Independent project. Not a U.S. government website.

Support our project (opens Buy Me a Coffee)
USASI

AI pay

Machine Learning Engineer pay

Disclosed yearly base-pay ranges in current Machine Learning Engineer listings at U.S. AI companies and labs, from the employers’ own job listings. 168 of 197 current listings (85%) disclose one; 142 of those appear only in the job description. Listings last checked Oct 19, 2026.

The figures

Listings with disclosed pay
168
of 197 current listings
Median of range midpoints
$242K
a year, base pay
Middle range (25th–75th percentile)
$209K–$285K
half of the midpoints fall here
Remote
2%
3 of the listings with pay

Which titles count: A listing counts when its title contains “machine learning engineer”, “ML engineer”, MLE, “AI engineer”, or “applied AI/ML engineer”. Managers, directors, and recruiters are left out. Matching is on the title only, not the job description, so listings with unusual titles may be missed.

All current Machine Learning Engineer jobs, with or without pay

The listings behind these figures

Machine Learning Engineer listings with disclosed pay, highest midpoint first
JobEmployerLocationYearly rangeMidpointPay from
Machine Learning Engineer, Monetization AI/MLOpenAISan Francisco$381,000–$555,000$468KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer, Core ExperimentationOpenAISeattle$437,000–$485,000$461KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer, Implicit SignalsOpenAISan Francisco$381,000–$510,000$446KFeed
Machine Learning Infrastructure Engineer, Safeguards ResearchAnthropicSan Francisco, CA | New York City, NY$350,000–$500,000$425KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, GrowthOpenAISan Francisco$381,000–$423,000$402KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer, Multimodal Perception and AuthenticationOpenAISan Francisco$342,000–$399,000$371KFeed
Senior Staff Machine Learning Engineer, LLM/VLM Model Architecture & OptimizationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$298,000–$368,000$333KDescription
Sr Staff Tech Lead, Machine Learning Engineer, PerceptionWaymoMountain View, California, United States, San Francisco, California, United States$298,000–$368,000$333KDescription
Principal Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$240,100–$420,200$330KDescription
Senior/Staff Machine Learning Research Engineer, General Agents, Enterprise GenAIScale AINew York, NY +1$290,400–$363,000$327KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, API MulticloudOpenAISan Francisco$223,000–$423,000$323KFeed
Senior Staff ML Engineer, Driver Understanding and EvaluationWaymoMountain View, CA, United States$281,000–$356,000$319KDescription
Member of Technical Staff (Applied AI Engineer, Agent Capabilities)PerplexityNew York City +1$220,000–$405,000$313KFeed
Member of Technical Staff (ML Engineer, Recommendations & User Modeling)PerplexityPalo Alto +1$220,000–$405,000$313KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer - AdsxAI (SpaceXSI)Palo Alto, CA$180,000–$440,000$310KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer - Recommendation SystemsxAI (SpaceXSI)Palo Alto, CA$180,000–$440,000$310KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Public SectorScale AIDenver, CO +1$274,400–$343,000$309KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, Codex Core AgentOpenAILondon, UK +3$230,000–$385,000$308KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, Beneficial Deployments (Life Sciences)AnthropicSan Francisco, CA | New York City, NY$280,000–$320,000$300KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, Public SectorAnthropicWashington, DC$280,000–$320,000$300KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, Startups (Life Sciences)AnthropicSan Francisco, CA | New York City, NY$280,000–$320,000$300KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, Startups (Physical AI)AnthropicSan Francisco, CA$280,000–$320,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, AndroidFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, BackendFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, Localization and MappingFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, PerceptionFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, Training PerformanceFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, Video PretrainingFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, XRFigureSan Jose, CA$200,000–$400,000$300KDescription
Staff/Senior Machine Learning Research Engineer, Intelligent SystemsScale AINew York, NY +1$250,000–$350,000$300KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Data FlywheelWaymoMountain View, Ca Usa +1$250,000–$334,530$292KDescription
Senior Staff Applied AI Engineer - Context RetrievalDatabricksMountain View, California +1$228,600–$342,800$286KDescription
Principal AI Engineer, Special ProgramsSpaceXWashington, DC$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Principal AI Engineer, Special ProgramsSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Special ProgramsSpaceXWashington, DC$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Special ProgramsSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXWashington, DC$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXHawthorne, CA$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXRedmond, WA$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Sr. AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXWashington, DC$220,000–$350,000$285KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, CyberOpenAINew York City +1$234,000–$335,000$285KFeed
Staff ML Engineer, Generative Model Performance & EfficiencyWaymoMountain View, California, United States +1$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff ML Engineer, Perception ResearchWaymoKirkland, WA, USA +3$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer - Vision-Language Foundation ModelsWaymoMountain View, California, United States$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, InfrastructureWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, MappingWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, SimulationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Simulation RealismWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, TLM , Labeling AutomationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Staff Tech Lead, Machine Learning Engineer, PerceptionWaymoMountain View, California, United States +1$251,000–$310,000$281KDescription
