IT Engineer

💰 $99K–$150K salary range

Median: $119K  ·  Based on 300 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 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: $119K median ($99K–$150K typical range)
• New York: $125K median, $105K–$160K range (+5% vs. national)
• Chicago: $110K median, $97K–$140K range (-7% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $125K median, $95K–$178K range (+5% vs. national)
• Atlanta: $105K median, $96K–$143K range (-12% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $150K median, $115K–$150K range (+26% vs. national)
• Boston: $152K median, $137K–$167K range (+28% vs. national)
• Washington DC: $95K median, $95K–$97K range (-20% vs. national)
• Seattle: $164K median, $146K–$187K range (+38% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Punch!: $150K median

New York

• Wilson Elser: $125K median
• City of New York: $110K median

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

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 60% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 29% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 38% of postings
• Parental leave: 10% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 28% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 1% of postings

Typical experience required: 5–6 years.

IT salaries by seniority

• IT Engineer: $119K
• IT Manager: $144K
• Senior IT Engineer: $153K
• IT Lead: $165K
• Head of IT: $200K
• Staff IT Professional: $213K

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.

Common questions

What is the average IT Engineer salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $119K, with a typical range of $99K–$150K, based on 300 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 300 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 July 1, 2026.

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