Machine Learning Engineer Salary: How Much Can You Make?

Key takeaways

Machine learning (ML) engineers have the potential to earn lucrative salaries across the United States.

• The annual median total salary for machine learning engineers is $162,000, according to Glassdoor [1].

• San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, and Los Angeles are among the top-paying cities for machine learning engineers. 

• You can further enhance your salary and career prospects as a machine learning engineer by targeting advanced roles in the field, such as a senior machine learning engineer. 

Find out what machine learning engineers do and the average salaries by experience and location. Afterward, if you're interested in pursuing a career in machine learning, consider enrolling in the AI Foundations for Everyone Specialization to learn how to build, deploy, and innovate with advanced techniques and real-world machine learning projects.

What is a typical machine learning engineer salary? 

The average salary of a machine learning engineer is impacted by many factors, including experience, industry, and geographic location. However, according to various salary aggregate sites, the average US salary for a machine learning engineer ranges from $109,929 to $162,000, which is significantly more than the median salary in the US [2,3,4,1]. 

*Glassdoor salary information represents the median total pay. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

What is a machine learning engineer salary by experience?

Experience has a big impact on what machine learning engineers can expect to make. Generally, the more experience a machine learning engineer has, the more they can expect to make in their role. According to Glassdoor, the median total pay by experience breaks down as follows [1]:

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of June 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

• 0–1 year: $123,000

• 1–3 years: $140,000

• 4–6 years: $158,000

• 7–9 years: $172,000

• 10–14 years: $195,000

• 15+ years: $217,000

Those in more senior positions can typically expect to make even more. For example, according to Glassdoor, the median total salary that a senior machine learning engineer makes is $214,000 across all years of experience [5]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Read more: Machine Learning Career Path: Charting Your Journey in a Dynamic Field

What is a starting senior machine learning engineer salary?

Senior machine learning engineers start out with a median total salary of $148,000 [5]. With experience, this raises significantly. Senior machine learning engineers with over 15 years of experience typically bring in around $239,000 as a baseline [5]. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

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What is the salary of a machine learning engineer by industry? 

As data becomes increasingly more valuable, so too do machine learning engineers capable of manipulating it with artificial intelligence (AI). Applying your expertise in an area of rapid growth may lead to more job opportunities and advancement. Consider the top-paying industries for machine learning engineers, according to Glassdoor [1]: 

• Personal consumer services: $195,970

• Information technology: $186,446

• Retail and wholesale: $174,122

• Energy, mining, and utilities: $162,114

• Human resources and staffing: $156,416

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of June 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

How much do machine learning engineers make by location? 

Typically, salaries vary from region to region. Every location has its own cost of living and market competition, which inevitably impacts the salary that a machine learning engineer can expect to make. 

Here are the annual median total salaries for machine learning engineers across the country, from the West Coast to the East, the Midwest to the South, courtesy of Glassdoor: 

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of June 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Job outlook for machine learning engineers 

The job outlook for machine learning engineers is positive. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer and information research scientists, the group under which machine learning engineers typically fall, are projected to grow by 20 percent between 2024 and 2034 [6]. 

The worldwide machine learning market size is set to reach $282.13 billion by 2030, indicating continued industry growth and expanding career opportunities for machine learning professionals [7]. 

Explore our free resources on machine learning

Join Career Chaton LinkedIn to get weekly updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications. Discover more about machine learning with our other free digital resources:

• Watch on YouTube: Machine Learning Classification | Python Diabetes Prediction Model

• Plan your career trajectory: Machine Learning Career Paths: Explore Roles & Specializations

• Take a quiz: Which Machine Learning Course Should You Take? Find Out in 1 Minute

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