Senior Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$201,300–$352,300$277KDescription
Senior Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$201,300–$352,300$277KDescription
Senior Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowNew York, New York, United States$201,300–$352,300$277KDescription
Senior Staff Machine Learning Engineer - DevOpsServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$201,300–$352,300$277KDescription
Senior Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Agentic ApplicationServiceNowMountain View, California, United States$201,300–$352,300$277KDescription
Senior Staff Machine Learning Engineer_Voice AI EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$201,300–$352,300$277KDescription
Helix AI Engineer, Data InfrastructureFigureSan Jose, CA$150,000–$400,000$275KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer – VLM/LLMWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +2$238,000–$302,000$270KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer(TLM), Driver Understanding and EvaluationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$238,000–$302,000$270KDescription
Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Adobe Firefly ServicesAdobeSan Jose +1$190,200–$345,650$268KDescription
Staff AI Engineer, PerceptionAgility RoboticsHybrid- Any Office (Fremont, CA, Salem, OR, or Pittsburgh, PA)$207,000–$323,000$265KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, API Platform, Digital NativesOpenAINew York City$251,000–$278,000$265KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, API Platform, Digital NativesOpenAISan Francisco +1$251,000–$278,000$265KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, EnterpriseOpenAIRemote +2$251,000–$278,000$265KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, Enterprise TechAnthropicSan Francisco, CA | New York City, NY$200,000–$320,000$260KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Trust & SafetyVercelHybrid - San Francisco, New York City$208,000–$312,000$260KDescription
Senior Principal Machine Learning EngineerSambaNovaSan Jose, California, United States$220,000–$300,000$260KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, Cyber, GovernmentOpenAIWashington, DC$211,000–$302,000$257KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, GovernmentOpenAIWashington, DC$211,000–$302,000$257KFeed
Senior ML Engineer, Core DevelopmentAnduril IndustriesCosta Mesa, California, United States$220,000–$292,000$256KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Applied Intelligence)Anduril IndustriesSanta Ana, California, United States$220,000–$292,000$256KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer - InferenceTogether AISan Francisco$200,000–$300,000$250KDescription
Machine Learning Infrastructure EngineerCharacter.AIRedwood City, CA$150,000–$350,000$250KFeed
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Voice AITogether AISan Francisco$220,000–$280,000$250KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Public SectorScale AIDenver, CO +2$196,000–$294,000$245KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Public SectorScale AIDenver, CO +2$196,000–$294,000$245KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, CodexOpenAISan Francisco$211,000–$278,000$245KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, StartupsOpenAINew York City +1$211,000–$278,000$245KFeed
Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer - VoIP InfrastructureServiceNowRemote$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer - VoIP InfrastructureServiceNowSeattle, Washington, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer - VoIP InfrastructureServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Agentic App PlatformServiceNowMountain View, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, GAI Search Relevance - MoveworksServiceNowMountain View, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer_Voice AI EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
Staff Voice AI Engineer – SRE/DevOpsServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$176,100–$308,200$242KDescription
AI EngineerBasetenSan Francisco$220,000–$260,000$240KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer, Enterprise BrainGleanMountain View, CA$200,000–$280,000$240KDescription
Sr / Staff Machine Learning EngineerAdobeSan Francisco +1$172,500–$306,625$240KDescription
Applied AI Engineer, PluginsOpenAISan Francisco$197,000–$280,000$239KFeed
Applied AI Engineer, Sign in with ChatGPTOpenAISan Francisco$197,000–$280,000$239KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer - Gen SWEWaymoMountain View, CA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Simulation RealismWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Simulation RealismWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Infra), Driver Understanding and EvaluationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Computer Vision/VLMWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Fleet Monitoring & ResponseWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Maneuvering TechWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +2$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Multimodal PerceptionWaymoMountain View, California, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Predictive Planner, Systems ArchWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, RoboticsWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Runtime and ServingWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Simulation EvaluationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Vehicle Interaction & Behavior Policy MLWaymoMountain View, California, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Senior/Staff ML Engineer, 3D/4D World Modeling, SimulationWaymoMountain View, CA, USA$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Sr. Machine Learning Engineer, Marketplace ML PlatformWaymoMountain View, CA, United States$213,000–$263,000$238KDescription
