Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineer Salary in California

$31.1K

$128.3K

$190.5K

$127,083

/year

$61.10

/hour

Machine Learning Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$128,769

California

California

$127,083

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    How much does a Machine Learning Engineer make in California?

    As of Jul 27, 2026, the average annual pay for a Machine Learning Engineer in California is $127,083 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $61.10 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,443/week or $10,590/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $190,473 and as low as $31,088, the majority of Machine Learning Engineer salaries currently range between $100,200 (25th percentile) to $153,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $175,669 annually in California. The average pay range for a Machine Learning Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 52800), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

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

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Machine Learning 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 Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Machine Learning Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Cupertino, , with Berkeley, and Redwood City, close behind in the second and third positions. Redwood City, beats the average in California by $30,576 (24.1%), and Cupertino, furthers that trend with another $31,785 (25.0%) above the $127,083 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 Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Cupertino, and San Francisco, , 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 Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Cupertino

    $158,868

    $76.38

    Berkeley

    $157,670

    $75.80

    Redwood City

    $157,659

    $75.80

    Atherton

    $156,066

    $75.03

    Johnstonville

    $155,877

    $74.94

    Belmont

    $155,738

    $74.87

    Bodega Bay

    $152,818

    $73.47

    Los Altos

    $152,502

    $73.32

    Mountain View

    $151,829

    $72.99

    San Francisco

    $151,712

    $72.94

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

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Machine Learning Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $127083 state average for Machine Learning Engineer jobs.

    Nevertheless Substation Engineer Iii, Electric Engineer, or Control Engineer may still be interesting positions to explore.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Substation Engineer Iii

    $112,139

    $53.91

    Electric Engineer

    $104,993

    $50.48

    Control Engineer

    $95,309

    $45.82

    Honeywell International

    $78,250

    $37.62

    Chemical Plant Loader

    $40,648

    $19.54

    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 Engineer salary in California as of July 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $100,200 to $175,669 annually, with the California average at $127,083 per year or $61.10 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Machine Learning Engineer jobs, with Cupertino leading at $158,868 annually.