Key findings
- 1
Of the 3,166 open AI training roles that quote a pay figure, 95.8% quote it by the hour; 49 per task, 30 as a fixed project price and 6 as an annual salary, and 47 give a figure with no unit.
- 2
99.9% of roles quoting a figure quote US dollars; the 4 others (EUR and INR) are quoted per year and hour.
- 3
36.9% of roles quoting a figure give a range, 43.8% a single figure and 19.2% only a ceiling ('up to').
- 5
Only 3.2% of the 3,260 roles with a full description state a payout schedule (84 weekly), and 3.3% name a payout service: Stripe (85), PayPal (14), Bank transfer or direct deposit (7) and Payoneer (1).
- 6
5.5% of described roles say pay is per task or other output, and 118 of those also advertise an hourly rate.
- 7
3.6% of described roles mention a bonus or incentive, and 2.2% a paid assessment, pilot, interview or onboarding.
- 8
The 49 roles quoting a per-task rate pay a median $30 a task ($0 to $1,500), mostly in Law, Medicine & Finance and Transcription, Audio & Speech.
Figure 1
How AI training pay is quoted
Is AI training work paid by the hour, by the task, by the project or by salary?
| Pay quoted | Open roles | Share of roles quoting a figure |
|---|---|---|
| By the hour | 3,034 | 95.8% |
| Per task | 49 | 1.5% |
| Fixed price for the project | 30 | 0.9% |
| Annual salary | 6 | 0.2% |
| A figure with no unit | 47 | 1.5% |
| No pay stated | 502 | n/a |
Sample. 3,668 roles open at the end of 17 Oct 2026; 3,166 quote a pay figure in their compensation text.
Read from the compensation text each posting publishes. The unit is the first one the text names ('/hr', 'per task', 'fixed', 'per year'); a text with a figure and no unit ('$400') counts as a figure with no unit.
'Fixed' is a fixed price for the whole job, as Braintrust's board states it. How often roles state an hourly rate, and what the rates are, is in the pay transparency report.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 2
The currency pay is quoted in
Is AI training pay quoted in US dollars, and which roles quote another currency?
| Currency | Roles quoting it | Share of roles quoting a figure | Units quoted |
|---|---|---|---|
| US dollar (USD) | 3,162 | 99.9% | hour (3,033), task (49), no unit (47), project (30), year (3) |
| Euro (EUR) | 2 | 0.1% | hour (1), year (1) |
| Indian rupee (INR) | 2 | 0.1% | year (2) |
Sample. 3,166 roles open at the end of 17 Oct 2026 that quote a pay figure.
A '$' is read as US dollars, the currency the boards publish it in; a currency code ('EUR 31850 per year') is read as written. Figures in other currencies are never converted or counted as US dollar rates.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 3
Range, single figure or 'up to', by platform
Which platforms quote a pay range, a single rate or only a ceiling?
| Platform | Range | Single figure | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| All platforms | 36.9% | 43.8% | 19.2% |
| Invisible | 32.2% | 67.6% | 0.0% |
| Alignerr | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| SuperAnnotate (SME) | 0.5% | 0.0% | 99.5% |
| Mindrift | 0.0% | 85.2% | 14.8% |
| micro1 | 97.5% | 2.5% | 0.0% |
| Welo Data | 3.8% | 96.2% | 0.0% |
| Mercor | 81.5% | 18.5% | 0.0% |
| AfterQuery | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Turing | 5.3% | 78.9% | 13.2% |
| Handshake AI | 7.1% | 0.0% | 92.9% |
| Anyone AI | 25.0% | 75.0% | 0.0% |
| Braintrust | 43.7% | 56.3% | 0.0% |
| Perle LabsSmall sample | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| TransPerfect DataForce | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Claru | 33.3% | 66.7% | 0.0% |
| Appen | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Babel Audio | 46.5% | 7.0% | 46.5% |
| OpenTrain AI | 58.5% | 41.5% | 0.0% |
| RemoExperts | 74.3% | 22.9% | 2.9% |
| OneFormaSmall sample | 20.0% | 80.0% | 0.0% |
| Terac | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Sovrano AI | 90.0% | 10.0% | 0.0% |
| Vetto | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| xAI (SpaceXAI) | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pasiflora AISmall sample | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Outlier (Scale AI)Small sample | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Pila8Small sample | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| RemotasksSmall sample | 50.0% | 0.0% | 50.0% |
Sample. 3,166 roles open at the end of 17 Oct 2026 that quote a pay figure, by the platform that lists them; shares are of each platform's roles quoting a figure.
