Side-by-side compensation comparison across national and state-level data.
AI Engineers out-earn Machine Learning Engineers by $16,800 (9%) on median.
Percentiles for 2026. Higher percentile values reflect senior/specialized roles.
| Percentile | AI Engineer | Machine Learning Engineer | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $149,200 | $136,600 | $12,600 |
| Median (50th) | $197,500 | $180,700 | $16,800 |
| 75th | $267,900 | $241,600 | $26,300 |
| 90th (top earners) | $357,200 | $309,900 | $47,300 |
Which job wins in each state (based on median annual salary).
| State | AI Engineer | Machine Learning Engineer | Higher Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $345,700 | $298,200 | AI Engineer |
| Texas | $213,300 | $195,200 | AI Engineer |
| Florida | $201,500 | $184,300 | AI Engineer |
| New York | $280,500 | $253,000 | AI Engineer |
| Pennsylvania | $205,400 | $187,900 | AI Engineer |
| Illinois | $215,300 | $197,000 | AI Engineer |
| Ohio | $183,700 | $168,100 | AI Engineer |
| Georgia | $203,400 | $186,100 | AI Engineer |
| North Carolina | $195,500 | $178,900 | AI Engineer |
| Michigan | $189,600 | $173,500 | AI Engineer |
| New Jersey | $248,900 | $227,700 | AI Engineer |
| Virginia | $223,200 | $204,200 | AI Engineer |
| Washington | $300,200 | $267,400 | AI Engineer |
| Arizona | $199,500 | $182,500 | AI Engineer |
| Massachusetts | $272,600 | $244,000 | AI Engineer |
Builds with LLMs and foundation models. Fastest-growing salary band of 2025-26.
Productionizes ML models — extremely hot market, AI premium compounding.
Nationally, AI Engineers out-earn Machine Learning Engineers by approximately $16,800 per year (9% difference). However, this varies by state, experience level, and specific employer.
Both fields have positive 2026 growth outlooks. AI Engineers are projected at +2.5% YoY wage growth, while Machine Learning Engineers are at +2.5%. Beyond wage growth, consider opportunity density (job openings) and your geographic flexibility.
AI Engineer typically requires: Builds with LLMs and foundation models. Fastest-growing salary band of 2025-26.. Machine Learning Engineer typically requires: Productionizes ML models — extremely hot market, AI premium compounding.. Compare the formal requirements against your existing skills and education to assess the switching cost.
Salary is one input among many. Job satisfaction, skills transferability, geographic fit, and long-term ceiling matter as much as median pay. Use this as a benchmark, then dig into job descriptions and talk to people in both fields before deciding.