- 1.Hakia's analysis of the best artificial intelligence doctoral degree programs reveals that artificial intelligence PhD graduates in industry research earn $150,000 median salary (BLS, 2024), while tenure-track faculty earn $120,000-$180,000.
- 2.Our top-ranked doctoral programs are University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Southern California—selected for research output, funding, and graduate placement.
- 3.Most PhD programs are fully funded: tuition waiver + $25,000-40,000/year stipend. You should not pay for a PhD.
- 4.Average time to degree is 5-6 years, though it varies by research area and advisor.
- 5.60% of artificial intelligence PhD graduates enter industry research (Google, Meta, Microsoft Research); 40% pursue academic careers.
Source: A artificial intelligence PhD is worth it if you want to conduct original research, whether in academia or industry research labs. Unlike master's programs, PhDs are typically fully funded (tuition + ~$35K/year stipend). Industry research scientists at Google, Meta, and OpenAI earn $200K-400K+. Academic faculty earn less but enjoy research freedom and job security.
Why Pursue a Artificial Intelligence PhD?
A PhD is the terminal research degree in artificial intelligence—required for tenure-track faculty positions and highly valued for industry research scientist roles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Data Scientists/Computer Research Scientists with advanced degrees can earn $194,410 or more, especially in research-focused positions.
Who Should Consider a PhD?
- Aspiring academics: Tenure-track faculty positions require a PhD
- Research scientists: Industry labs (Google Research, Microsoft Research, Meta AI) recruit PhDs for cutting-edge research
- Deep specialists: Those who want to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence
- Intellectually curious: People who find fulfillment in solving hard, unsolved problems
The PhD Value Proposition
- Fully funded: No tuition + $25K-45K/year stipend (you're paid to learn)
- Research freedom: Work on problems that interest you with expert guidance
- Career options: Both academic ($100K-200K faculty) and lucrative industry paths ($150K-400K+ research scientist)
- Expertise: Become a world expert in artificial intelligence
Important: Don't pursue a PhD just for salary gains. If your goal is maximizing income quickly, a master's + industry experience often yields better short-term returns. A PhD is a 5-6 year commitment to research mastery.
Best Artificial Intelligence PhD Programs - Top 10
University of California-Berkeley
BAIR is the world's most advanced academic AI research lab. Stuart Russell was elected to NAE in 2025, and Dawn Song was elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2025.
University of California-Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks University of California-Berkeley as the #1 in artificial intelligence degree program.
University of California-Berkeley's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 46 students annually with a 96% graduation rate. San Francisco Bay Area AI hub
Hakia Insight: University of California-Berkeley leverages partnerships with Google DeepMind and OpenAI to offer students real-world project experience valued by employers.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Location Advantages
- •San Francisco Bay Area AI hub
- •Silicon Valley proximity
- •Strong startup ecosystem
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Meta AI, Research universities
Admissions
University of California-Los Angeles
UCLA is ranked #3 in AI, #7 in Machine Learning. 2025 Amazon AI PhD Fellows work on deep learning, multilingual NLP, reinforcement learning, and AI security.
University of California-Los Angeles Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks University of California-Los Angeles as the #2 in artificial intelligence degree program.
University of California-Los Angeles's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 38 students annually with a 92% graduation rate. Los Angeles AI ecosystem
Hakia Insight: University of California-Los Angeles graduates earn $110,332, driven by the program's industry connections and hands-on artificial intelligence curriculum.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Statistical machine learning and deep learning
Evidential reasoning and probabilistic inference
Logical and probabilistic automated reasoning
Probabilistic reasoning and statistical relational learning
Efficient, scalable, and robust machine learning
Efficient learning from massive datasets
Machine learning and AI
Computer vision and cognitive modeling
Visual computing and biomimetic simulation
Natural language understanding and processing
Language understanding and synthesis
Machine learning for health and medical imaging
Computer vision research
ML algorithms for medical images and neurovascular diseases
Statistical and computational methods for genomics
Location Advantages
- •Los Angeles AI ecosystem
- •Entertainment industry AI applications
- •Strong startup scene
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Silicon Beach tech companies
Admissions
University of Southern California
USC's Institute for Creative Technologies has led the way in virtual agents and conversational AI. ORAI is the first AI+Operations Research interdisciplinary PhD program globally.
University of Southern California Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks University of Southern California as the #3 in artificial intelligence degree program.
University of Southern California's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 56 students annually with a 92% graduation rate. Los Angeles tech hub
Hakia Insight: Students at University of Southern California benefit from active collaborations with US Army and Defense contractors, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Emotional AI and human-computer interaction
Multi-agent coordination and teamwork
Autonomous systems and artificial intelligence
Knowledge representation and graph-based reasoning
Cognitive modeling and architecture design
Visual learning and robotic cognition
Algorithmic techniques and AI methods
Social media analysis and computational social science
Interpretable AI and natural language processing
Knowledge discovery and information extraction
Human-robot interaction and collaborative robotics
Socially assistive robotics and human-robot interaction
Machine learning algorithms and data mining
Conversational AI and dialogue systems
AI applications for social good
AI applications in education and training
Location Advantages
- •Los Angeles tech hub
- •Entertainment industry AI applications
- •Defense research connections
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Defense contractors, Google, Amazon, Research universities
Admissions
University of California-Irvine
UCI's AI research spans machine learning, constraint-based problem solving, text understanding, and data mining. The Irvine Initiative in AI, Law, and Society addresses AI's societal impact.
