AI/ML Engineer Salary in Los Angeles
2026 compensation data for AI/ML Engineer positions in Los Angeles, CA. Ranges from $109,000 (entry-level) to $322,000 (senior). Median: $190,000.
Median (Mid)
$190,000
$91.35/hr
vs National
+0%
US: $190,000
COL Index
150
vs US avg = 100
Senior Max
$322,000
Top of band
Salary Ranges by Experience Level
Detailed Compensation Breakdown
| Level | Annual Min | Annual Median | Annual Max | Hourly (Median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (0–2 yrs) | $109,000 | $136,000 | $161,000 | $65.38/hr |
| Mid-Level (3–5 yrs) | $155,000 | $190,000 | $224,000 | $91.35/hr |
| Senior (6+ yrs) | $213,000 | $265,000 | $322,000 | $127.4/hr |
Got an offer? Don't leave money on the table.
Practice negotiating this salaryWhat Your Salary Is Really Worth in Los Angeles
A mid-level ai/ml engineer earning $190,000 in Los Angeles has the same buying power as $127,000 in an average US city, after adjusting for the local cost of living (COL index 150).
Cost of living comparisons use a base of 100 (US national average). Higher index = higher housing, transport, and consumer prices.
About AI/ML Engineer Salaries in Los Angeles
AI/ML engineering in Los Angeles is experiencing a structural surge driven by the entertainment industry's rapid AI adoption, a dense cluster of well-funded AI startups (Snap, Riot Games, Relativity Space, and dozens of generative AI companies), and proximity to elite research institutions like UCLA, Caltech, and USC. The median AI/ML engineer salary here tracks close to San Francisco for senior roles, with LA's 150 cost-of-living index offering better real purchasing power than the Bay Area. The LA market has a distinctive character: entertainment and media applications—content recommendation, generative video, synthetic media, and creator economy tools—are uniquely prominent, creating demand for ML engineers who understand multimodal models and production inference at scale. Snap's in-house AR/ML team, TikTok's LA operations, and YouTube's content systems all hire at the top of the market and drive comp benchmarks upward. Research depth matters: engineers with publications, conference presentations, or strong open-source ML contributions consistently land above-median offers. Equity at LA's AI-native startups is substantial—generative AI companies have raised at aggressive valuations, and 0.1–0.5% packages for senior ML engineers are common. Negotiation angles: the LA talent pool for production ML is thinner than SF, giving you more leverage than the national market suggests. Emphasize end-to-end ownership—data collection, model training, deployment, and monitoring—rather than narrow specialization. Remote work is negotiable; many LA-based AI companies hire distributed teams, but proximity to the entertainment industry's creative partners is a genuine advantage for LA-specific roles.
Build, train, and deploy machine learning models and AI systems for production applications. This page covers ai/ml engineer compensation specifically in Los Angeles, CA.
The median ai/ml engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA is $190,000 for mid-level professionals, which is 0% above the national median. With a cost of living index of 150 (national average = 100), Los Angeles offers a high cost of living that partially offsets the salary premium.
Entry-level ai/ml engineers in Los Angeles can expect to earn between $109,000 and $161,000 (about $65.38/hour), while senior professionals with 6+ years of experience earn up to $322,000 ($322K annually, or about $154.81/hour).
These figures represent base salary only and do not include bonuses, equity, or benefits, which can add 20–50% to total compensation — especially at technology companies and in competitive markets like Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions: AI/ML Engineer Salary in Los Angeles
What is the average AI/ML Engineer salary in Los Angeles?+
The average AI/ML Engineer salary in Los Angeles is $190,000 for a mid-level professional (3–5 years of experience). Entry-level pay starts around $136,000 and senior-level pay reaches $265,000.
How much does an entry-level ai/ml engineer make in Los Angeles?+
Entry-level ai/ml engineers in Los Angeles earn between $109,000 and $161,000, with a median of $136,000 per year (about $65.38/hour).
What is the hourly rate for a AI/ML Engineer in Los Angeles?+
Based on a 2,080-hour work year, a AI/ML Engineer in Los Angeles earns roughly $65.38/hour at entry-level, $91.35/hour at mid-level, and $127.4/hour at senior-level.
Is the AI/ML Engineer salary in Los Angeles higher than the US average?+
Yes — AI/ML Engineer salaries in Los Angeles are about 0% higher than the US national median of $190,000.
Does this include bonuses or equity?+
No — these figures are base salary only. Total compensation (base + bonus + equity + benefits) is typically 20–50% higher, and can be 2–3x at top technology and finance employers.
Negotiating a AI/ML Engineer offer in Los Angeles?
Stop guessing. Get personalized scripts, market insights, and expert tactics for your specific situation using our free AI negotiation coach.
AI/ML Engineer Salaries in Other Cities
Other Roles in Los Angeles
Know Your Worth as a AI/ML Engineer in Los Angeles
You now have the data. Use our free AI negotiation coach to turn it into a strategy — get scripts, market context, and expert tactics for your specific situation.
Free · No signup · Instant answers