Check my payMachine Learning Engineer salary by level
Machine Learning Engineering pay in 2026, from entry level to VP, in the highest-paying US markets.
Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026Median base salary, Senior Machine Learning Engineer, top-tier markets
From entry level to VP, medians run from $124k to $495k.
Individual contributor track
Median base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle.
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate Machine Learning EngineerIC1 Associate / Entry | $124k |
| Machine Learning EngineerIC2 Mid-level | $171k |
| Senior Machine Learning EngineerIC3 Senior | $225k |
| Staff Machine Learning EngineerIC4 Staff / Lead | $275k |
| Principal Machine Learning EngineerIC5 Senior Staff / Principal | $320k |
| Distinguished Machine Learning EngineerIC6 Distinguished | $372k |
Management track
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate Manager, Machine Learning EngineeringM2 Associate Manager | $237k |
| Manager, Machine Learning EngineeringM3 Manager | $275k |
| Senior Manager, Machine Learning EngineeringM4 Senior Manager | $320k |
| Director, Machine Learning EngineeringM5 Director | $378k |
| Senior Director, Machine Learning EngineeringM6 Senior Director | $428k |
| VP, Machine Learning EngineeringE1 Vice President | $495k |
The full range
Every market, the 10th to 90th percentiles, bonus, equity, and new hire grants, adjusted for your industry and company size.
Included with Pro, along with ranges for all 100 roles and the pay coach.
See the full rangeSee where your pay sits
Pick your level and city, enter your salary, and get your percentile in seconds. Free, and nothing you type is stored.
Check my payOther AI and Machine Learning roles
Where do these numbers come from?
They are modeled estimates built by compensation practitioners from publicly discussed pay and from how companies typically structure salary ranges by level and location. They are not survey results and not any company's actual ranges. Use them to get oriented before a pay conversation, not as an exact offer number.