University of California-Irvine Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks University of California-Irvine as the #4 in artificial intelligence degree program.
University of California-Irvine's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 35 students annually with a 96% graduation rate. Orange County tech corridor
Hakia Insight: University of California-Irvine's industry network — including Google and Amazon — provides students with internship and hiring pathways.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Location Advantages
- •Orange County tech corridor
- •Gaming industry connections
- •LA/San Diego proximity
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Google, Amazon, Gaming companies, Research universities
Admissions
University of California-San Diego
UCSD houses Terry Sejnowski, widely considered a founding father of AI, and the $220M NSF-funded TILOS Institute for Learning-enabled Optimization at Scale.
University of California-San Diego Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks University of California-San Diego as the #5 in artificial intelligence degree program.
University of California-San Diego's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 59 students annually with a 81% graduation rate. San Diego biotech corridor
Hakia Insight: Through ties with Qualcomm and Google, University of California-San Diego bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
AI in tackling climate challenges like wildfire
Robotics and AI systems
Human-robot interaction and human-centered AI
AI optimization for large-scale engineering systems
AI for 5G and 6G networks
Scientific workflows and big data applications
AI hardware and software technologies evaluation
Novel memory and storage devices for AI computing
Location Advantages
- •San Diego biotech corridor
- •Qualcomm headquarters
- •Defense industry presence
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Qualcomm, Google, Biotech companies, Research universities
Admissions
Columbia University in the City of New York
Columbia AI is powered by the Data Science Institute. The ARNI Center bridges neuroscience and AI. New MS in AI approved by University Senate in 2025.
Columbia University in the City of New York Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks Columbia University in the City of New York as the #6 in artificial intelligence degree program.
Columbia University in the City of New York's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 27 students annually with a 100% graduation rate. New York City location
Hakia Insight: Through ties with Amazon and Google NYC, Columbia University in the City of New York bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Location Advantages
- •New York City location
- •Finance and media industry access
- •Strong startup ecosystem
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Google, Meta, Amazon, Finance companies, Research universities
Admissions
University of California-Santa Barbara
UCSB's AI research spans intelligent systems and ML applications. The inaugural Agentic AI Summit (January 2026) explores next-generation AI systems for scientific discovery.
University of California-Santa Barbara Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks University of California-Santa Barbara as the #7 in artificial intelligence degree program.
University of California-Santa Barbara's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 22 students annually with a 90% graduation rate. Santa Barbara tech scene
Hakia Insight: Students at University of California-Santa Barbara benefit from active collaborations with Google and Amazon, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Location Advantages
- •Santa Barbara tech scene
- •Research focus environment
- •CA tech corridor access
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Google, Amazon, Tech startups, Research universities
Admissions
Stanford University
Stanford HAI is led by Fei-Fei Li (TIME's 2025 Person of the Year). Stanford is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley and a leader in AI since its inception.
Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks Stanford University as the #8 in artificial intelligence degree program.
Stanford University offers comprehensive Artificial Intelligence programs at multiple degree levels, combining rigorous academics with practical experience. Heart of Silicon Valley
Hakia Insight: Stanford University's direct partnerships with Google/Alphabet and OpenAI give students a competitive edge through industry-embedded projects and recruiting pipelines.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Location Advantages
- •Heart of Silicon Valley
- •OpenAI and Google proximity
- •Unparalleled startup ecosystem
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Meta AI, Research universities
Certifications & Designations
Admissions
Cornell University
Cornell has built one of the world's most respected AI research communities since the early 1990s. The Cornell AI for Science Institute and AI for Sustainability Initiative lead applied AI research.
Cornell University Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks Cornell University as the #9 in artificial intelligence degree program.
Cornell University's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 26 students annually with a 95% graduation rate. Ithaca campus + Cornell Tech NYC
Hakia Insight: Students at Cornell University benefit from active collaborations with Google and Microsoft, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
artificial intelligence
business applications
data science
human-computer interaction
cybersecurity
ethical AI
Location Advantages
- •Ithaca campus + Cornell Tech NYC
- •Access to NYC tech ecosystem
- •Research and industry balance
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Google, Microsoft, NYC tech companies, Research universities
Admissions
Princeton University
Princeton AI research spans deep learning architectures, reinforcement learning, and algorithmic fairness. Tri Dao and Ellen Zhong named AI2050 Early Career Fellows by Schmidt Sciences.
Princeton University Artificial Intelligence Program Overview
Hakia ranks Princeton University as the #10 in artificial intelligence degree program.
