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Home / Compensation / Apple / ML Engineer
Total compensation for a Apple ML Engineer ranges from about $170K at the entry level to $1.5M+ at the most senior bands, with a typical mid-level package around $415K. Below is the full breakdown by level - base salary, annual equity, and bonus - from public-source data.
Public-source estimates (Beta). Last updated 2026-05. Figures are annualized USD.
| Level | Years | Base (p50) | Equity/yr (p50) | Bonus (p50) | Total (p25-p90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICT2ML Engineer (New Grad) | 0-2 YOE | $145K | $38K | $17K | $170K - $260K |
| ICT3ML Engineer | 2-5 YOE | $185K | $65K | $25K | $230K - $400K |
| ICT4Senior ML Engineer | 5-9 YOE | $225K | $145K | $40K | $335K - $625K |
| ICT5Staff ML Engineer | 8-14 YOE | $280K | $250K | $65K | $480K - $970K |
| ICT6Distinguished ML Engineer | 13+ YOE | $325K | $440K | $90K | $670K - $1.5M |
Entry-level ML role. PhD candidates often start at ICT3.
Mid-level. Most-common external ML hire.
Senior IC. AIML org pulls top of band.
Staff IC. Foundation-models team premium.
Distinguished IC. External hires uncommon.
Apple ML / AI roles use the same ICT level scheme as SWE. AIML org (Siri, on-device intelligence) and the more recent foundation-models team are the major hiring areas. Comp tracks SWE within ~5%; on-device ML engineers see slightly higher offers.
6 rounds. 5 of them can be practised here - each one below links the rep that trains it.
Recruiter screen
30 minutes. Background, ML domain, and level. Product details may be limited.
Technical screen
45-60 minutes. Coding and/or ML fundamentals, depending on the team.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Onsite: Coding
45-60 minutes. Algorithms or applied coding.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Onsite: ML depth
45-60 minutes, often more than one. The team's ML domain and your past work in detail.
Free rep: Machine learning questions →Onsite: ML system design
45-60 minutes. Often with on-device, latency, or privacy constraints.
Free rep: Design walkthrough: Design an ML Model Serving Platform (TorchServe / Triton) →Onsite: Manager / behavioral
45 minutes. Collaboration, craft, and fit.
Free rep: STAR answers: Craftsmanship and Attention to Detail (Apple Culture) →The full Apple prep pack → what they value, topic emphasis, and the questions candidates ask.
Get one interview question, one comp insight, and one job-market signal each week - free.
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