Beyond pay: AI skills reward more job benefits (2507.20410v1)

Abstract: This study investigates the non-monetary rewards associated with AI skills in the U.S. labour market. Using a dataset of approximately ten million online job vacancies from 2018 to 2024, we identify AI roles-positions requiring at least one AI-related skill-and examine the extent to which these roles offer non-monetary benefits such as tuition assistance, paid leave, health and well-being perks, parental leave, workplace culture enhancements, and remote work options. While previous research has documented substantial wage premiums for AI-related roles due to growing demand and limited talent supply, our study asks whether this demand also translates into enhanced non-monetary compensation. We find that AI roles are significantly more likely to offer such perks, even after controlling for education requirements, industry, and occupation type. It is twice as likely for an AI role to offer parental leave and almost three times more likely to provide remote working options. Moreover, the highest-paying AI roles tend to bundle these benefits, suggesting a compound premium where salary increases coincide with expanded non-monetary rewards. AI roles offering parental leave or health benefits show salaries that are, on average, 12% to 20% higher than AI roles without this benefit. This pattern is particularly pronounced in years and occupations experiencing the highest AI-related demand, pointing to a demand-driven dynamic. Our findings underscore the strong pull of AI talent in the labor market and challenge narratives of technological displacement, highlighting instead how employers compete for scarce talent through both financial and non-financial incentives.