Princeton University's Artificial Intelligence program graduates 30 students annually with a 96% graduation rate. Princeton research environment
Hakia Insight: Through ties with Google AI Princeton and Microsoft, Princeton University bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
Incubator for AI research initiatives across the university
Large language models and AI applications
Computation, machine learning, and statistics
Integration of AI into engineering research
Connections between AI and human cognition
AI policy and mitigating societal risks from AI
Humanities values and approaches in AI development
AI applications to individual health outcomes modeling
Location Advantages
- •Princeton research environment
- •NYC proximity
- •Strong academic focus
Industry Partners
Career Outcomes
Google, OpenAI, Meta AI, Research universities
Admissions
Best Artificial Intelligence PhD Programs - Top 10 — Complete Program Data
#1. University of California-Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks University of California-Berkeley as the #1 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Berkeley, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 96% | Score: 100.0
What makes University of California-Berkeley stand out: BAIR is the world's most advanced academic AI research lab. Stuart Russell was elected to NAE in 2025, and Dawn Song was elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2025.
Hakia Insight: University of California-Berkeley leverages partnerships with Google DeepMind and OpenAI to offer students real-world project experience valued by employers.
Program Overview: UC Berkeley's AI PhD program is home to the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) Lab, the world's most advanced academic AI research lab with 50+ faculty and 300+ graduate students. Research spans deep learning, knowledge representation, reasoning, planning, decision-making, vision, robotics, speech, and NLP. The Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence (CHAI) focuses on provably beneficial AI systems.
Degree Programs: M.S.; Ph.D.; M.S./Ph.D.
Research Labs: Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) Lab; Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence (CHAI); Berkeley DeepDrive; Machine Learning at Berkeley
Industry Partners: Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Meta AI, Microsoft Research, NVIDIA
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Meta AI, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Prof. Pieter Abbeel (robotics and machine learning); Prof. Hany Farid (digital manipulation and misinformation); Prof. Sameer B. Srivastava (social group culture and cognition); Prof. Zsolt Katona (marketing and AI applications)
Admissions: GPA: 3.0 minimum
#2. University of California-Los Angeles Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks University of California-Los Angeles as the #2 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Los Angeles, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 92% | Score: 99.9
What makes University of California-Los Angeles stand out: UCLA is ranked #3 in AI, #7 in Machine Learning. 2025 Amazon AI PhD Fellows work on deep learning, multilingual NLP, reinforcement learning, and AI security.
Hakia Insight: University of California-Los Angeles graduates earn $110,332, driven by the program's industry connections and hands-on artificial intelligence curriculum.
Program Overview: UCLA's AI PhD program ranks #3 nationally in Artificial Intelligence on CSrankings.org. Research labs include the Artificial General Intelligence Lab (Quanquan Gu), Automated Reasoning Group (Adnan Darwiche), Cognitive Systems Laboratory (Judea Pearl), and Computational Machine Learning Group. The Machine Intelligence (MINT) group develops AI systems that can interact and reason with limited supervision.
Degree Programs: Ph.D. in Computer Science (AI) (6 years)
Research Labs: Artificial General Intelligence Lab - Statistical machine learning and deep learning; Cognitive Systems Laboratory - Evidential reasoning and probabilistic inference; Automated Reasoning Group - Logical and probabilistic automated reasoning; Statistical and Relational Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (StarAI) - Probabilistic reasoning and statistical relational learning; Computational Machine Learning Laboratory - Efficient, scalable, and robust machine learning; Large-Scale Machine Learning Group (BigML) - Efficient learning from massive datasets; Machine Intelligence Lab - Machine learning and AI; Center for Vision, Cognition, Learning, and Art - Computer vision and cognitive modeling; Computer Graphics and Vision Laboratory (GraViLab) - Visual computing and biomimetic simulation; Natural Language Processing Group - Natural language understanding and processing; Language Understanding & Synthesis (PLUS) Lab - Language understanding and synthesis; UCLA Biomedical Artificial Intelligence Research Lab - Machine learning for health and medical imaging; Vision Laboratory - Computer vision research; AI in Imaging and Neuroscience Research Laboratory - ML algorithms for medical images and neurovascular diseases; Machine Learning and Genomics Lab - Statistical and computational methods for genomics
Industry Partners: Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA
Career Outcomes: Placement Rate: 98% | Top Employers: Silicon Beach tech companies | Common Roles: Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer, Business Analyst, Product Analyst, Research Analyst
Notable Faculty: Prof. Guy Van den Broeck (Area Director, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence); Prof. K. Chang (Natural Language Processing); Prof. V. Roychowdhury (Large Scale Networks, Data Mining); Prof. A. Darwiche (Automated Reasoning)
Admissions: GPA: Average admitted 3.75
#3. University of Southern California Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks University of Southern California as the #3 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Los Angeles, CA | Type: Private | Tuition: $66,640/year | Graduation Rate: 92% | Score: 97.1
What makes University of Southern California stand out: USC's Institute for Creative Technologies has led the way in virtual agents and conversational AI. ORAI is the first AI+Operations Research interdisciplinary PhD program globally.
