While young workers are struggling in the broader job market, they are thriving in some AI-related jobs.
In a study released Tuesday, LinkedIn identified the top 12 fastest-growing AI jobs based on an analysis of the platform’s data, including the gender, education, and age of those hired. This study defines AI jobs as “AI engineering and technology construction roles.”
“There’s a big perception in the labor market right now that Gen Zers have a very difficult time finding jobs,” said Cory Kantenga, head of economics for the Americas at LinkedIn. That story is not wrong. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in June was 7.2% for young workers ages 22 to 27 and 5.7% for recent college graduates in the same age group, compared to 4.1% for all workers.
But one of the key findings of the LinkedIn report is that younger workers are particularly benefiting from the expanding AI job market. “It was amazing to see them leveraging the AI labor market in such a powerful way,” Kantenga said.
According to the study, Gen Z workers make up more than two-thirds of employers in two in-demand individual contributor roles: forward deployment engineers and AI engineers, with average annual salaries of $199,000 and $166,000, respectively. 60% of new AI Director hires are Millennials, with a median salary of $236,000.
According to LinkedIn, AI job openings are on the rise. According to a LinkedIn representative, the number of AI jobs on the site increased by 14% between 2023 and 2024, and then by 156% between 2024 and 2025, although the company declined to release exact numbers.
Mr Kantenga said some young workers had been able to “take advantage of this moment” to secure higher salaries and “reach leadership positions”, and encouraged new graduates to “take advantage of these opportunities” to “prepare for any changes ahead”.
AI jobs offer competitive salaries
In the second quarter of 2026, workers ages 25 to 34 earned a median annual salary of $60,320, while workers ages 35 to 44 earned a median annual salary of $74,672, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Salaries vary widely by AI job, but an analysis of LinkedIn job salary data shows that the median salary for a typical AI role is $177,000, more than double the median salary of $80,000 for a non-AI role.
“There is so much money being invested in AI right now that companies are having to significantly increase their salary offers to attract talent,” Kantenga says.
Another reason these jobs pay more is because they tend to require more education, Kantenga said. 91% of workers in AI roles have a bachelor’s degree or higher, with the average educational level increasing for more senior roles. Almost half of employees hired to lead AI have a graduate degree and 20% have a Ph.D.
Kantenga predicts that the AI job market “will drive up wages” for some highly educated professionals with degrees related to AI roles.
However, there is also the possibility that wage inequality will widen. If workers without relevant degrees or higher education are excluded from high-paying AI jobs, “the wage gap will widen,” Kantenga said.
women don’t have the same benefits
According to Kantenga, women have not benefited as much from the growth of the AI job market as men. According to LinkedIn data, in 2025, only 26% of new AI jobs were filled by women, compared to 50% of non-AI jobs.
One-fifth of hires as heads of AI are women, 26% of hires as directors of AI, and just 18% of hires as members of technical staff (MOTS), which are the three highest-paying AI roles. The only role in which women are hired as often as men is as a data annotator. This is the lowest paying AI job on LinkedIn’s list, with an average salary of $51,000.
According to a February 2025 study by leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds, only 10% of CEO and top technology roles in AI organizations are held by women.
In short, Kantenga said, “women are underrepresented at all levels of seniority” in AI companies.
How to get a job in AI
For students and young workers looking to enter the field, Kantenga’s top recommendation is to earn a degree in computer science. Despite the challenges that computer science graduates have faced in the job market in recent years, he still believes this is the “ticket” to landing an entry-level AI role.
According to the latest available data released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the unemployment rate for recent computer science graduates has risen to 7% in 2024, higher than the unemployment rate for recent graduates overall. However, computer science majors are expected to earn a starting salary of $81,535, the highest of any major among the Class of 2026, according to a report from the National Association of University Employers.
Beyond education, “make sure you have experience working with data,” says Kantenga. Having a “theoretical background” in data engineering is not enough. These AI roles require “knowing how to effectively prepare and use data.”
If you have limited real-world experience, Kantenga recommends working on an AI side project to build your portfolio and showcase “what you’re passionate about.”
According to Kantenga, not all young workers feel positive about AI. Many people have mixed feelings about how AI will affect future employment prospects, and not all young workers are interested in AI jobs.
“Some of them feel very positive about it. This is a career opportunity,” he says. “Some of them are worried about whether they’ll be able to replace me.”
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