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Staff ML Engineers in San Diego earn $198K–$223K. Median: $203K. Based on 17 public job postings (2025–2026).
Median: $203K · Based on 17 public San Diego job postings · Updated September 20, 2026
This Staff ML Engineer salary benchmark for San Diego is built from public job postings at high-growth and AI-native companies — no private placement data. Figures reflect the posted-range midpoint and are refreshed as new postings are collected.
San Diego Staff ML Engineer pay runs 6% below the national median.
Staff ML Engineers are machine-learning and AI engineers who build, train, and ship models into production. This benchmark reflects Staff-level base compensation for San Diego-based roles at high-growth and AI-native companies.
What is the average Staff ML Engineer salary in San Diego?
The median pay is $203K, with a typical range of $198K–$223K, based on 17 public San Diego job postings collected in 2025–2026.
How does San Diego compare to the national Staff ML Engineer salary?
The national median is $215K; San Diego is shown above.
Where does this data come from?
Public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. Minimum 15 San Diego postings.
Posted-range midpoints (USD) aggregated from 17 public job postings located in San Diego (2025–2026). Range = 25th–75th percentile; median = 50th percentile. Equity is excluded. At least 15 San Diego postings required to publish. Last refreshed September 20, 2026.
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