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Machine Learning Developer Salary in Santa Monica 2026
How much does a Machine Learning developer expect to make at Santa Monica-based startups? The average expected salary for Machine Learning developers in Santa Monica-based startups is 180k per year, with a range from 105k to 420k. These amounts were gathered from Wellfound self-reported data and represent the median salary range. The salary range for Machine Learning developers in Santa Monica startups varies depending on factors such as industry, experience, and startup stage.
179.6k
Average Salary
6 years
Average years of experience

Salary
The average salary for a Machine Learning developer in Santa Monica is$179,583, which is 43.7% higher than the average Santa Monica startup salary of $125,000. Machine Learning developer salaries in Santa Monica are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.
Top of market
$283,833/yr
Range $160k - $420k
Average
$179,583/yr
Range $130k - $200k
Below Average
$142,833/yr
Range $105k - $183k
Industries
The highest average salary a Machine Learning developer in Santa Monica can get in Cloud Computing, that is $200,000. This pay is 46.1% higher than the average Machine Learning developer salary, which is $136,900. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Cloud Computing (avg $200,000 per year), Entertainment (avg $190,000 per year), Games (avg $134,000 per year).
Tech Stack
Top Tech Stacks
The top-paying developer skills of 2026 are:
1. Pandas
$237k
2. Numpy
$237k
3. Kafka
$230.5k
4. Redis
$215k
5. Deep Learning
$212.5k
6. PyTorch
$210k
7. react
$195k
8. Rust
$189k
9. Go
$189k
10. GCP
$189k
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary Machine Learning developer in Santa Monica can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $200,000. This pay is 60.0% higher than the average salary in Santa Monica startups, which is $125,000. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.
Popular roles in Santa Monica
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