Machine Learning Engineer Salary in San Francisco, CA
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.
Machine Learning Engineers in San Francisco, CA earn a median of $170,110/year, ranging from $130,430 (25th percentile) to $272,430 (90th percentile). Prices in the area were 15.6% above the national level in 2024 (BEA regional price parity 115.6), so at national-average prices that median is equivalent to $147,137.
1Salary Distribution in San Francisco, CA
2Pay Adjusted for Local Prices
Price level: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, regional price parity (all items) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, 2024. The adjustment covers prices only, not taxes. Use the Salary Calculator to compare two areas.
How Does San Francisco, CA Compare?
| City | Median | Price Level | At National Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA (current) | $170,110 | 115.6 | $147,137 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $129,740 | 113.6 | $114,242 |
| San Diego, CA | $130,990 | 111.9 | $117,073 |
| New York, NY | $135,980 | 112.6 | $120,803 |
| Seattle, WA | $164,740 | 111.1 | $148,237 |
| Boston, MA | $132,040 | 108.3 | $121,959 |
4Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Machine Learning Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA?
The median Machine Learning Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA is $170,110 per year, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The 25th percentile is $130,430 and the 90th percentile is $272,430.
How far does a Machine Learning Engineer salary go in San Francisco, CA?
Prices in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area were 15.6% above the national level in 2024: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts its regional price parity at 115.6, where the United States is 100. Restated at national-average prices, the $170,110 median Machine Learning Engineer wage is $147,137.
What is the price level in San Francisco, CA?
The regional price parity for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area was 115.6 in 2024 (United States = 100), which is 15.6% above the national level. It is the all-items index published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
What is the Machine Learning Engineer salary range in San Francisco, CA?
In San Francisco, CA, Machine Learning Engineers earn between $130,430 (25th percentile) and $272,430 (90th percentile), with a median of $170,110 per year.
How many Machine Learning Engineer jobs are there in San Francisco, CA?
BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates put employment at 10,460 Machine Learning Engineer positions in the San Francisco, CA metropolitan area.
What do Machine Learning Engineers earn in San Francisco, CA?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Machine Learning Engineers in San Francisco, CA earn a median annual wage of $170,110. The middle 50% earn between $130,430 and $212,970. The top 10% earn more than $272,430.There are approximately 10,460 Machine Learning Engineers employed in the San Francisco, CA metro area.
How do prices in San Francisco, CA affect a Machine Learning Engineer salary?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes a regional price parity for each metropolitan area. In its words: “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.” For the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area the 2024 figure is 115.6, which is 15.6% above the national level. Dividing the $170,110 median wage by that price level gives $147,137at national-average prices. The adjustment uses BEA's all-items index and covers prices only, not taxes.
Compare San Francisco, CA with Another City
See a side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels.
5More Machine Learning Engineer Wage Data
Other metro areas for the same occupation: Los Angeles, CA ($129,740 median, price level 113.6); San Diego, CA ($130,990 median, price level 111.9); New York, NY ($135,980 median, price level 112.6). The table above restates each median at national-average prices.
For side-by-side comparisons, try the full city ranking for Machine Learning Engineers or the California state overview.
Underlying wage source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Program. Figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates (annual wages: median and 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles; employment) for BLS occupation "Data Scientists" (15-2051) in the metropolitan statistical area named in this source line, retrieved 2026-10-02. BLS area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. Actual salaries may vary based on experience, education, employer size, and specific role. Price levels: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, regional price parities (all items) for 2024, tables last updated February 19, 2026. See our data disclaimer.