Updated October 30, 2026

Data annotation jobs

We track 324 live data annotation roles on OpenTrain, Alignerr, micro1, Handshake AI and Mercor: labeling and annotating data, transcribing audio, and rating what AI models write. The median pays $35/hr, the middle half pay $23 to $70, 44% below the $63/hr median for all AI training work.

Looking for the company? DataAnnotation is one platform that hires for this work. Its projects sit behind a login, so they aren't in these counts; our profile covers how it pays and its public record.

Key findings

Data annotation pays a median $35/hr across 305 roles that list a range, 44% below the $63/hr median for all AI training work we track.
The task matters most: rating AI output roles have a median of $58/hr (196 roles), against $23/hr for transcription (77 roles).
81% of these roles name no degree or license, and they pay a median $30/hr. Roles that ask for one pay $69/hr.
137 of 324 roles (42%) are for speakers of a specific language, across 39 languages.
47 roles (15% of those with a range) pay a midpoint under $20/hr.

From 324 live listings on October 30, 2026. Pay is the midpoint of each listed hourly range; “up to” rates are left out. Comparisons need 10+ roles on each side. Methodology

Pay by type of annotation work

A role counts when its title names the task. A few name two tasks and count in both.

Data annotation pay by task
Task	Roles	Median	Middle half	Top
Labeling and annotation	32	$31/hr	$10-$40	$120
Transcription	78	$23/hr	$23-$25	$120
Rating AI output	214	$58/hr	$26-$90	$400

Labeling and annotation: Marking up raw data so a model can learn from it, such as tagging what's in an image or video, classifying text or marking errors.
Transcription: Writing down exactly what is said in audio recordings, often in a specific language, to train speech models.
Rating AI output: Judging a model's answers against written guidelines, such as which of two responses is better or whether an answer is correct and safe.

Best-paid data annotation roles open now

Roles with no degree required

81% of these listings name no degree or license. Here is how their pay compares with roles that ask for one.

Data annotation pay by credential asked for
Listing	Roles	Median	Middle half	Top
Names no degree or license	263	$30/hr	$23-$60	$400
Asks for a degree or license	61	$69/hr	$26-$119	$400

Pay by platform

Each platform pays and screens differently. Profiles cover payout timing and each company's public record.

Data annotation pay by platform
Platform	Roles	Median	Middle half	Top
OpenTrain	205	$48/hr	$25-$81	$400
Alignerr	76	$23/hr	$23-$26	$400
micro1	24	$25/hr	$16-$36	$100
Handshake AI (“up to” rates)	15	$30/hr	$25-$30	$40
Mercorsmall sample	4	$114/hr	$57-$173	$190

Hours and where you can work

All part-time or flexible. 100% of the 222 roles that state a commitment are part-time, hourly or task-based. Those that state hours ask for a median of 20 a week (139 roles).
Location limits. 134 roles state no country limit, 139 name specific countries, and 51 are open only in the United States. Each listing shows where it's open.
Languages. 137 roles are for speakers of a specific language (Japanese, Spanish, German, Chinese, Korean, Dutch, French, Estonian and more). All roles by language
Contract work. You're paid as an independent contractor, so nothing is withheld for tax. Taxes for AI trainers

All 324 live data annotation roles

Top payany

PhD roles324 roles

Disclosure: Mercor and micro1 pay us a referral bonus if someone we send gets hired. Neither program's rules deduct it from your pay, and roles are ranked by pay, never by bonus. How we make money

Questions people ask

Is data annotation legit?

As work, yes: we track 324 live data annotation roles on OpenTrain, Alignerr, micro1, Handshake AI and Mercor, paid by the hour. The risk is scams that borrow the name: the FTC's advice is never to pay anyone to get a job or to get paid. If you mean the company DataAnnotation: Yes. DataAnnotation pays through PayPal on request and publishes its starting rates by track. It's run by Surge Labs (Surge AI), and a May 2025 court complaint alleges workers are misclassified as contractors (allegations, not rulings). If you don't pass the starter assessment, you won't hear back.

What do you do in a data annotation job?

Three kinds of work, judging by the live listings. Labeling and annotation (32 roles) means marking up raw data so a model can learn from it, such as tagging what's in an image or video, classifying text or marking errors. Transcription (78 roles) means writing down exactly what is said in audio recordings, often in a specific language, to train speech models. Rating AI output (214 roles) means judging a model's answers against written guidelines, such as which of two responses is better or whether an answer is correct and safe.

How much do data annotation jobs pay?

The median live role pays $35 an hour, and the middle half pay $23 to $70. By task: labeling and annotation $31, transcription $23, rating AI output $58. Rates are what listings state, before tax; you're paid as a contractor.

Can I do data annotation with no experience?

Often. 81% of live data annotation roles name no degree or license, and those pay a median $30/hr. Many platforms test you before paid work. At DataAnnotation, for example: take the starter assessment. DataAnnotation emails you within a few days if you're approved, and projects show up in your dashboard.

Is data annotation worth it?

It depends on the task and what you bring. The median data annotation role pays $35/hr, against $63/hr across all AI training roles, and rating AI output pays the most of the three ($58/hr). 100% of roles that state a commitment are part-time, hourly or task-based.

Where can I find data annotation jobs?

Every live role we track is listed on this page, from OpenTrain, Alignerr, micro1, Handshake AI and Mercor. DataAnnotation's own projects aren't public, so they aren't here: projects live behind a login after a starter assessment.

How these numbers work: AI Training Pay reads the public listings of five AI training platforms every day and normalizes pay to an hourly rate. A role counts as data annotation when its title names labeling or annotation, transcription, or rating AI output; people who build annotation software are left out. Full methodology.

All AI training jobs, sorted by pay.
Is DataAnnotation legit? How it pays and what its public record shows.
AI training jobs with no experience.
Interviews and assessments, including DataAnnotation's starter assessment.
Scam check for a recruiter message you weren't expecting.

Data annotation jobs

Key findings

Pay by type of annotation work

Best-paid data annotation roles open now

Roles with no degree required

Pay by platform

Hours and where you can work

All 324 live data annotation roles

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Questions people ask

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