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Home / Compensation / LinkedIn / ML Engineer
Total compensation for a LinkedIn ML Engineer ranges from about $175K at the entry level to $1.2M+ at the most senior bands, with a typical mid-level package around $395K. 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior AssociateAssociate ML Engineer (New Grad) | 0-2 YOE | $145K | $38K | $15K | $175K - $260K |
| SeniorSenior ML Engineer | 3-6 YOE | $195K | $68K | $28K | $245K - $425K |
| StaffStaff ML Engineer | 5-9 YOE | $235K | $118K | $42K | $325K - $600K |
| Senior StaffSenior Staff ML Engineer | 8-13 YOE | $275K | $218K | $60K | $445K - $845K |
| DistinguishedDistinguished ML Engineer | 12+ YOE | $320K | $340K | $95K | $600K - $1.2M |
Entry ML role. PhD candidates often start at Senior.
Mid-level. Most-common external ML hire.
Senior IC.
Staff IC. GenAI / Copilot integration premium.
Distinguished IC. External hires very rare.
LinkedIn ML / data engineer ladder mirrors SWE. Feed ranking, recommendation systems, and the GenAI/Copilot integration team are major hiring areas. Equity in MSFT.
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