Machine Learning Engineer Salary: Oklahoma City, OK vs Seattle, WA
BLS does not publish a separate estimate for Machine Learning Engineers. The figures on this page are the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Data Scientists (15-2051), the closest published occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Machine Learning Engineers in Oklahoma City, OK and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Oklahoma City, OK | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $91,240 | $164,740▲ | -$73,500 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,190 | $108,740▲ | -$33,550 |
| 75th Percentile | $115,740 | $210,370▲ | -$94,630 |
| 90th Percentile | $150,050 | $230,980▲ | -$80,930 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 90.4 | 111.1 | -20.7 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $100,920 | $148,237▲ | -$47,317 |
| Total Employment | 820 | 8,370 | -7,550 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $73,500 more (median: $91,240 vs $164,740). BEA's regional price parity is 90.4 in Oklahoma City, OK and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $100,920 and $148,237, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $73,500 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $100,920 for Oklahoma City and $148,237 for Seattle, a difference of $47,317.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Oklahoma City, OK; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 820 Machine Learning Engineer jobs in the Oklahoma City area and 8,370 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our Oklahoma overview and the full Machine Learning Engineer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Machine Learning Engineer salary higher in Oklahoma City, OK or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Machine Learning Engineers ($164,740 per year, against $91,240 in Oklahoma City, OK; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $100,920 in Oklahoma City, OK and $148,237 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between Oklahoma City, OK and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 90.4 for the Oklahoma City, OK metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 9.6% below the national level for Oklahoma City, OK and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Machine Learning Engineers more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Machine Learning Engineer wage is $148,237, against $100,920 for Oklahoma City, OK. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.