Partner Applied AI EngineerOpenAINew York City +1$197,000–$278,000$238KFeed
Staff Machine Learning EngineerDatabricksSan Francisco, California$190,000–$285,000$238KDescription
Sr Staff AI Engineer - VezaServiceNowRemote$171,900–$300,800$236KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Perception LLM/VLMWaymoMountain View, Ca Usa +1$204,000–$259,000$232KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Voice AITogether AISan Francisco$200,000–$260,000$230KDescription
AI engineerWriterNew York City, NY +1$198,000–$259,000$229KFeed
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, CustomerLake (ML/LLM)DatabricksNew York City, New York$192,000–$260,000$226KDescription
Senior Cyber AI EngineerLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore, CA, United States$175,530–$267,060$221KDescription
Senior (DevOps) Machine Learning Engineer - FederalServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$161,300–$274,200$218KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, GAI Search Platform - MoveworksServiceNowMountain View, California, United States$161,300–$274,200$218KDescription
AI Engineer – Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE)DatabricksUnited States$182,000–$250,208$216KDescription
AI Engineer – Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE), U.S. Public Sector (Federal Focus)DatabricksMaryland +2$182,000–$250,208$216KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, AI InsightsCoreWeaveNew York, NY$180,000–$250,000$215KDescription
Senior Applied ML EngineerCoreWeaveBellevue, WA / Sunnyvale, CA$182,000–$242,000$212KDescription
Machine Learning EngineerAdobeSan Jose$151,800–$265,350$209KDescription
Senior AI / Machine Learning Engineer — Fraud PreventionAdobeAustin +5$151,800–$265,350$209KDescription
Senior Machine Learning EngineerAdobeSan Jose$151,800–$265,350$209KDescription
Member of Technical Staff, Applied Machine Learning EngineerFireworks AINew York +1$170,000–$240,000$205KFeed
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, AI InsightsCoreWeaveNew York, NY$165,000–$242,000$204KDescription
Applied AI EngineerCognitionLondon +2$180,000–$225,000$203KFeed
Machine Learning Engineer, Search QualityGleanSan Francisco, CA$140,000–$265,000$203KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Search QualityGleanMountain View, CA$140,000–$265,000$203KDescription
Machine Learning EngineerSkild AISan Mateo, Pittsburgh$100,000–$300,000$200KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Reinforcement LearningSkild AIPittsburgh, San Mateo$100,000–$300,000$200KDescription
AI Engineer 4AdobeSan Jose$139,000–$257,550$198KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer / Applied Scientist, Prediction & PlanningWaymoMountain View, Ca Usa +1$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Driver Refinement & Validation, PerceptionWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Maneuvering TechWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +2$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Marketplace PricingWaymoMountainView, CA, United States$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Prediction & PlanningWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Perception Machine Learning Engineer - Continuous LearningWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, GrowthWaymoMountain View, CA, USA +1$175,000–$215,000$195KDescription
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Agentic SystemsBoston DynamicsWaltham Office (POST)$155,000–$235,000$195KDescription
Senior ML EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$143,200–$243,400$193KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer Perception LLM/VLM (PhD, New Grad)WaymoMountain View, Ca Usa +1$170,000–$216,000$193KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, Assistant QualityGleanSan Francisco, CA$180,000–$205,000$193KDescription
Senior Applied ML Engineer - ML4SysDatabricksSan Francisco, California$166,000–$210,250$188KDescription
AI EngineerBasetenSan Francisco$175,000–$190,000$183KFeed
AI Engineer, Special ProgramsSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$135,000–$230,000$183KDescription
AI Engineer, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$135,000–$230,000$183KDescription
AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXHawthorne, CA$135,000–$230,000$183KDescription
AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXRedmond, WA$135,000–$230,000$183KDescription
AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXPalo Alto, CA$135,000–$230,000$183KDescription
Machine Learning EngineerAdobeSan Jose$125,600–$234,150$180KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, GAI Search Platform - MoveworksServiceNowMountain View, California, United States$139,700–$216,500$178KDescription
Machine Learning Engineer, GAI Search Relevance - MoveworksServiceNowMountain View, California, United States$139,700–$216,500$178KDescription
AI Engineer, Special ProgramsSpaceXWashington, DC$125,000–$220,000$173KDescription
AI Engineer, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXWashington, DC$125,000–$220,000$173KDescription
AI Engineer, Supercomputing, Special Programs - Top Secret ClearanceSpaceXWashington, DC$125,000–$220,000$173KDescription
Machine Learning EngineerServiceNowSanta Clara, California, United States$158,900–$178,100$169KDescription
Forward Deployed AI EngineerPalantirNew York, NY$135,000–$200,000$168KDescription
Forward Deployed AI Engineer, Marketing Intelligence & Consumer InsightsAdobeSan Francisco +2$109,000–$200,700$155KDescription
2027 University Graduate - Machine Learning EngineerAdobeAustin +6$102,400–$202,250$152KDescription
Software and AI EngineerCoreWeaveSunnyvale, CA / Bellevue, WA / Dallas, TX$120,000–$160,000$140KDescription
R&D Data Analysis and Machine Learning Software EngineerThe University of Texas at AustinPICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS$104,000–$174,000$139KDescription
AI EngineerCornell UniversityIthaca (Main Campus)$98,548–$114,529$107KDescription
R&D Data Analysis and Machine Learning Software Engineer (Engineering Scientist Associate)The University of Texas at AustinPICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS$88,500–$120,000$104KDescription

