AI Consulting Cost

A.Team rates: what senior AI engineers cost by region

A talent network that publishes contractor rates by role and region. A useful benchmark for augmenting a team; not a price for a finished result.

By The editors · Updated · 2 min read

Contents
  1. The published rate guide
  2. Published evidence
  3. Strengths and limits
  4. Pricing
  5. Questions to ask A.Team
  6. Sources
TypeTalent network
PricingPublished
Websitea.team

A.Team is a network of senior technology builders that publishes contractor rate data drawn from its engagements⁠1.

Best for: Companies that want to add senior AI engineers to their own team and need a benchmark for contractor rates by region.

Not the right fit for: Buyers who want a firm to own the outcome, or a fixed project price.

The published rate guide

Role, senior levelRegionHourly rate
AI engineerUS$130 to $200 (midpoint $165)
Data scientist or ML specialistUS$150 to $250
AI architectUS$200 to $240 or more
AI engineerEastern Europe$80 to $140
AI engineerLatin America$65 to $125

The rates are described as seller-quoted across recent and active engagements; the page does not say how many. For comparison, it shows annual pay for the same senior roles in North American metros from Levels.fyi data: total compensation of $250,000 to $450,000⁠1.

Published evidence

A.Team publishes no project results on its rate guide.

Strengths and limits

Strengths

  • Publishes rates by role and region, which helps a buyer test a proposal.
  • Separates contractor rates from the annual cost of hiring the same person, which it shows from Levels.fyi data.

Limits

  • Rates are seller-quoted, and the page does not say how many engagements they cover.
  • Only senior-level rates are given; there is no junior or principal breakdown.
  • No price for a whole project and no running-cost information.

Choose another option if: You want a defined result at a fixed price, rather than people to direct.

Pricing

Published rate guide (seller-quoted): US senior AI engineer $130 to $200 an hour; US data scientist or ML specialist $150 to $250; US AI architect $200 to $240 or more.

Questions to ask A.Team

  • What is the all-in hourly rate we would pay, including the platform's margin?
  • How many hours a week would each builder commit?
  • Who is accountable for the result if the work slips?

See how A.Team compares on price transparency in the main guide.

Sources

  1. AI engineer rates. A.Team, 3 Jun 2026. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.

Further reading