OpenAI's hiring spree continues, with salaries hitting the stratosphere
Despite talk of a hiring slowdown, OpenAI kept recruiting international talent in late 2025—adding over 60 overseas hires and pushing its team past 4,000 people.
Even with the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee, they're still paying some of the highest salaries in tech.
Research scientists top the charts
Research Scientists top the charts with $245K-$685K salaries.
Hardware Engineers and Data Science staff aren't far behind, with pay stretching up to $555K and $405K.
Even non-coding roles like Product Managers can make over $300K.
And that's just base pay—employees reportedly get around $1.5 million a year when you count stock awards.
AI skills are in huge demand globally
It's a clear sign: AI skills are in huge demand globally, and companies like OpenAI will pay whatever it takes to get the best people—even when they say they're slowing down hiring.
If you're eyeing an AI career, these numbers show just how competitive (and rewarding) it can be right now.