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Machine Learning Engineer Salary and Equity in 2026
How much do Machine Learning Engineers expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for Machine Learning Engineers in a startup is 159k per year, with a range from 75k to 271k. The salary range for Machine Learning Engineers varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
158.8k
Average Salary
3 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average Machine Learning Engineer salary is $158,750, which is 40.7% higher than the average startup salary of $112,833. Machine Learning Engineer salaries are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: location, years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.
Top of market
$235,083/yr
Range $187k - $271k
Average
$158,750/yr
Range $120k - $188k
Below Average
$116,125/yr
Range $75k - $140k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a Machine Learning Engineer can get in Los Angeles, that is $225,000. This pay is 41.7% higher than the average Machine Learning Engineer salary in startups, which is $158,750. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Los Angeles (avg $225,000 per year), New York (avg $175,000 per year), Cambridge (avg $175,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Los Angeles
$225k
New York
$175k
Cambridge
$175k
Denver
$170k
Seattle
$160k
Vancouver
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View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a Machine Learning Engineer can get in Online Shopping, that is $310,000. This pay is 3.8% higher than the average Machine Learning Engineer salary, which is $298,600. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Online Shopping (avg $310,000 per year), Business Productivity (avg $304,000 per year), Assisitive Technology (avg $304,000 per year).
Tech Stack
The highest average salary a Machine Learning Engineer can get with TypeScript, that is $202,000. This pay is 27.2% higher than the average Machine Learning Engineer salary in startups, which is $158,750. Salary range for specific skills will vary based on the supply and demand in the current market.
Top Tech Stacks
The top-paying Machine Learning Engineer skills of 2026 are:
1. TypeScript
$202k
2. Docker
$197k
3. Flask
$197k
4. C++
$192k
5. Numpy
$185k
6. C
$185k
7. SQL
$172k
8. GraphQL
$170k
9. OpenCV
$160k
10. AWS
$157k
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a Machine Learning Engineer can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $107,000. This pay is 32.6% lower than the average Machine Learning Engineer salary, which is $158,750. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.
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Tech Hubs for Machine Learning Engineer
Industries for Machine Learning Engineer
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