There's a pretty big difference between AI researcher and applied Data Scientist. Most companies don't need to develop novel algorithms, they just need to be able to apply what's already available.
Fortunately, the applied DS jobs don't really require a PhD in machine learning. A master's in CS, stats, etc is usually plenty.
What kind of salaries are MS applied Data Scientists commanding? I am very interested in enrolling in Georgia Tech's OMSA, but very little graduate statistics exist for these types of programs and job searches usually don't provide compensation. Further, the vagueness surrounding the name “data scientist” clutters up the information that is available.
I'm not really sure where these analytics programs are falling in the scheme of things. The usual advice is go CS or stats instead. As far as salaries, it's not too difficult to get 100k in the midwest. More on the coasts.
Fortunately, the applied DS jobs don't really require a PhD in machine learning. A master's in CS, stats, etc is usually plenty.