All 168 listings with pay. Every listing with pay in the Jobs directory (the directory’s “shows pay” also includes hourly and other pay).

How these figures are computed

Method. Only pay employers disclose: the yearly U.S.-dollar base range in the employer’s job feed, or, when the feed gives none, a range stated in the employer’s own job description (labelled “description”). Each listing counts once, at the midpoint of its range (a listing with several location tiers spans its lowest to its highest figure). The median and the middle range (25th to 75th percentile) are of those midpoints. Listings are the current ones in the Jobs directory’s default view: a U.S. location, or no location that can be read.

Left out. Hourly, monthly, open-ended (“up to”), and non-dollar pay; ranges the employer labels as on-target earnings (base plus commission), bonus, equity, or total compensation; ranges with a lower end under $10,000 or an upper end over $2,000,000 a year (not plausible as a yearly base). Nothing is converted, annualized, or estimated. A group is shown only with at least 10 listings with pay.

Caveats. Posted ranges are what employers advertise, not what anyone is paid; many employers (and many states) post wide ranges, and listings without pay are not represented. Sales roles often state on-target earnings (base plus commission) without labelling them, so their figures may include commission. Role groups come from title rules, not job descriptions. There is no trend yet: USASI keeps no history of listings or pay, so each figure is for the listings current when this page was built.

Support Us

Help keep USASI useful.

Optional. No USASI account required. Payment takes place on the linked provider’s website (Buy Me a Coffee).

About supporting this project