Hakia Insight: Students at University of Southern California benefit from active collaborations with US Army and Defense contractors, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.
Program Overview: USC's AI doctoral program features the renowned Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), a DoD University Affiliated Research Center since 1999. ICT conducts award-winning R&D in AI, virtual humans, conversational AI, and emotion architectures. The new ORAI program (2024) is the first interdisciplinary AI+Operations Research PhD in the world.
Degree Programs: BS (4 years); MS; B.S. Program; M.S. Program; Ph.D. Program; Data Science Program; Graduate Certificate
Research Labs: Affective Computing Group - Emotional AI and human-computer interaction; Automatic Coordination of Teams (ACT) Lab - Multi-agent coordination and teamwork; Center for Autonomy and AI - Autonomous systems and artificial intelligence; Center on Knowledge Graphs - Knowledge representation and graph-based reasoning; Cognitive Architecture - Cognitive modeling and architecture design; Cognitive Learning for Vision and Robotics Lab - Visual learning and robotic cognition; Collaboratory for Algorithmic Techniques and Artifical Intelligence (CATAI) - Algorithmic techniques and AI methods; Computational Social Science Laboratory - Social media analysis and computational social science; Data, Interpretability, Language and Learning (DILL) Lab - Interpretable AI and natural language processing; Intelligence and Knowledge Discovery (INK) Research Lab - Knowledge discovery and information extraction; Interactive and Collaborative Autonomous Robotic Systems (ICAROS) Lab - Human-robot interaction and collaborative robotics; Interaction Lab - Socially assistive robotics and human-robot interaction; Machine Learning and Data Mining Lab (Melady) - Machine learning algorithms and data mining; Natural Language Dialogue Group - Conversational AI and dialogue systems; USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society - AI applications for social good; AI Research Center of Excellence for Education (AIRCOEE) - AI applications in education and training
Industry Partners: US Army, Defense contractors, Google, Amazon, Entertainment industry
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Defense contractors, Google, Amazon, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Maja Matarić (Socially assistive robotics and human-robot interaction); Gaurav Sukhatme (Robotics and autonomous systems); Yolanda Gil (Artificial intelligence and knowledge systems); Jonathan Gratch (Virtual humans and computational psychology); Craig Knoblock (Information integration and knowledge graphs); David Kempe (Algorithms and machine learning theory); Laurent Itti (Computer vision and computational neuroscience); Bistra Dilkina (AI for social good and computational sustainability); Bill Swartout (AI systems and virtual humans)
Admissions: GPA: Competitive
#4. University of California-Irvine Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks University of California-Irvine as the #4 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Irvine, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 96% | Score: 96.1
What makes University of California-Irvine stand out: UCI's AI research spans machine learning, constraint-based problem solving, text understanding, and data mining. The Irvine Initiative in AI, Law, and Society addresses AI's societal impact.
Hakia Insight: University of California-Irvine's industry network — including Google and Amazon — provides students with internship and hiring pathways.
Program Overview: UC Irvine's AI PhD program is the largest doctoral program on campus with 250+ students. Research spans AI/ML, computer vision, bioinformatics, and smart sensor networks. The 2025 CMPSC 291A course on 'AI for Science' develops unified frameworks integrating topological features and physics-based constraints into scalable AI models.
Degree Programs: Master of Education Sciences - AI & Learning Analytics (12 months); Master of Applied AI for Science (9 months); BS Computer Science - Intelligent Systems specialization (4 years)
Research Labs: AI and Machine Learning Lab; Computer Vision Lab; Intelligent and Interactive Systems; Data Mining and Machine Learning
Industry Partners: Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Blizzard Entertainment, Orange County tech companies
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google, Amazon, Gaming companies, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Mark Warschauer (Distinguished Professor - AI in Education); David Kirkby (Chancellor's Professor - Applied AI for Science); June Ahn (Professor - Learning Analytics); Shayan Doroudi (Assistant Professor - AI in Education)
Admissions: GPA: 3.5 for PhD
#5. University of California-San Diego Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks University of California-San Diego as the #5 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: La Jolla, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 81% | Score: 95.3
What makes University of California-San Diego stand out: UCSD houses Terry Sejnowski, widely considered a founding father of AI, and the $220M NSF-funded TILOS Institute for Learning-enabled Optimization at Scale.
Hakia Insight: Through ties with Qualcomm and Google, University of California-San Diego bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.
Program Overview: UCSD's AI doctoral program features the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI) advancing ML/AI across disciplines. TILOS is part of a $220M NSF National AI Research Institutes investment. Notable faculty include Terry Sejnowski (founding father of AI) and Rose Yu (ML, deep learning, climate/healthcare applications).