Range: two different figures ('$40 to $75/hr'). Single figure: one ('$65 per hour', or a range whose ends are equal). Up to: only a ceiling ('up to $31/hr'), so what most workers earn is not stated. From: only a floor ('$30+/hr').
Platforms whose roles quote no figure are left out of the rows and counted in 'All platforms'.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 4
The engagement types job boards state
Is AI training work offered as contract, freelance, part-time or full-time work?
| Engagement type stated | Open roles | Share of open roles |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance or independent contractor | 309 | 8.4% |
| Contract | 1,350 | 36.8% |
| Hourly | 168 | 4.6% |
| Task-based | 29 | 0.8% |
| Part-time | 543 | 14.8% |
| Full-time | 76 | 2.1% |
| Not stated | 1,193 | 32.5% |
Sample. 3,668 roles open at the end of 17 Oct 2026; 2,475 carry an employment type in their board's own field.
Read from the employment-type field each board publishes, normalised: 'Freelance-Remote' and 'Independent Contractor - Project Based' are freelance, 'FullTime' and 'Full Time' are full-time. A field naming no engagement type ('Remote') counts as not stated.
Mercor's board states hourly, task-based, part-time or full-time: a pay basis or a commitment, not a contract form. Full-time can be a full-time contract or employment. Description mentions of contractor or full-time terms are in the requirements report.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 5
Engagement type by platform
Which platforms offer contract or freelance work, and which state hours or employment?
| Platform | Main type stated | Its share of roles stating a type | Roles stating a type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invisible | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
| Alignerr | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
| SuperAnnotate (SME) | Contract | 95.5% | 100.0% |
| Mindrift | Part-time | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| micro1 | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Welo Data | Freelance or independent contractor | 78.3% | 70.6% |
| Mercor | Hourly | 73.4% | 100.0% |
| AfterQuery | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Turing | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Handshake AI | Part-time | 95.9% | 100.0% |
| Anyone AI | Contract | 58.9% | 96.9% |
| Sigma AI | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
| Braintrust | Freelance or independent contractor | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Perle Labs | Contract | 100.0% | 88.1% |
| TransPerfect DataForce | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
| Claru | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Appen | Freelance or independent contractor | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Babel Audio | Freelance or independent contractor | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| OpenTrain AI | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| RemoExperts | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| OneForma | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Terac | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Sovrano AI | Part-time | 95.0% | 100.0% |
| Vetto | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
| xAI (SpaceXAI) | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
| Pasiflora AISmall sample | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Outlier (Scale AI)Small sample | Contract | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Pila8Small sample | Freelance or independent contractor | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| RemotasksSmall sample | Not stated | n/a | 0.0% |
Sample. 3,668 roles open at the end of 17 Oct 2026, by the platform that lists them (listings, not hires).
A platform whose board has no employment-type field shows 'Not stated' for every role, whatever its descriptions say.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 6
How often and through what workers are paid
Do AI training roles say when and how they pay out?
