Machine Learning Data Engineer

Machine Learning Data Engineer Salary in California

$43.9K

$132.2K

$175.2K

$128,018

/year

$61.55

/hour

Machine Learning Data Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$129,716

California

California

$128,018

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    How much does a Machine Learning Data Engineer make in California?

    As of Jul 27, 2026, the average annual pay for a Machine Learning Data Engineer in California is $128,018 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $61.55 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,461/week or $10,668/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $175,176 and as low as $43,917, the majority of Machine Learning Data Engineer salaries currently range between $113,000 (25th percentile) to $135,700 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $159,878 annually in California. The average pay range for a Machine Learning Data Engineer varies little (about 22700), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Machine Learning Data Engineer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Machine Learning Data Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Machine Learning Data Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Machine Learning Data Engineer Jobs in California

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Machine Learning Data Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Cupertino, , with Berkeley, and Sunnyvale, close behind in the second and third positions. Sunnyvale, beats the average in California by $26,307 (20.5%), and Cupertino, furthers that trend with another $32,019 (25.0%) above the $128,018 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Machine Learning Data Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Cupertino, and Santa Clara, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Machine Learning Data Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Cupertino

    $160,037

    $76.94

    Berkeley

    $158,830

    $76.36

    Sunnyvale

    $154,325

    $74.19

    Mountain View

    $152,946

    $73.53

    Menlo Park

    $152,865

    $73.49

    San Francisco

    $152,828

    $73.47

    Palo Alto

    $152,484

    $73.31

    Livermore

    $152,156

    $73.15

    San Jose

    $152,026

    $73.09

    Santa Clara

    $151,161

    $72.67

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Machine Learning Data Engineer Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Machine Learning Data Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $128018 state average for Machine Learning Data Engineer jobs.

    Nevertheless Platform Software Engineer, React Native, or Data Analyst Paypal may still be interesting positions to explore.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Platform Software Engineer

    $127,321

    $61.21

    React Native

    $112,932

    $54.29

    Data Analyst Paypal

    $81,558

    $39.21

    Payment Analyst

    $72,302

    $34.76

    Hr Benefits Analyst

    $71,391

    $34.32

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Machine Learning Data Engineer salary in California as of July 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $113,000 to $159,878 annually, with the California average at $128,018 per year or $61.55 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Machine Learning Data Engineer jobs, with Cupertino leading at $160,037 annually.