/market-index — ML / AI ENGINEERING & RESEARCH
ML & AI Engineer Salary Guide
ML and AI engineering comp is moving faster than any salary survey can track. The bands below come from AI/ML searches we have run for VC-backed startups — what companies actually authorized us to offer, updated as searches run.
Base salary, $k/year · from 22 live searches
| Market | Searches | Median band | Top of market |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 9 | $150k – $250k | $300k |
| Remote / other | 6 | $150k – $217k | $270k |
| San Francisco | 7 | $160k – $300k | $450k |
What the data says
San Francisco carries the widest ML bands — research-adjacent roles at funded labs reach $450k base, while product-ML roles cluster far lower. If a company is quoting you a survey median, it is probably a year stale.
Base salary only, equity excluded. Bands reflect what companies authorized us to offer. Last computed 2026-08.
Live ml / ai engineering & research roles
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Anonymized profiles of engineers we'd put in front of you — and an honest read on whether your band clears the market.