| Term stated | Roles stating it | Share of roles read |
|---|---|---|
| Any payout schedule stated | 103 | 3.2% |
| Paid weekly | 84 | 2.6% |
| Paid every two weeks | 1 | 0.0% |
| Paid monthly | 1 | 0.0% |
| Paid on completion or approval | 17 | 0.5% |
| Paid per milestone | 0 | 0.0% |
| Any payout service named | 107 | 3.3% |
| Paid through Stripe | 85 | 2.6% |
| Paid through PayPal | 14 | 0.4% |
| Paid through Deel | 0 | 0.0% |
| Paid through Wise | 0 | 0.0% |
| Paid through Payoneer | 1 | 0.0% |
| Paid through Airtm | 0 | 0.0% |
| Bank transfer or direct deposit | 7 | 0.2% |
Sample. 3,260 roles open on 17 Oct 2026 whose job board publishes a full description (AfterQuery, Anyone AI, Appen, Babel Audio, Braintrust, Claru, Handshake AI, Invisible, Mercor, micro1, Mindrift, OneForma, OpenTrain AI, Outlier (Scale AI), Pasiflora AI, Perle Labs, Pila8, RemoExperts, Remotasks, Sigma AI, Sovrano AI, SuperAnnotate (SME), Terac, TransPerfect DataForce, Turing, Vetto, Welo Data and xAI (SpaceXAI)), 88.9% of all open roles.
A schedule counts only when the description ties it to pay ('paid weekly via Stripe', 'weekly pay'); a 'weekly sync' or a 'weekly commitment' does not. A service counts only beside a pay word ('paid via', 'payouts through'): a PayPal account asked for as data to share does not.
Every row is listed, also at zero, so a service no description names reads as none.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 7
Conditions and extras of pay
Is AI training pay tied to finished tasks, and do roles offer bonuses or paid screening?
| Term stated | Roles stating it | Share of roles read |
|---|---|---|
| Paid per task or other output | 178 | 5.5% |
| Of them, also advertising an hourly rate | 118 | 3.6% |
| A bonus or incentive (any) | 118 | 3.6% |
| Performance or quality bonus | 91 | 2.8% |
| Referral bonus | 13 | 0.4% |
| Sign-on bonus | 2 | 0.1% |
| Incentive or surge pay | 15 | 0.5% |
| A paid assessment, pilot, interview or onboarding | 72 | 2.2% |
| An unpaid assessment or trial | 0 | 0.0% |
| An 'up to' pay figure | 92 | 2.8% |
Sample. 3,260 roles open on 17 Oct 2026 whose job board publishes a full description (AfterQuery, Anyone AI, Appen, Babel Audio, Braintrust, Claru, Handshake AI, Invisible, Mercor, micro1, Mindrift, OneForma, OpenTrain AI, Outlier (Scale AI), Pasiflora AI, Perle Labs, Pila8, RemoExperts, Remotasks, Sigma AI, Sovrano AI, SuperAnnotate (SME), Terac, TransPerfect DataForce, Turing, Vetto, Welo Data and xAI (SpaceXAI)), 88.9% of all open roles.
Paid per task or other output: the description says pay is per task, submission or asset (usually one that is approved, accepted or meets the project's specifications), or that compensation is output- or task-based. Such roles may still advertise an hourly figure, as an estimate of what the tasks pay.
A bonus counts when the description offers one (a referral, quality, milestone, speed or sign-on bonus, performance incentives, surge pay); 'a second language is a bonus' does not. 'No unpaid assessment' is not counted as an unpaid assessment.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
Figure 8
Per-task rates
What does a task pay when AI training work is paid per task?
| Kind of work | Roles quoting a per-task rate | Median per task | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| All kinds of work | 49 | $30 | $0 to $1,500 |
| Law, Medicine & Finance | 21 | $150 | $30 to $1,500 |
| Transcription, Audio & Speech | 17 | $1 | $0 to $2 |
| Coding & Software EvaluationSmall sample | 3 | n/a | $30 to $300 |
| Red-Teaming & AI SafetySmall sample | 2 | n/a | $20 to $40 |
| Math & STEMSmall sample | 2 | n/a | $100 to $300 |
| Agentic Tasks & RL EnvironmentsSmall sample | 1 | n/a | $280 |
| Data Annotation & LabelingSmall sample | 1 | n/a | $350 |
| Research Studies & SurveysSmall sample | 1 | n/a | $30 |
| AI Evaluation & Rating (RLHF)Small sample | 1 | n/a | $1,350 |
Sample. 49 roles open at the end of 17 Oct 2026 whose compensation text quotes a US dollar rate per task.
