The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of data scientists to grow 35 percent from 2025 to 2035, and computer and information research scientists to grow 22 percent over the same period; the May 2025 median for data scientists was USD 120,230. In Canada, Job Bank reports CAD 46.15 per hour as the national median for data scientists and says a university degree is usually required. These are the closest official numbers to "AI jobs", because neither country's labor statistics track a single AI occupation.
Key takeaways
- BLS projects 35 percent growth for data scientists, about 95,400 added jobs from a 2025 base of 275,600, against an average of 3 percent for all occupations.
- BLS projects 22 percent growth for computer and information research scientists, a smaller field of about 38,600 jobs where a master's degree is typical.
- Statistics Canada found that employment grew from November 2022 to December 2025 regardless of how exposed an occupation was to AI.
- The same study found that coding-intensive jobs held by workers aged 15 to 29 were flat, while those held by workers aged 30 to 49 rose almost 30 percent.
- Projections describe expected demand, not guaranteed openings or pay for any individual.
Two official occupations that sit closest to AI work
Government agencies publish outlooks by occupation, and "AI engineer" is not one of the categories the sources below report on. Data scientists and computer and information research scientists are the closest published fits, and each is a broader group than AI work alone, so the numbers describe the neighborhood of the field.
| Measure | Data scientists (BLS) | Computer and information research scientists (BLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 35 percent | 22 percent |
| Jobs in 2025 | 275,600 | 38,600 |
| Projected change in jobs | about 95,400 | about 8,400 |
| Median pay, May 2025 | USD 120,230 per year | USD 140,300 per year |
| Average openings per year | about 24,800 | about 2,900 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree in a field such as statistics or computer science | Master's degree in computer science or a related field |
Both pages were last modified on August 27, 2026. BLS notes that most annual openings come from workers who leave the occupation, through retirement or a move to another field, and not only from new positions.
What BLS says the work involves
For data scientists, the Occupational Outlook Handbook describes using analytical tools and techniques to extract insights from data, building and testing algorithms and models, and presenting findings to technical and nontechnical audiences. Research scientists in the second group design new uses for computing technology, develop algorithms and programming languages, and run experiments. The handbook adds that computer scientists' expertise is expected to be needed to create new AI-related technologies. The BLS data scientists page is the primary record for the first group.
The Canadian picture
Job Bank, the federal government's labor-market site, lists data scientist as National Occupational Classification code 21211. Its summary page, modified on September 24, 2026, gives a national median wage of CAD 46.15 per hour and says a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree is usually required. It also states that job prospects vary by province or territory, so a national wage figure does not predict conditions in a specific city.
Statistics Canada's Economic and Social Reports published "Canadian employment trends in the era of generative artificial intelligence: Early evidence" on January 28, 2026, written by Tahsin Mehdi and Marc Frenette. It compares occupations by exposure to AI and by how well AI complements the work. Employment grew from November 2022 to December 2025 across the groups, and growth was relatively weak for younger and less educated employees. Among workers aged 15 to 29, coding-intensive jobs were about the same in December 2025 as in November 2022, while for workers aged 30 to 49 they were almost 30 percent higher. Job vacancies fell by almost 50 percent in the low-complementarity high-exposure and low-exposure groups between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the third quarter of 2025, and by about 30 percent in the high-exposure, high-complementarity group. The authors say it is unclear whether recent trends reflect the arrival of AI, and they name post-pandemic adjustment, rapid demographic change driven by immigration, and trade tensions with the United States as other possible explanations.
That study is the Statistics Canada analysis of AI exposure and employment.
Reading the numbers without overreading them
- A growth rate is a projection from a model, and BLS revises its projections every year.
- A fast percentage on a small base can mean few new positions, which is why the table shows job counts beside the rates.
- Median pay describes the middle of the occupation. Entry-level pay can differ, and Canadian and US dollars are not directly comparable.
- Occupation titles on job boards do not match statistical categories one for one.
- This article gives general labor-market information. It is not career or financial advice, and decisions about training or a job change belong with the person making them and a qualified adviser.
FAQ
Is there an official count of AI jobs?
None of the sources reviewed for this article reports a single AI occupation. BLS and Job Bank publish figures for broader occupations such as data scientists, which overlap with AI work.
Do AI jobs require a graduate degree?
It depends on the role. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for data scientists, though some employers prefer a master's or doctorate, and a master's degree as typical for computer and information research scientists.
Has generative AI reduced employment in Canada so far?
The Statistics Canada study found employment generally grew from November 2022 to December 2025 regardless of AI exposure. It also found weak growth for younger workers and says the cause is unclear, so it does not support a firm conclusion in either direction.
Where can current openings be checked?
Job Bank in Canada and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook in the United States give occupation-level outlooks. Individual postings appear on employers' own sites and general job boards, which this article does not review.
Related reading
- Whether AI will replace most jobs
- AI and white-collar work
- Canadian fintech employers using AI
- AI education and skills in India
More in AI Blog.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Data Scientists, Occupational Outlook Handbook, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, modified August 27, 2026
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, entry for Computer and Information Research Scientists, modified August 27, 2026
- Data Scientist (NOC 21211) summary, Job Bank, Government of Canada, modified September 24, 2026
- Mehdi T, Frenette M. Canadian employment trends in the era of generative artificial intelligence: Early evidence, Economic and Social Reports, Statistics Canada, January 28, 2026