IT Engineer

💰 $100K–$151K salary range

Median: $117K  ·  Based on 328 public job postings  ·  Updated August 30, 2026

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At high-growth companies, the professionals tasked with managing internal systems and infrastructure play a pivotal role in operationalizing cutting-edge technology. They ensure the robust infrastructure supporting AI model training, deployment, and data management is performant and secure, directly impacting development velocity. Salary expectations for this specialized role typically fall between $110K and $160K annually, with a median compensation of $135K, based on an analysis of 29 recent job postings. Candidates achieving top-tier compensation consistently demonstrate deep expertise in container orchestration via Kubernetes, practical experience managing GPU infrastructure, and proficiency in integrating MLOps toolchains. These technical proficiencies are critical for scaling AI initiatives efficiently.

📊 Salary breakdown

IT Engineer salary by location

• All locations: $117K median ($100K–$151K typical range)
• New York: $125K median, $102K–$140K range (+7% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $125K median, $90K–$155K range (+7% vs. national)
• Chicago: $140K median, $97K–$161K range (+20% vs. national)
• Denver: $121K median, $102K–$131K range (+3% vs. national)
• Seattle: $108K median, $102K–$132K range (-8% vs. national)
• Atlanta: $106K median, $101K–$127K range (-9% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $157K median, $127K–$171K range (+34% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

New York

• Versant: $125K median
• Wilson Elser: $118K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 65% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 41% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 49% of postings
• Parental leave: 14% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 27% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 1% of postings

Typical experience required: 4–5 years.

IT salaries by seniority

• IT Engineer: $117K
• IT Manager: $146K
• Senior IT Engineer: $150K
• IT Lead: $152K
• Head of IT: $193K
• Staff IT Professional: $217K

What does a IT Engineer do?

IT Engineers are IT professionals who run the systems, devices, and security the company depends on. This benchmark reflects Mid-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2025) show a median of $151K for IT Engineer roles, ranging $122K–$161K, across 14 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average IT Engineer salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $117K, with a typical range of $100K–$151K, based on 328 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 328 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed August 30, 2026.

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