Staff ML Engineer

💰 $199K–$281K salary range

Median: $233K  ·  Based on 362 public job postings  ·  Updated September 10, 2026

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Leading technical contributors focused on machine learning at high-growth companies are recognized as Staff ML Engineers. They are responsible for architecting, building, and scaling the foundational ML systems that power core AI products, translating cutting-edge research into robust production solutions. Compensation for this role typically ranges from $240,000 to $345,000, with a median of $303,000, derived from an analysis of 61 recent job postings. Professionals demonstrating deep expertise in architecting highly scalable MLOps platforms, mastery of advanced deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX) for large-scale model training, and proven success in productionizing Generative AI models consistently secure top-tier pay. These individuals drive the technical direction and execution of critical AI initiatives.

📊 Salary breakdown

Staff ML Engineer salary by location

• All locations: $233K median ($199K–$281K typical range)
• San Francisco: $270K median, $221K–$313K range (+16% vs. national)
• New York: $223K median, $200K–$256K range (-4% vs. national)
• Seattle: $262K median, $234K–$300K range (+13% vs. national)
• Chicago: $205K median, $193K–$216K range (-12% vs. national)
• Austin: $165K median, $152K–$207K range (-29% vs. national)
• Boston: $205K median, $188K–$215K range (-12% vs. national)
• Denver: $185K median, $162K–$209K range (-21% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $263K median, $231K–$306K range (+13% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Anthropic: $505K median
• OpenAI: $397K median
• Perplexity: $313K median
• Simile: $300K median
• Gimlet Labs: $270K median
• Hayden AI: $255K median

New York

• Garner Health: $321K median
• Ataraxis: $200K median

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

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 67% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 68% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 48% of postings
• Parental leave: 23% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 12% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 5% of postings

Typical experience required: 7–9 years.

AI/ML salaries by seniority

• ML Engineering Manager: $91K
• AI/ML Engineer: $108K
• Senior ML Engineer: $159K
• ML / AI Engineer: $177K
• ML Tech Lead: $193K
• Forward Deployed Engineer: $200K
• Head of AI: $231K
• Staff ML Engineer: $233K

What does a Staff ML Engineer do?

Staff ML Engineers are machine-learning and AI engineers who build, train, and ship models into production. This benchmark reflects Staff-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $225K for Staff ML Engineer roles, ranging $193K–$252K, across 250 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Staff ML Engineer salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $233K, with a typical range of $199K–$281K, based on 362 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

What is the Staff ML Engineer salary in San Francisco?
San Francisco Staff ML Engineers at AI-native startups earn a median of $270K, with a typical range of $221K–$313K (25th–75th percentile). That's 16% above the $233K US national median. Based on 91 qualifying postings, 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 362 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 September 10, 2026.

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