Degree Programs: BS (4 years); Professor of Data Science; Cognitive Science undergraduate degree (4 years)
Research Labs: WIFIRE Lab - AI in tackling climate challenges like wildfire; Contextual Robotics Institute - Robotics and AI systems; UC San Diego Healthcare Robotics Lab - Human-robot interaction and human-centered AI; Center for Machine-Integrated Computing and Security (MICS) - AI optimization for large-scale engineering systems; UC San Diego Center for Wireless Communications - AI for 5G and 6G networks; Workflows for Data Science Center of Excellence - Scientific workflows and big data applications; Advanced Technology Lab - AI hardware and software technologies evaluation; Processing with Intelligent Storage and Memory (PRISM) - Novel memory and storage devices for AI computing
Industry Partners: Qualcomm, Google, Amazon, Biotech companies, Defense contractors
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Qualcomm, Google, Biotech companies, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Taylor Berg-Kirkpatrick (computer vision, natural language processing, AI systems that reason faithfully and integrate learning with structured knowledge); Mia Minnes (vice chair for Undergraduate Education, computer science foundations); Trevor Bonjour (AI education, machine learning concepts, evidence-based teaching practices); Steven Swanson (chair of Department of Computer Science and Engineering)
Admissions: GPA: Competitive
#6. Columbia University in the City of New York Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks Columbia University in the City of New York as the #6 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: New York, NY | Type: Private | Tuition: $64,526/year | Graduation Rate: 100% | Score: 94.5
What makes Columbia University in the City of New York stand out: Columbia AI is powered by the Data Science Institute. The ARNI Center bridges neuroscience and AI. New MS in AI approved by University Senate in 2025.
Hakia Insight: Through ties with Amazon and Google NYC, Columbia University in the City of New York bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.
Program Overview: Columbia's AI doctoral program is powered by the Data Science Institute and Center of Artificial Intelligence Technology (in partnership with Amazon). Research spans NLP, computer vision, robotics, ML, and computational biology. The ARNI Center for Artificial and Natural Intelligence bridges neuroscience and AI.
Degree Programs: MS; MS
Research Labs: Data Science Institute; Center of Artificial Intelligence Technology (Amazon partnership); ARNI Center for Artificial and Natural Intelligence; Columbia NLP Lab
Industry Partners: Amazon, Google NYC, Meta NYC, Finance companies, Healthcare institutions
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google, Meta, Amazon, Finance companies, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Leaders in NLP, vision, and robotics; Strong interdisciplinary connections
Admissions: GPA: Very competitive
#7. University of California-Santa Barbara Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks University of California-Santa Barbara as the #7 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Santa Barbara, CA | Type: Public | Tuition: $11,834/year | Graduation Rate: 90% | Score: 94.1
What makes University of California-Santa Barbara stand out: UCSB's AI research spans intelligent systems and ML applications. The inaugural Agentic AI Summit (January 2026) explores next-generation AI systems for scientific discovery.
Hakia Insight: Students at University of California-Santa Barbara benefit from active collaborations with Google and Amazon, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.
Program Overview: UC Santa Barbara's AI doctoral program offers research in intelligent and interactive systems, data mining, and machine learning. The 2025 course 'AI for Science' develops unified frameworks integrating topological features into scalable AI models. The inaugural UCSB Agentic AI Summit will be held January 2026.
Degree Programs: BS in Computer Science with AI focus (4 years); MS in Computer Science (AI track) (2 years)
Research Labs: Intelligent and Interactive Systems Lab; Data Mining and Machine Learning Research; Computer Vision Group; Natural Language Processing Lab
Industry Partners: Google, Amazon, Tech startups, Defense contractors
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google, Amazon, Tech startups, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Xin (Eric) Wang - ML and computer use agents; Sanjukta Krishnagopal - AI for Science
Admissions: GPA: 3.5+ typical
#8. Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks Stanford University as the #8 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Stanford, CA | Type: Private | Tuition: $61,731/year | Score: 93.3
What makes Stanford University stand out: Stanford HAI is led by Fei-Fei Li (TIME's 2025 Person of the Year). Stanford is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley and a leader in AI since its inception.
Hakia Insight: Stanford University's direct partnerships with Google/Alphabet and OpenAI give students a competitive edge through industry-embedded projects and recruiting pipelines.
Program Overview: Stanford's AI doctoral program is home to the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI), established 2019 to advance AI research, education, policy, and practice. SAIL (Stanford AI Lab) conducts cutting-edge research in robotics, ML, generative AI, reinforcement learning, and computer vision. HAI founding co-director Fei-Fei Li was named TIME's 2025 Person of the Year.
