upper level job

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salary in Pennsylvania

How much does a Principal Machine Learning Engineer make in Pennsylvania?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Machine Learning Engineer in Pennsylvania is $157,650 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $76.

However, a Principal Machine Learning Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $179,391
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $149,720 to $169,030
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $142,500
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
Recruit with AI
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $149,720 10% $142,500 90% $179,391 75% $169,030 $157,650 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $169,030 $14,086 $3,251 $81
Average $157,650 $13,138 $3,032 $76
25th Percentile $149,720 $12,477 $2,879 $72
Check out Principal Machine Learning Engineer Job Openings in Pennsylvania
Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Medical Guardian - Philadelphia, PA

Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Sezzle - Elizabethtown, PA

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Air - Pittsburgh, PA

Machine Learning Systems Engineer

Motional - Pittsburgh, PA

Search More Principal Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in Pennsylvania
Select State
Select City in PA
Choose Similar Job
Choose Category
Cost of Living
Average Salary for United States
See it in Action

Key Factors That Influence Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salaries

A Principal Machine Learning Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Principal Machine Learning Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Algorithm Engineer II (2-4 years): $107,984
  • Senior Algorithm Engineer (4-7 years): $121,371
  • Principal Machine Learning Engineer (7+ years): $157,646
  • Lead Algorithm Engineer (7-10 years): $175,349
  • Algorithm Engineering Manager (10+ years): $176,136
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Algorithm Engineer II2-4 years$107,984
Senior Algorithm Engineer4-7 years$121,371
Principal Machine Learning Engineer7+ years$157,646
Lead Algorithm Engineer7-10 years$175,349
Algorithm Engineering Manager10+ years$176,136
$107,984 Algorithm...
$121,371 Senior Al...
$157,646 Principal...
$175,349 Lead Algo...
$176,136 Algorithm...
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Principal Machine Learning Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • Beaver Meadows: $152,410
  • Coaldale: $153,610
  • Conyngham: $150,990

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Principal Machine Learning Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $176,330. While startup companies pay approximate $149,123.

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$149,123
Growth Stage51~500$157,721
Established501~5000$170,281
Enterprise5000+$176,330

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Principal Machine Learning Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Principal Machine Learning Engineer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Principal Machine Learning Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$197,062$95.025%
Internet$189,180$91.020%
Energy & Utilities$181,298$87.015%
Aerospace & Defense$173,415$83.010%
Financial Services$173,415$83.010%

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Principal Machine Learning Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$149,720
Average $157,650/year
$169,030
$12,477
Average $13,138/month
$14,086
$2,879
Average $3,032/week
$3,251
$72
Average $76/hour
$81
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $169,030 $14,086 $3,251 $81
Average $157,650 $13,138 $3,032 $76
25th Percentile $149,720 $12,477 $2,879 $72

Principal Machine Learning Engineer Salary Growth & Career Path

Principal Machine Learning Engineer
Lead Algorithm Engineer
Algorithm Engineering Manager

For a Principal Machine Learning Engineer, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Lead Algorithm Engineer role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $175,400 - a projected growth of 11% over your current level.

Salaries of jobs related to Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Find Your Next Principal Machine Learning Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Principal Machine Learning Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Cost of Living In Pennsylvania

Cost of Living in Pennsylvania is
-0.5% Lower
than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

Explore Cost of Living Calculator
Empower Your Team

Salary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.

Find Salary.com Comp Consulting
See Salary Trends in 2025

Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.

Price Your Company Jobs and Make Pay Fair

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job