Scrum Master Career Path 2026: From First Sprint to $150K+

Two agile professionals discussing scrum master career path options in a modern office lounge

By Tom Kenaley, Co-Founder and President, KORE1 A scrum master career path moves from entry-level facilitator to senior scrum master in two to four years, then splits into agile coach, release train engineer, or product owner, each capable of $150K or more within five to seven years. That’s the version nobody selling a certification weekend … Read more

Cloud Architect Career Path 2026: The Ten Years Before the Title

Two technology professionals in profile discussing a cloud architect career path in a modern office

By Gregg Flecke, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, KORE1 Almost nobody starts as a cloud architect, and most people reach the title after seven to ten years as a cloud, DevOps, or systems engineer, with base pay running $130,000 to $320,000 across the levels. The climb that sets your ceiling happens before the title, not after … Read more

Network Engineer Career Path 2026: The Fork at Year Four

Senior network engineer standing beside a server rack in an enterprise data center

By Tom Kenaley, Co-Founder and President, KORE1 The network engineer career path moves from NOC technician to network architect over roughly ten years, with base pay running from about $62,000 to $218,000. Which branch you take around year four matters more than how fast you climb. The bottom rungs are shrinking. The top ones are … Read more

Data Scientist Career Path 2026: Three Jobs, One Job Title

Two data professionals reviewing printed charts at a standing table in a modern open-plan office

By Gregg Flecke, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, KORE1 The data scientist career path runs five rungs, from roughly $95,000 base at entry to $260,000 at principal, but it splits into three separate lanes around year two, and the lane decides your ceiling more than the rung does. Product-facing, model-facing, research-facing. Almost every career guide hands … Read more

ML Engineer Career Path 2026: Levels, Pay, and How to Advance

Two machine learning engineers reviewing printed model results, illustrating the ML engineer career path in 2026

By Gregg Flecke, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, KORE1 The machine learning engineer career path runs from junior to principal over roughly a decade, starting near $110,000 base and passing $250,000 by senior, before it splits into a hands-on technical track and a people-management track. What sets it apart from the AI engineer job next door … Read more

AI Engineer Career Path 2026

AI engineer reviewing career notes at a modern desk, illustrating the 2026 AI engineer career path

By Tom Kenaley, President & Senior Partner, KORE1 The AI engineer career path climbs from junior at zero to two years ($110,000 to $145,000 base) through mid and senior, then splits into a staff or principal track and an engineering-management track, with senior base pay reaching $290,000. What sets it apart from the machine learning … Read more