ML Engineer Salary in San Diego, California

How much does a ML Engineer make in San Diego, CA?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a ML Engineer in San Diego, CA is $142,520. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $111,998 to a high of $175,486, with most professionals earning between $126,544 and $159,776.

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Salary range for an ML Engineer

$126,544 to $159,776

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What is a ML Engineer?

An ML Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing machine learning models and algorithms to solve complex business problems. They work closely with data scientists and software engineers to gather and analyze data, build and train machine learning models, and deploy them into production systems. ML Engineers also optimize and fine-tune models for performance and scalability, and stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence to continuously improve and innovate their solutions. They may also be involved in creating data pipelines, developing data infrastructure, and integrating machine learning models into existing software applications. Strong programming skills, knowledge of machine learning frameworks and libraries, and a deep understanding of data structures and algorithms are essential for this role.

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Job Openings for ML Engineer in San Diego, CA

What does a ML Engineer do?

Common responsibilities of a ML Engineer

Collaborating with data scientists and software engineers to integrate machine learning models into production systems.

September 26, 2023

Evaluating the performance of machine learning models and making improvements as needed.

September 30, 2023

Working with cross-functional teams to identify and prioritize opportunities for applying machine learning.

October 14, 2023

Mentoring and coaching junior members of the team.

October 19, 2023

Collecting and preprocessing large datasets for training and testing machine learning models.

October 24, 2023

Staying up-to-date with the latest developments in machine learning and artificial intelligence.

November 15, 2023

Ensuring the ethical and responsible use of machine learning technologies.

November 16, 2023

Implementing and maintaining machine learning infrastructure and tools.

November 19, 2023

Developing machine learning models and algorithms to solve specific business problems.

November 20, 2023

Communicating and presenting findings and recommendations to stakeholders.

November 23, 2023

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ML Engineer Salary By Experience Levels in San Diego, CA

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RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE

Length of experience is a pay differentiator. Those with greater experience may have an advantage in negotiating salary. For those with less experience, other factors such as education or special skills could impact your pay. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.

ML Engineer Salary By Level of Education in San Diego, CA

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LEVEL OF EDUCATION

Depending on the job, educational levels may have a significant impact on pay levels. Be informed and understand how things like education and certifications can help to increase potential earnings for the career you are interested in. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.

Average Salary Range for ML Engineer in San Diego, CA

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

126544

159776

142520

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

131168

167184

147818

What is the average salary for ML Engineer in 2025?

These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of ML Engineer in San Diego, CA. The base salary for ML Engineer ranges from $126,544 to $159,776 with the average base salary of $142,520. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $131,168 to $167,184 with the average total cash compensation of $147,818.

View Average Salary for ML Engineer as table

	Average Salary	Average Salary Range
Base Salary	$142,520	$126,544 - $159,776
Bonus	$5,298	$4,624 - $7,408
Total Pay	$147,818	$131,168 - $167,184

* Base Salary represents gross income before taxes and deductions. It does not include additional pay such as benefits, bonuses, profit sharing or commissions.

* Total Pay combines base salary, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job.

ML Engineer Salary Near San Diego, CA

CITY, STATE	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA
CITY, STATE El Cajon, CA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $126,169 - $159,303	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA
CITY, STATE Chula Vista, CA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $126,544 - $159,776	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA 0%
CITY, STATE Escondido, CA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $125,842 - $158,890	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA
CITY, STATE Oceanside, CA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $126,251 - $159,407	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA
CITY, STATE Carlsbad, CA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $125,842 - $158,890	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA
CITY, STATE Murrieta, CA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $125,643 - $158,639	COMPARE TO San Diego, CA

See salaries for ML Engineer in locations close to San Diego, CA. Pay for the same job may vary based on the location and on the location and on other factors such as the size of company, the industry, and other local conditions.

About San Diego, California

According to SDSU professor emeritus Monte Marshall, San Diego Bay is "the surface expression of a north-south-trending, nested graben". The Rose Canyon and Point Loma fault zones are part of the San Andreas Fault system. About 40 miles (64 km) east of the bay are the Laguna Mountains in the Peninsular Ranges, which are part of the backbone of the American continents. The city lies on approximately 200 deep canyons and hills separating its mesas, creating small pockets of natural open space scattered throughout the city and giving it a hilly geography. Traditionally, San Diegans have built the...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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