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Staff ML Engineers in San Francisco earn $215K–$303K. Median: $253K. Based on 44 public job postings (2025–2026).
Median: $253K · Based on 44 public job postings · Updated October 15, 2026
This Staff ML Engineer salary benchmark for San Francisco 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.
San Francisco Staff ML Engineer pay runs 12% above 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 Francisco-based roles at high-growth and AI-native companies.
What is the average Staff ML Engineer salary in San Francisco?
The median pay is $253K, with a typical range of $215K–$303K, based on 44 public San Francisco job postings collected in 2025–2026.
How does San Francisco compare to the national Staff ML Engineer salary?
The national median is $225K; San Francisco 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 Francisco postings.
Posted-range midpoints (USD) aggregated from 44 public job postings located in San Francisco (2025–2026). Range = 25th–75th percentile; median = 50th percentile. Equity is excluded. At least 15 San Francisco postings required to publish. Last refreshed October 15, 2026.
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