Degree Programs: BS in Computer Science with AI concentration (4 years); MS in Computer Science (AI track) (2 years); PhD in Computer Science (AI focus) (5-6 years)
Research Labs: Stanford AI Lab (SAIL); Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI); Stanford Vision Lab; Stanford NLP Group
Industry Partners: Google/Alphabet, OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Tesla, NVIDIA, Amazon
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Meta AI, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Andrew Ng (Machine learning, deep learning, AI applications); Fei-Fei Li (Computer vision, deep learning, human-centered AI); Chris Manning (Natural language processing, deep learning for language); Silvio Savarese (Computer vision, 3D understanding, embodied AI)
Admissions: GPA: 3.0 minimum for degree conferral
Accreditations: ABET accredited
#9. Cornell University Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks Cornell University as the #9 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Ithaca, NY | Type: Private | Tuition: $65,204/year | Graduation Rate: 95% | Score: 92.8
What makes Cornell University stand out: Cornell has built one of the world's most respected AI research communities since the early 1990s. The Cornell AI for Science Institute and AI for Sustainability Initiative lead applied AI research.
Hakia Insight: Students at Cornell University benefit from active collaborations with Google and Microsoft, connecting classroom learning to the workforce.
Program Overview: Cornell's AI doctoral program features research in robotics, computer vision, NLP, information retrieval, and machine learning. The Cornell AI Initiative approaches AI with curiosity, conscience, and collaboration. Research spans Cornell Ithaca, Cornell Tech (NYC), and Weill Cornell Medicine applications in precision medicine.
Degree Programs: AI Minor (18 credits minimum); Online AI Certificates (2-16 months); Master of Engineering in Computer Science; Master of Engineering in Data Science and Decision Analytics; PhD Studies
Research Labs: Artificial Intelligence Research Lab - artificial intelligence; Business & Entrepreneurship Lab - business applications; Data & Modeling Lab - data science; Human-Centered Computing Lab - human-computer interaction; Security & Privacy Lab - cybersecurity; Technology, Society, & Ethics Lab - ethical AI
Industry Partners: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, NYC tech companies, Finance industry
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google, Microsoft, NYC tech companies, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Leaders in NLP, robotics, and computational sustainability; Strong interdisciplinary connections
Admissions: GPA: Competitive
#10. Princeton University Artificial Intelligence Program
Hakia ranks Princeton University as the #10 in artificial intelligence degree program. Location: Princeton, NJ | Type: Private | Tuition: $59,710/year | Graduation Rate: 96% | Score: 92.1
What makes Princeton University stand out: Princeton AI research spans deep learning architectures, reinforcement learning, and algorithmic fairness. Tri Dao and Ellen Zhong named AI2050 Early Career Fellows by Schmidt Sciences.
Hakia Insight: Through ties with Google AI Princeton and Microsoft, Princeton University bridges the gap between academic training and industry practice.
Program Overview: Princeton's AI doctoral program requires breadth across Systems, AI, and Theory. Research includes deep learning architectures, reinforcement learning, bias correction in ML, and connections to human cognition. Princeton Language and Intelligence (PLI) investigates large AI models and societal implications. The 2025 Machine Learning Theory Summer School focuses on deep learning theory.
Degree Programs: Ph.D. in Computer Science (AI/ML) (5-6 years)
Research Labs: Princeton Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence (AI Lab) - Incubator for AI research initiatives across the university; Princeton Language and Intelligence - Large language models and AI applications; Center for Statistics and Machine Learning - Computation, machine learning, and statistics; AI for Accelerated Innovation - Integration of AI into engineering research; Natural and Artificial Minds - Connections between AI and human cognition; Center for Information Technology Policy - AI policy and mitigating societal risks from AI; Center for Digital Humanities - Humanities values and approaches in AI development; Princeton Precision Health - AI applications to individual health outcomes modeling
Industry Partners: Google AI Princeton, Microsoft, Intel, NVIDIA Corporation, National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), New Jersey AI Hub
Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: Google, OpenAI, Meta AI, Research universities
Notable Faculty: Dr. Tom Griffiths (Information Technology, Consciousness, and Culture); Dr. Sanjeev Arora (Machine Learning Theory and Language Models); Dr. Danqi Chen (Natural Language Processing); Dr. William Tang (Deep Learning for Fusion Energy); Dr. Elad Hazan (Machine Learning and Optimization); Dr. Ryan P. Adams (Machine Learning and Computational Methods); Dr. Arvind Narayanan (AI Ethics and Policy)
Admissions: GPA: Highly competitive
Full Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Rankings 2026
| Rank | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | Public | 96% | 100 |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Public | 92% | 99.9 |
| 3 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Private | 92% | 97.1 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | Public | 96% | 96.1 |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego | La Jolla, CA | Public | 81% | 95.3 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Private | 100% | 94.5 |
| 7 | University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | Public | 90% | 94.1 |
| 8 | Stanford University | Stanford, CA | Private | — | 93.3 |
| 9 | Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | Private | 95% | 92.8 |
| 10 | Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | Private | 96% | 92.1 |
| 11 | University of California-Davis | Davis, CA | Public | 91% | 90 |
| 12 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | Private | — | 89 |
| 13 | Tufts University | Medford, MA | Private | 81% | 88.8 |
| 14 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | Private | 98% | 87.8 |
| 15 | Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | Private | — | 87.7 |
| 16 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | Private | 100% | 87.3 |
| 17 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN | Private | 99% | 87.3 |
| 18 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | Public | 93% | 87.1 |
| 19 | Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | Private | 90% | 87.1 |
| 20 | Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Private | — | 86.7 |
| 21 | Brown University | Providence, RI | Private | 96% | 86.4 |
| 22 | Boston University | Boston, MA | Private | — | 86.3 |
| 23 | Binghamton University | Vestal, NY | Public | 87% | 86.2 |
| 24 | University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | Public | 93% | 86.1 |
| 25 | Emory University | Atlanta, GA | Private | 97% | 85.7 |
Showing 1–25 of 50
Research Areas & Specializations
PhD programs in artificial intelligence offer multiple specialization tracks. Your research area determines your advisor options, publication venues, and career trajectories.
