Machine Learning Research Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Machine Learning Research Engineer make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Machine Learning Research Engineer in the United States is $126,177 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $146,758
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $116,215 to $136,950
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $107,145
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
Smart Recruiting
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $116,215 10% $107,145 90% $146,758 75% $136,950 $126,177 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Machine Learning Research Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $136,950 $11,413 $2,634 $66
Average $126,177 $10,515 $2,426 $61
25th Percentile $116,215 $9,685 $2,235 $56
Check out Machine Learning Research Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Machine Learning / Data Science Engineer

CapTech Consulting - Columbus, OH

Travel RT - Radiation Therapist

Focus Staff - BANGOR, ME

Travel CCU RN - Critical Care Unit Registered Nurse

Focus Staff - LEBANON, NH

Travel IR RN - Interventional Radiology Registered Nurse

Focus Staff - LEBANON, NH

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

Key Factors That Influence Machine Learning Research Engineer Salaries

A Machine Learning Research 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Machine Learning Research Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Machine Learning Research 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $79,558
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $102,384
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $125,385
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $145,065
  • Expert (over 8 years): $166,761
Levels Salary
Software ... Level Machine Learning Research Engineer$79,558
Software ... Level Machine Learning Research Engineer$102,384
Machine L... Level Machine Learning Research Engineer$125,385
Software ... Level Machine Learning Research Engineer$145,065
Software ... Level Machine Learning Research Engineer$166,761
$79,558 0 yr
$102,384 < 2 yrs
$125,385 2-4 yrs
$145,065 5-8 yrs
$166,761 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Machine Learning Research 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:

  • San Jose: $159,147
  • San Francisco: $157,405
  • Oakland: $154,087

What Skills Can Increase a Machine Learning Research Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.68% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 4.7% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
  • Software Engineering (Mentioned in 2.8% Job Postings): Software engineering is the application of engineering to the development of software in a systematic method. Notable definitions of software engineering include: "the systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the design, implementation, testing, and documentation of software"—The Bureau of Labor Statistics—IEEE Systems and software engineering - Vocabulary "The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software"—IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology "an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production"—Ian Sommerville "the establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to economically obtain software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines"—Fritz Bauer
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.68%
Software Development 4.7%
Software Engineering 2.8%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Machine Learning Research Engineer's salary.
  • Open Source: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Container: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Open Source
 $131,224
4%
Container
 $129,962
3%
Innovation
 $129,962
3%
Kubernetes
 $129,962
3%
Python
 $128,701
2%
AWS
 $128,701
2%
Get Latest Data

Machine Learning Research Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Machine Learning Research Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 27% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 14% above the average. In contrast, Machine Learning Research Engineer positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Machine Learning Research Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Machine Learning Research Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$143,842$69.014%
Aerospace & Defense$141,318$68.012%
Internet$140,056$67.011%
Biotechnology$138,795$67.010%
Software & Networking$137,533$66.09%

How Education impacts a Machine Learning Research Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Machine Learning Research Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Machine Learning Research Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $122,135 and $128,293).

Machine Learning Research Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Machine Learning Research Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 2.0%
Associates 1.4%
Bachelors 46.1%
Masters 44.2%
Doctorate 6.0%
view as graph

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

Understanding how a Machine Learning Research 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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$116,215
Average $126,177/year
$136,950
$9,685
Average $10,515/month
$11,413
$2,235
Average $2,426/week
$2,634
$56
Average $61/hour
$66
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $136,950 $11,413 $2,634 $66
Average $126,177 $10,515 $2,426 $61
25th Percentile $116,215 $9,685 $2,235 $56

Salaries of jobs related to Machine Learning Research Engineer

Salary Trends for Machine Learning Research Engineer

Salaries for a Machine Learning Research Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $123,706 in 2023 to around $122,489 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Machine Learning Research Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Machine Learning Research Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$123,706
2024
$123,951
2025
$122,489
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $123,706
2024 $123,951
2025 $122,489
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Machine Learning Research Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Machine Learning Research Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Machine Learning Research Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Machine Learning Research Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Machine Learning Research 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.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint 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