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2026 Salary Data — New York, NY
Updated April 28, 2026

Machine Learning Engineer Salary in New York: $219K Median

Machine Learning Engineers in New York, NY earn between $149K and $398K per year.

That's +35% above the US national median of $162,000 for this role.

Quick Answer

As of April 2026, the median Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York, NY is $218,700 per year — +35% above the US national median of $162,000. Salaries range from $148,500 (entry, 25th percentile) to $398,250 (90th percentile). Machine Learning Engineers in New York earned approximately $35,274 in 2025, representing 520.0% year-over-year growth.

Median
$218,700
+520.0% YoY · $18,225/mo
Entry
$175,500
0–2 years
Experienced
$337,500
5+ years
Top 10%
$398,250
Senior/lead
Machine Learning Engineer Salary — New York vs Nearby
New York
$219K
Oakland
$227K
-4% vs New York
Los Angeles
$207K
+5% vs New York
Seattle
$214K
+2% vs New York

Free ATS scan · New York employers · Results in 60 seconds

About Machine Learning Engineers in New York

ML engineers design, build, and deploy machine learning models at scale, bridging research and production engineering.

Core Responsibilities

  • Model development and training
  • Production ML pipelines
  • Feature engineering
  • Model evaluation
  • MLOps

Education & Certifications

Typical path: Master's or PhD preferred (Bachelor's with strong portfolio acceptable)

In-demand certifications

AWS ML SpecialtyGoogle ML EngineerTensorFlow Developer

New York Job Market

Largest US metro and global financial capital with massive job market across all sectors.

Population
8336K
Cost of Living
187
vs 100 US avg
Unemployment
4.2%
Median Home
$850K

Top Industries in New York

FinanceMediaTechReal EstateHealthcare

Top Employers Hiring Machine Learning Engineers

Major employers active in New York or hiring remotely from this metro.

Google
Meta
OpenAI
Anthropic
NVIDIA
Apple
Tesla
Microsoft

All major employers use ATS software.

Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, and iCIMS auto-screen 75% of resumes before a human ever sees them. Scan your resume free to see your match rate.

2026 Hot Skills & Resume Keywords

Skills that command salary premiums and pass ATS keyword filters.

Hottest 2026 Skills

These appear in the highest-paying Machine Learning Engineer listings.

LLMsPyTorchRAG/fine-tuningDistributed trainingMLOps

ATS Resume Keywords

Include these naturally throughout your resume.

PythonPyTorchTensorFlowscikit-learnMLOpsKubernetesfeature engineeringdistributed trainingLLMs
Career Outlook
+40% Growth Projected (2024-2034)

ML engineering demand exploded 40%+ in 2025-2026 with the GenAI boom. Frontier labs paying $500K+ for senior roles.

Machine Learning Engineer Salary Breakdown — New York

PeriodEntry (25th)Median (50th)Top (90th)
Annual$148,500$218,700$398,250
Monthly$12,375$18,225$33,188
Weekly$2,856$4,206$7,659
Hourly$71$105$191

Based on 2080 working hours/year. Local figures derived from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national median ($162,000) adjusted for New York's cost-of-living multiplier (1.35×, sourced from BEA Regional Price Parities).

Machine Learning Engineer Take-Home Pay in New York

After federal, state, local, and FICA taxes — single filer, standard deduction.

Net Annual Take-Home
$141,292.938
Per month$11,774
Biweekly paycheck$5,434
Effective tax rate35.4%

Tax Breakdown on $218,700

Gross salary$218,700
Federal income tax−$42,375
New York state tax−$12,465.9
New York local tax−$8,476.812
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)−$14,089.35
Take-home (net)$141,292.938

Estimates assume single filer, standard deduction ($14,600 for 2026), no 401(k)/HSA/dependents. Actual take-home varies with deductions, dependents, and benefits elections. Not tax advice.

Machine Learning Engineer Salary by Experience — New York

Career-stage progression for Machine Learning Engineers in New York.

ExperienceAnnual Salary
0–1 yr$161,460
2–3 yr$175,500
4–6 yr$256,500
7–10 yr$337,500
11–15 yr$398,250
15+ yr$367,875

Curve derived from BLS percentile data adjusted for New York's 1.35× cost-of-living multiplier. Highlighted row = 7–10 year experienced level.

Year-Over-Year Trend

+520.0% vs 2025

2025 median:$35,274
2026 median:$218,700
Change:+$183,426

Technology sector growth driven by demand for LLMs and PyTorch.

Is This A Good Salary?

Excellent

Adjusted for local cost of living, this salary delivers top-tier real purchasing power - well above what the same nominal pay would buy in most US metros. Strong savings, home-buying, and discretionary spending are all realistic.

COL-Adjusted Purchasing Power
$116,952
Difficult on the median - the nominal salary masks how little real purchasing power remains after rent, taxes, and basic costs.

How to Negotiate Your Machine Learning Engineer Salary in New York

Walk-away anchor: $190,174 (offers below this are below market for New York).

Leverage Points

  • Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
  • Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
  • Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
  • Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems

Beyond Base Salary, Negotiate

Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years

What To Say

"Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant?"

Anchor on $338K–$398K for experienced roles, citing New York market data and your specific LLMs/PyTorch expertise.

