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How much does micro1 pay? Listed rates by field (2026)

Of the 306 open micro1 roles checked on 9 October 2026, 296 listed an hourly rate. Their median listed rate (top of the range) was $95, and half of them sat between $50 and $140. These are rates listed by micro1, not earnings: what you actually take home depends on being selected, how much work the project has and how the project pays.

The short answer in numbers

This site keeps a copy of micro1's public job list. On 9 October 2026 it held 306 open roles, and 296 of them listed an hourly rate. Using the upper end of each listed range:

  • 25th percentile: $50 per hour
  • Median: $95 per hour
  • 75th percentile: $140 per hour
  • Lowest: $5 per hour

One listing showed what is clearly a yearly figure in the hourly field, so it was left out, which leaves 295 hourly rates behind these figures. Another 14 roles list a monthly salary instead of an hourly rate (more on that below).

Median listed hourly rate by field

The field makes a big difference. Specialist roles in science, law and engineering list far higher rates than generalist, language or robotics roles. Median of the listed upper rate, with the number of roles in brackets:

  • Science and research: $200 (25 roles)
  • Law: $140 (39 roles)
  • Engineering: $115 (10 roles)
  • Finance: $110 (17 roles)
  • Software engineering: $100 (33 roles)
  • Health and medicine: $95 (16 roles)
  • AI and machine learning: $95 (12 roles)
  • Business and operations: $85 (12 roles)
  • Data analysis: $80 (5 roles)
  • Arts and design: $80 (7 roles)
  • Other: $80 (37 roles)
  • Humanities: $70 (3 roles)
  • Languages and audio: $40 (33 roles)
  • Generalist: $35 (14 roles)
  • Sales and marketing: $30 (6 roles)
  • Robotics: $20 (24 roles)

Small groups (humanities, data analysis, sales) have only a handful of roles, so one listing can move the median a lot. Two more fields, education and retail, had one role each and are not listed. To see which roles exist for your background, read the guide to AI training jobs by profession.

Listed rate is not the same as earnings

A high number on a listing does not mean a high monthly income. Three things sit between the two.

1. You have to be selected

Applying and passing the AI interview does not place you on a project. micro1 decides who is selected. A summary of Reddit posts on Annotation Academy describes passing the interview as entering a pool, not getting a job, and candidates there report waiting weeks or not being selected at all.

2. Hours depend on the client

micro1's own FAQ describes the work as part time and flexible, with an expected average of 15 to 20 hours a week that is "dependent on client needs". micro1's guide to its expert agreement says roles continue "as long as the client has work to be completed", and it does not mention guaranteed hours. According to the same summary, candidates on Reddit report uneven volume: busy weeks followed by quiet ones, and projects that pause or end early.

3. Some projects pay per task

Not every contract is paid by the hour you log. micro1's knowledge base explains that on per-task contracts you are paid for each task that project leadership approves, and the amount is your hourly rate multiplied by a "Project Payout Multiple", whatever time the task actually took (you may still be asked to log your time). So if you finish a task faster, your effective hourly figure goes up. If it takes longer, it goes down. Some candidates on Reddit report a mismatch between an hourly listing and work that turned out to be paid per deliverable, so read the contract before you start.

Hourly roles vs monthly roles

Most micro1 listings show an hourly rate or an hourly range. On 9 October 2026, 14 roles listed a monthly salary instead. Check which one a role uses before you compare it with others. In both cases the terms that apply are the ones in the contract micro1 sends you, not the summary on a job card.

A range such as $50 to $150 per hour does not tell you where you will land inside it. The figures on this page use the top of each range, which makes them a ceiling, not a typical rate.

How and when micro1 pays

micro1 documents this in its own help pages:

  • Currency: pay is issued in US dollars.
  • Frequency: twice a month (semi-monthly).
  • Schedule: work from the 1st to the 15th is paid around the 20th of the same month. Work from the 16th to the end of the month is paid around the 5th of the next month.
  • Approvals: usually happen around the 3rd and the 18th, so an "approved" notification can arrive a few days before the money.
  • Payroll system: after onboarding you are invited to micro1's payroll system, where you add your bank details.
  • Timing shifts: payroll runs on US Pacific time. If the 5th or 20th falls on a weekend or a US bank holiday, payment moves to the next business day, and in rare cases timing can vary by a day or two.

Taxes are your responsibility

micro1's expert agreement guide says you are engaged as an independent contractor, not an employee, and are responsible for your own taxes, social security contributions, insurance and benefits. Budget for that before comparing a listed rate with a salary. The guide to micro1 payments and taxes covers this in more detail.

How to use these numbers

  • Compare roles inside your own field, not across fields.
  • Treat the listed rate as an upper bound until you see a contract.
  • Check whether the contract pays per hour or per approved task.
  • Do not plan around a fixed number of hours: volume follows client demand.
  • Prepare well for the interview, because selection comes first. See the micro1 AI interview guide.

Ready to look at current listings and their rates? See all 306 open roles, with the rate micro1 lists for each one. You can also go straight to micro1's full job board. This site is an independent list and is not affiliated with micro1; micro1 makes every hiring and pay decision.

Sources

Updated 9 October 2026.

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