Each role counts once, at the middle of its range. Medians need at least 8 roles; 'up to' figures are left out.
A task can take minutes or a working day: the descriptions of these roles estimate from under an hour to more than ten hours a task, so a per-task rate is not comparable with an hourly one.
Source. AITraining.jobs Research, How AI Training Work Is Paid, live data.
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Method and definitions
The public job boards of the AI training platforms this site tracks, read every day: each open role's compensation text and employment type, and the full description of every open role whose board publishes one. Every figure is computed by one database query over the window shown, the same query for the live report and for every edition. Each figure states its sample beneath it.
- Pay unit
- Read from the compensation text a posting publishes: the first unit it names ('/hr', 'per task', 'fixed', 'per year'). A figure with no unit ('$400') is counted as such, never assigned one. 'Fixed' is a fixed price for the whole job.
- Currency
- A '$' is read as US dollars, the currency the boards publish it in; a code ('EUR 31850 per year') is read as written. Other currencies are never converted.
- Range, single figure, up to, from
- A range gives two different figures; a single figure gives one (or a range whose ends are equal); 'up to' gives only a ceiling; 'from' only a floor.
- Engagement type
- The employment-type field a job board publishes, normalised: contract; freelance or independent contractor; hourly; task-based; part-time; full-time; direct hire. A field naming no engagement type ('Remote'), or no field, is not stated.
- Per-task rate
- A US dollar figure the compensation text quotes per task (the middle of a range). Medians need at least 8 roles; 'up to' figures are left out.
- Payout schedule and service
- Read from a full description only where tied to pay: 'paid weekly via Stripe' counts, a weekly sync or a PayPal account requested as data does not.
- Paid per task or other output
- The description says pay is per task, submission or asset (usually one approved, accepted or meeting the project's specifications), or that compensation is output- or task-based.
- Described roles
- Roles open at the end of the window whose job board publishes a full description. Each figure read from descriptions states how many roles and platforms that is.
- Open role
- A role listed by a given day and still in its platform's feed that day.
- Window
- Live: the last 28 complete days, in UTC. Edition: one calendar month, in UTC.
What this data cannot tell you
- Payment terms are read from the full descriptions a few platforms publish (about three in ten open roles), so they describe those platforms, not the whole market.
- A posting states pay as its board publishes it: what a worker is paid after tiers, rejected tasks or bonuses is not known, and an hourly figure on a role paid per task is an estimate.
- A description that does not mention a term counts as not stating it; platforms may pay weekly or through a service they do not name in the posting.
- Engagement types are what each board's own field says, and boards use the field differently (Mercor's states a pay basis or commitment rather than a contract form).
- Platforms that recruit without a public job board are not counted.
How the job feeds are read and roles are classified: site methodology. How fresh, complete and consistent the data is, checked every day: data quality and coverage.
Editions
The live report covers the last 28 complete days and changes every day. Each complete month is also published as an edition, frozen two days after the month ends, so a figure you cite from an edition never moves.
- Live dataLast 28 complete days, recomputed daily
Cite and reuse
Free to quote, chart and republish under CC BY 4.0 with a link to this page. Live figures change daily: cite a monthly edition for numbers that will read the same later, or keep the access date.
Citation
AITraining.jobs (2026). How AI Training Work Is Paid (live data, 20 Sep 2026 to 17 Oct 2026). https://www.aitraining.team/research/how-ai-training-work-is-paid (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
BibTeX
@misc{aitrainingjobs_how_ai_training_work_is_paid_live,
author = {{AITraining.jobs}},
title = {How AI Training Work Is Paid (live data, 20 Sep 2026 to 17 Oct 2026)},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.aitraining.team/research/how-ai-training-work-is-paid}},
note = {Accessed 18 Oct 2026},
}More research
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