Machine Learning Engineer Salary FAQ — New York

What is the average Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York, NY?
The average Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York is $218,700 per year as of April 2026 — $18,225/month, $4,206/week, or about $105/hour. Salaries range from $148,500 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $398,250 (experienced, 90th percentile). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics adjusted for New York's cost-of-living multiplier (1.35×).
Is $218,700 a good Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York?
Excellent. Adjusted for local cost of living, this salary delivers top-tier real purchasing power - well above what the same nominal pay would buy in most US metros. Strong savings, home-buying, and discretionary spending are all realistic. New York's cost-of-living index is 187 (vs 100 nationally), giving $218,700 a real purchasing power of approximately $116,952 in national terms. Difficult on the median - the nominal salary masks how little real purchasing power remains after rent, taxes, and basic costs.
Can you live on $218,700 in New York?
Median pay is below HUD's low-income threshold for a family of four in some of these metros (notably San Francisco, where $104K qualifies as 'low income'). Raising a family on the median typically requires two earners, a long commute, or family help with housing. Spending 30% on rent is impossible at the median in this market - most workers spend 40-50% or take roommates well into their 30s. HUD classifies anything over 30% as 'cost-burdened' here. For New York specifically (median home price $850,000), a $218,700 salary supports a comfortable lifestyle.
Is $218,700 enough for a single person in New York?
A single adult in New York typically needs ~$84,150 for a comfortable lifestyle (housing, food, transport, healthcare, modest savings). A $218,700 salary is well above that threshold — a single person can live comfortably with significant savings room.
Is $218,700 enough for a couple in New York?
A couple (one earner) in New York typically needs ~$134,640 for a comfortable lifestyle. A $218,700 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — enabling moderate housing, savings, and discretionary spending. Two earners at $218,700 each ($437,400 household) provides solid middle-class comfort.
Is $218,700 enough for a family of 4 in New York?
A family of 4 (one earner) in New York typically needs ~$205,700 for a comfortable middle-class lifestyle (housing for 4, childcare/school, food, healthcare, transport, savings). A $218,700 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — a family of 4 can afford this metro on a single Machine Learning Engineer income with prudent budgeting. Childcare costs in New York typically run $28K-$52K per child per year.
What is the take-home pay for a Machine Learning Engineer in New York?
On a $218,700 Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York, NY, you take home approximately $141,292.938 per year ($11,774/month, $5,434 per biweekly paycheck) after taxes. Breakdown: federal $42,375, state $12,465.9, local $8,476.812, FICA $14,089.35. Effective tax rate: 35.4%. (Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments.)
How much do Machine Learning Engineers in New York earn compared to the US average?
Machine Learning Engineers in New York earn approximately 35% more than the US national median for this role ($162,000 nationally vs $218,700 in New York). However, New York's cost-of-living index of 187 means real purchasing power is approximately $116,952 when adjusted for local prices.
What does an entry-level Machine Learning Engineer earn in New York?
Entry-level Machine Learning Engineers in New York typically start at around $175,500 (0–2 years experience). With 5+ years, Machine Learning Engineers earn $337,500 or more. Top earners (90th percentile) reach $398,250+, typically at senior or lead levels with specialized skills.
Did Machine Learning Engineer salaries in New York increase in 2026?
Yes — Machine Learning Engineer salaries in New York grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $35,274 in 2025 to $218,700 in 2026 (+$183,426). This reflects the broader Technology sector's compensation trend, driven by LLMs and PyTorch demand.
What's the job outlook for Machine Learning Engineers in New York?
ML engineering demand exploded 40%+ in 2025-2026 with the GenAI boom. Frontier labs paying $500K+ for senior roles. New York's top industries include Finance, Media, Tech, and the metro's current unemployment rate is 4.2% — steady demand for skilled workers.
What skills are most in demand for Machine Learning Engineers in 2026?
The hottest 2026 skills for Machine Learning Engineers are: LLMs, PyTorch, RAG/fine-tuning, Distributed training, MLOps. ATS systems specifically scan for these keywords. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — significantly improves your match rate with employers in New York.
Who are the top employers hiring Machine Learning Engineers in New York?
Top employers hiring Machine Learning Engineers in or near New York include: Google, Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, NVIDIA, Apple. Most use ATS software (Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, iCIMS) to screen resumes — meaning your resume must be ATS-optimized to even get a human reader.
How do I negotiate a higher Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Key leverage points for Technology negotiations: Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies; Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved; Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation. Beyond base salary, negotiate for: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance.
How can I increase my Machine Learning Engineer salary in New York?
Three highest-leverage moves: (1) Add 2026's hot skills (LLMs, PyTorch, RAG/fine-tuning) — they command 15-30% premiums. (2) Get a recognized certification (e.g., AWS ML Specialty or Google ML Engineer). (3) Tailor your resume to each role's keywords — CVCraft's ATS scanner shows you exactly what's missing.
What education do I need to become a Machine Learning Engineer in New York?
Master's or PhD preferred (Bachelor's with strong portfolio acceptable) is the typical path. However, New York's competitive market increasingly values demonstrable skills, portfolios, and certifications alongside (or in place of) traditional degrees — particularly for Technology roles.

Methodology & Sources

Machine Learning Engineer salary figures for New York are computed by adjusting the BLS national median ($162,000) by New York's cost-of-living multiplier of 1.35× — a composite of regional wage data and price parities. Year-over-year change (520.0%) reflects the Technology sector's 2025-2026 wage growth per BLS Employment Cost Index trends. Last reviewed April 28, 2026.

Data Sources

Related Roles in New York

Data Scientist →Software Engineer →Product Manager →Web Developer →DevOps Engineer →Cybersecurity Analyst →

Machine Learning Engineer Salary in Other Cities

Seattle, WA$214KOakland, CA$227K

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