must-have.
Prompt engineering, critical thinking now in demand
This surge in pay reflects a shift toward hiring for real-world problem-solving—think prompt engineering and critical thinking—not just tech degrees.
But many non-tech workers haven't caught up yet, which is widening the wage gap.
In short: learning some solid AI skills could open doors and give you an edge in today's job market.