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ML Tech Leads at high-growth companies earn $146K–$237K. Median: $181K. Based on 62 public job postings (2025–2026). US DOL certified wage filings (FY2026): $203K median.
Median: $181K · Based on 62 public job postings · Updated June 10, 2026
This ML Tech Lead salary benchmark is built from public job postings at high-growth and AI-native companies — no private placement data. Figures reflect base salary and are refreshed as new postings are collected.
ML Tech Leads are machine-learning and AI engineers who build, train, and ship models into production. This benchmark reflects Lead-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.
For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $203K for ML Tech Lead roles, ranging $191K–$223K, across 6 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.
What is the average ML Tech Lead salary at an AI startup?
The median base salary is $181K, with a typical range of $146K–$237K, based on 62 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.
Figures are USD base salary aggregated from 62 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed June 10, 2026.
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