Key Artificial Intelligence Research Areas
- Natural Language Processing
- Computer Vision
- Robotics
- Deep Learning
- Reinforcement Learning
Emerging Research Topics (2024-2025)
- Large Language Models
- Neural Architecture Search
- Explainable AI
- AI Safety
- Multimodal Learning
Choosing Your Specialization: Your research area should align with your interests, available advisors, and career goals. Review faculty research pages and recent publications. Attend seminars and read papers from top venues in artificial intelligence to understand current research directions.
Publication Venues: Check CSRankings.org to see which conferences and journals are most prestigious for your chosen specialization. Top-tier venues vary significantly by subfield.
Finding the Right Advisor
Your advisor is the single most important factor in PhD success. A good advisor shapes your research trajectory, opens networking opportunities, and directly impacts your career outcomes. According to data from NSF's Survey of Earned Doctorates, advisor-student fit is strongly correlated with time to degree and completion rates.
What to Look For in an Advisor:
- Research alignment: Their work should genuinely excite you—you'll spend 5+ years on related problems
- Advising style: Some are hands-on, others hands-off. Know what you need and ask current students
- Funding stability: Do they have ongoing grants? Have they consistently funded students?
- Student outcomes: Where did their graduates end up? Academia? Industry? How long did they take?
- Lab culture: Talk to current students privately about work-life balance and lab dynamics
Red Flags to Avoid:
- High student turnover or many students leaving without degrees
- Faculty who are rarely available or traveling constantly
- Labs where students seem stressed, isolated, or unhappy
- Advisors with a history of conflicts or complaints
Pro tip: Email 2-3 current students and ask: "What do you wish you knew before joining this lab?" Their candid responses will tell you more than any faculty website.
PhD Funding & Stipends
You should not pay for a PhD.
Top programs offer full funding packages covering tuition plus a competitive stipend. According to CSStipendRankings.org and PhDStipends.com, computer science stipends range from $18,000 at lower-paying programs to $50,000+ at top institutions.
2024-25 Stipend Examples:
- Brown University: $49,000/year ($4,084/month) - Graduate School
- Duke University: Full funding for 5 years including tuition, fees, insurance, and stipend - CS Department
- Emory University: $37,467/year for CS/Informatics PhDs - Graduate School
- Mid-tier programs: Typically $25,000-35,000/year with full tuition waiver
Funding Sources:
- Research Assistantships (RA): Work on faculty research; most common funding source
- Teaching Assistantships (TA): Lead discussion sections, grade assignments
- Fellowships: Competitive awards (NSF GRFP, NDSEG, university fellowships) with higher stipends and research freedom
- Grants: Faculty research grants often fund PhD students
Cost of Living Warning: Use PhDStipends.com to compare living wage ratios, which normalize stipends to local cost of living. A $35K stipend in a low-cost city may provide better quality of life than $50K in San Francisco.
PhD Milestones & Timeline
The NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates tracks time to degree across all fields. Computer science PhDs typically take 5-6 years to complete, though this varies by research area and institution.
Typical PhD Timeline:
- Years 1-2: Coursework, rotations (if applicable), identify research area, pass qualifying exams
- Years 2-3: Thesis proposal, begin independent research, first publications
- Years 3-5: Core research, conference publications, build professional network
- Years 5-6: Complete dissertation, defend, job market
Key Milestones:
- Qualifying Exam: Usually year 1-2; tests breadth of knowledge and/or research potential
- Thesis Proposal: Year 2-3; defines your dissertation scope and convinces committee it's viable
- Candidacy: After proposal passes; you're now "ABD" (All But Dissertation)
- Dissertation Defense: Final oral exam presenting your complete research
What affects time to degree: Research area complexity, advisor expectations, publication requirements, whether you switch topics, and how quickly you identify a viable research direction.
Application Process
PhD admissions are highly competitive. According to ProFellow, top programs accept 5-15% of applicants. The process differs significantly from undergraduate or master's admissions.
