How Much Does an
AI Mentor Cost?

Quality AI mentorship programs typically cost $2,000-$6,000 for a 3-month engagement. This usually includes weekly or biweekly 1:1 sessions, async support, personalized learning paths, portfolio reviews, and job search strategy. Hourly rates for experienced AI mentors range from $100-$300 per hour, making bundled programs more cost-effective than ad-hoc sessions.

Pricing depends on: (1) Mentor experience and track record (senior engineers and hiring managers charge more). (2) Session frequency (weekly costs more than biweekly). (3) Access level (async support, code reviews, referrals). (4) Program structure (cohort vs 1:1, fixed curriculum vs custom). (5) Guarantees offered. A mentor with 10+ years experience and hiring authority justifiably charges more than a recent grad.

Bootcamps cost $10,000-$17,000 for 12-26 weeks with limited 1:1 time (around 2 hours monthly). Mentorship costs $2,000-$6,000 for 12 weeks with 4+ hours of direct 1:1 monthly. Per hour of personalized attention, mentorship is often 3-5x more cost-effective. Bootcamps include cohort community and brand recognition. Mentorship offers flexibility and targeted guidance. Neither is universally better, but mentorship typically costs less.

Calculate ROI as: (Expected salary increase x probability of success) minus mentorship cost. Example: If mentorship helps you land a role paying $30K more annually, a $4,000 program pays for itself in under 2 months. Even at 50% success probability, the expected value is ($30K x 0.5) minus $4K = $11K positive return in year one. The key is evaluating the mentor's track record for actually placing people in roles.

Not necessarily. While some programming experience is helpful, many of my clients have successfully transitioned from web development, data science, or other technical backgrounds. We'll assess your current skills during our strategy call and create a personalized plan that meets you where you are.

You become a member of the AI Native Engineer community, and you stay and keep going. Career transitions take different amounts of time for everyone, and I'm not going to abandon you if things take longer. You get ongoing support through good times and bad.

Most clients invest 10-15 hours per week, but this can be flexible based on your schedule. We'll have weekly 1:1 calls plus time for you to work on projects and learning. The key is consistency. Regular, focused effort beats occasional marathons.

Online courses cost $20-$500 but provide zero personalization or accountability. Mentorship at $2K-$6K includes tailored guidance, feedback on your specific work, and direct access to someone who knows what hiring managers want. Courses teach content. Mentors teach you how to apply it to get hired. The price difference reflects 1:1 attention and career strategy that courses cannot provide.

Investment details are discussed during the 30-minute strategy call, where we'll assess your goals and create a custom plan. The program is designed to pay for itself quickly through your increased salary. Most AI engineers see a 20-50% pay increase.

Absolutely. Most of my clients work full-time and make steady progress. We'll schedule calls at times that work for you and create a realistic plan that fits your schedule. Consistency matters more than intensity.

Be cautious of mentorship under $1,500 for 3 months. At that price point, either the mentor lacks experience, sessions are infrequent, or you are getting group coaching disguised as 1:1. Quality mentors who can actually help you get hired value their time appropriately. Extremely cheap options often waste your time rather than save money.

Common structures include: (1) Upfront payment with slight discount. (2) Monthly payments spread over program duration. (3) Milestone-based payments tied to progress. (4) Income share agreements where you pay a percentage after landing a job. Each has tradeoffs. Upfront shows commitment but carries risk. ISAs reduce upfront cost but cost more long-term. Choose based on your cash flow and risk tolerance.