Machine Learning Engineer Salary in California
Detailed compensation breakdown, percentiles, and market demand for Machine Learning Engineer in California.
Data Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS Survey), DOL Certified H-1B Disclosures & Public SEC 10-K Filings. Learn about our formula →
Salary Progression by Experience Level in California
Estimated pay progression across career stages for Machine Learning Engineer
Junior Machine Learning Engineer
Recent graduates and early career entrants.
Machine Learning Engineer
Autonomous execution and domain proficiency.
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
System architecture, mentorship, and project leadership.
Staff / Principal
Strategic direction and cross-functional technical decisions.
Top Paying Employers for Machine Learning Engineer
Verified total compensation packages by employer
| Company | Level | Experience | Base Salary | Stock / Year | Bonus | Total Comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Platforms | E5 (AI Specialist) | 4-7 yrs | $230,000 | $200,000 | $45,000 | $475,000 |
| Google (Alphabet) | L5 (Senior AI) | 4-8 yrs | $225,000 | $180,000 | $50,000 | $455,000 |
| NVIDIA | IC3 (Mid AI/GPU) | 2-5 yrs | $185,000 | $140,000 | $25,000 | $350,000 |
Machine Learning Engineer Salary in Other US Locations
Compare regional earnings and cost-of-living adjustments
San Francisco, CA
San Jose, CA
New York, NY
Seattle, WA
Hawaii
Oakland, CA
Boston, MA
California
Role Profile & Career Requirements
Machine Learning Engineers build, fine-tune, deploy, and scale predictive algorithms, deep learning neural networks, and generative AI pipelines on high-performance GPU clusters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Machine Learning Engineer make in California?
The median annual salary for a Machine Learning Engineer in California is $231,250, with entry-level professionals earning around $168,750 and top 10% senior specialists earning up to $406,250.
What is the average hourly rate for a Machine Learning Engineer in California?
On average, a Machine Learning Engineer in California makes approximately $111.18 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year.