Typical Application Components:
- Statement of Purpose: Your research interests, why this program, and potential advisors (2-3 pages)
- Letters of Recommendation: 3 letters, ideally from research supervisors who know your work deeply
- CV/Resume: Emphasize research experience, publications, and technical projects
- GRE Scores: Many programs have made GRE optional since 2020; check requirements
- Transcripts: Strong grades help, but research experience often matters more
- Research samples: Some programs request writing samples or research proposals
Timeline:
- September-November: Research programs, contact potential advisors, prepare materials
- December 1-15: Most application deadlines
- January-March: Interview invitations (virtual or in-person visit days)
- March-April 15: Admission decisions; April 15 is the standard decision deadline
Critical tip: Reach out to potential advisors before applying. A brief, professional email expressing genuine interest in their research can significantly improve your chances—especially if they respond positively and mention your application to the admissions committee.
Industry Research vs Academic Faculty Careers
| Factor | Industry Research | Academic Faculty |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Salary | $150,000-$200,000+ | $100,000-$140,000 |
| Salary Ceiling | $300,000-$500,000+ (with equity) | $150,000-$250,000 |
| Job Security | Project-dependent, at-will | Tenure after 6-7 years |
| Research Freedom | Aligned with company goals | High autonomy after tenure |
| Publication Pressure | Varies by company | Essential for tenure |
| Resources | Well-funded, large compute | Grant-dependent |
| Work-Life Balance | Generally better | Highly variable |
| Impact Timeline | Faster deployment | Long-term influence |
| Typical Employers | Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI | Universities, research institutes |
Source: Salary data from [CRA Taulbee Survey](https://cra.org/resources/taulbee-survey/) and [Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/)
Choosing Your Career Path
Industry research is right for you if:
- Compensation is a priority
- You want to see research deployed at scale
- You prefer shorter feedback loops
- You're comfortable with more directed research agendas
- Geographic flexibility is important (industry hubs)
Academia is right for you if:
- Research freedom is paramount
- You want to mentor the next generation
- Job security matters more than peak compensation
- You enjoy teaching
- You want to pursue long-term, speculative research
Increasingly blurred lines: Many researchers move between academia and industry. Some professors consult extensively; some industry researchers teach courses. The choice isn't permanent.
Postdoc Pathways
A postdoc is a temporary research position after completing your PhD. According to Academic Positions, postdoc salaries average $61,000-$72,000 in 2024, with most positions lasting 2-3 years.
When is a Postdoc Necessary?
- Academic careers: Often expected, especially at research universities. Strengthens your publication record and expands your network.
- Industry careers: Rarely necessary—most industry research labs hire directly from PhD programs
- Switching fields: A postdoc can help you pivot to a new research area
- Building independence: Develops skills in grant writing, lab management, and independent research
Postdoc Considerations:
- Duration: 1-3 years typical; longer postdocs can signal difficulty finding permanent positions
- Salary gap: Postdocs earn significantly less than industry PhDs—factor this into your decision
- Location flexibility: Postdocs often require relocation; be prepared to move
- Exit strategy: Have a clear plan for what comes after the postdoc
Important: In computer science, a postdoc is increasingly optional. Strong PhD graduates with good publication records can go directly to tenure-track positions or industry research roles.
Publication Expectations
Publications are the currency of academic research. In computer science, conference papers (not journals) are the primary publication venue, unlike most other fields.
Typical Publication Expectations:
- Minimum for graduation: 2-4 peer-reviewed publications (varies by program and advisor)
- Competitive job market: 5+ publications with at least 1-2 at top-tier venues
- Top-tier venues: NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, ACL, SIGCOMM, SOSP, PLDI (varies by subfield)
- First-author papers: Critical for demonstrating independent research ability
Publication Timeline:
- Year 1-2: Workshop papers, co-authored papers with senior students
- Year 3-4: First-author publications at good venues
- Year 5+: Aim for top venues, build a coherent research narrative for job market
Quality vs Quantity: One strong paper at a top venue (NeurIPS, ICML, etc.) often matters more than several papers at lower-tier venues. Focus on impactful work that others will cite and build upon.
Resources: Check CSRankings.org to understand which venues matter most in your subfield and how faculty are evaluated by publication record.
Top States for Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs
| State | Total Programs | Median Tuition | Top Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs in California | 25 | $9,500 | University of California |
| Best Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs in Texas | 20 | $8,500 | University of Texas |
| Best Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs in New York | 18 | $12,000 | SUNY |
| Best Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs in Florida | 15 | $6,500 | University of Florida |
| Best Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs in Virginia | 12 | $11,000 | Virginia Tech |
| Best Artificial Intelligence Doctoral Programs in Pennsylvania | 14 | $14,000 | Penn State |
Machine Learning & AI Career Track
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Artificial Intelligence PhD Frequently Asked Questions
Data Sources
Federal database of U.S. postsecondary institutions
Computer science research publication rankings by faculty
May 2024 salary data for research positions
Related Artificial Intelligence Resources
Taylor Rupe
Co-founder & Editor (B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State • B.A. Psychology, University of Washington)
Taylor combines technical expertise in computer science with a deep understanding of human behavior and learning. His dual background drives Hakia's mission: leveraging technology to build authoritative educational resources that help people make better decisions about their academic and career paths.