Writes example answers, ranks chatbot responses and labels data so that large language models learn to give accurate, helpful and safe replies. BLS does not publish separate figures for proofreaders and copy markers; it counts them within proofreader and copy marker (SOC 43-9081), whose median pay is $51,120 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 43-9081
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
AI Data Trainer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $51,120a year, or $24.58/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $79K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -0.9%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−0.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −0.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,1008,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20258.5K
- Projected 20358.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 8.5K Projected 2035 8.5K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school11.2%
- Certificate6.2%
- Some college12%
- Associate's23.2%
- Bachelor's47.3%
Highest education held by proofreaders and copy markers Segment Value High school 11.2% Certificate 6.2% Some college 12% Associate's 23.2% Bachelor's 47.3%
Also advertised as: RLHF Specialist, AI Trainer, AI Tutor, Generative AI Writing Evaluator, Data Annotation Specialist.
Pay
How much do Proofreaders and Copy Markers make?
Every ai data trainer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$51,120
Middle half earn $41,170 to $62,390
- 10th
- $34,510
- 25th
- $41,170
- 75th
- $62,390
- 90th
- $79,290
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,510 |
| 25th | $41,170 |
| Median | $51,120 |
| 75th | $62,390 |
| 90th | $79,290 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $51,120
- Median hourly wage
- $24.58/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $54,800
- People employed
- 4,580
Versus all US occupations
At $51,120, the median for Proofreaders and Copy Markers sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 4% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $79,290 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,510, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 23% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $68,120, and still leads at $61,983 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Proofreaders and Copy Markers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $68,120 | $61,983 | 50 |
| 2New York | $59,740 | $55,355 | 1,030 |
| 3California | $57,490 | $51,924 | 300 |
| 4Massachusetts | $57,160 | $54,048 | 190 |
| 5New Jersey | $56,700 | $52,112 | 160 |
| 6Ohio | $55,560 | $59,887 | 100 |
| 7Maryland | $53,920 | $51,372 | N/A |
| 8Washington | $53,890 | $50,358 | 60 |
| 9Missouri | $52,920 | $58,271 | 110 |
| 10Kansas | $51,160 | $56,802 | 90 |
Job outlook
Is AI Data Trainer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -0.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Proofreaders and Copy Markers | −0.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Proofreaders and Copy Markers to change -0.9% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,100 openings are projected each year, 12.9% of the 8,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an AI Data Trainer
There is no single required credential. Generalist roles look for excellent written English, careful reading and the ability to follow long style guides. Specialist roles usually want a bachelor's degree or higher in the subject, and coding roles test programming skill directly. Most people join through AI data companies and contractor platforms that run an online assessment before giving access to paid work.
The paper that popularized the method, OpenAI's InstructGPT research, describes how human labelers wrote demonstrations and ranked outputs, which is still the core of the job. Trainers who score well on quality reviews are often promoted to reviewer, team lead or project manager roles, and some move into full-time positions on AI company data or evaluation teams.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as proofreaders and copy markers.
- Bachelor's Degree47.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree23.2%
- Some College Courses12%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)11.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate6.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 47.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 23.2% |
| Some College Courses | 12% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 11.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 6.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an AI Data Trainer do?
AI data trainers produce the human feedback that modern chatbots learn from. A typical task shows two or more answers a model gave to the same prompt and asks the trainer to rank them, explain which is better and why, and flag anything false, unsafe or off topic. Other tasks ask trainers to write an ideal answer from scratch, break a hard problem into steps, or try to trick the model into making mistakes.
This process is called reinforcement learning from human feedback, and the rankings feed directly into how a model is tuned. Generalist trainers handle everyday writing and reasoning, while specialist trainers bring a field such as coding, medicine, law, chemistry or a second language and check answers in that field. Accuracy, consistency with detailed guidelines and clear written explanations matter more than speed.
Day-to-day tasks
- Rank multiple model responses to the same prompt against written guidelines
- Write model-quality example answers for training datasets
- Fact-check claims made in model outputs
- Explain in writing why one response is better than another
- Write tricky prompts that expose weaknesses in a model
- Label text, code or images by category, quality or safety risk
- Review other trainers' work for accuracy and consistency
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Nearly all of this work is remote and done at a computer through a task platform. Much of it is contract or freelance, with hours that can swing from busy to empty as projects open and close. Full-time employee roles exist at some AI labs and data vendors. The work is quiet and detail-heavy, and some projects involve reading disturbing content in order to label it.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.3
- Writing3.6
- Speaking3.3
- Active Listening3.1
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring2.9
- Active Learning2.5
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.3 |
| Writing | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management2.8
- Judgment and Decision Making2.5
- Complex Problem Solving2.4
- Quality Control Analysis2.4
- Social Perceptiveness2.3
- Coordination2.3
- Systems Analysis2.0
- Systems Evaluation2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.4 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.3 |
| Coordination | 2.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 2.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Sales and marketing software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video creation and editing software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an AI Data Trainer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CIA) built on O*NET's Proofreader and Copy Marker profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | AI Data Trainer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
- Conventional6.2
- Artistic4.0
- Investigative3.4
- Social2.2
- Enterprising1.5
- Realistic1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to AI Data Trainer
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Office and Administrative Support
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with proofreaders and copy markers highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- AI Data Trainer$51,120
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| AI Data Trainer | $51,120 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists AI Data Trainer appears on
Questions
AI Data Trainer: frequently asked questions
How much do Proofreaders and Copy Markers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for proofreaders and copy markers. It counts them within proofreader and copy marker, whose median pay is $51,120 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $41,170 and $62,390, and the top 10% earn $79,290 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an AI Data Trainer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Proofreaders and Copy Markers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is AI Data Trainer a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.9% over 2025–2035, a loss of 100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an AI Data Trainer do?
AI data trainers produce the human feedback that modern chatbots learn from. A typical task: rank multiple model responses to the same prompt against written guidelines. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software, Document management software.
Which states pay Proofreaders and Copy Markers the most?
The highest state medians for Proofreaders and Copy Markers are District of Columbia ($68,120), New York ($59,740), California ($57,490) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an AI Data Trainer?
O*NET scores Proofreaders and Copy Markers highest on the Conventional, Artistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ISTJ, INTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.