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Home / Compensation / Meta / ML Engineer
Total compensation for a Meta ML Engineer ranges from about $200K at the entry level to $1.9M+ at the most senior bands, with a typical mid-level package around $510K. 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E3ML Engineer (New Grad) | 0-2 YOE | $160K | $50K | $18K | $200K - $290K |
| E4ML Engineer | 2-5 YOE | $200K | $110K | $38K | $295K - $490K |
| E5Senior ML Engineer | 5-9 YOE | $245K | $195K | $65K | $415K - $770K |
| E6Staff ML Engineer | 8-14 YOE | $300K | $330K | $90K | $580K - $1.2M |
| E7Senior Staff ML Engineer | 12+ YOE | $360K | $565K | $130K | $820K - $1.9M |
Entry-level. PhD candidates often start at E4.
Mid-level. Common entry for fresh ML PhDs.
Senior IC. GenAI / FAIR pull top-of-band offers.
Staff IC. Significant retention RSU adds since 2023.
Senior staff. GenAI competing offers move the top end.
Meta ML engineer / research engineer comp tracks SWE bands closely. FAIR (research) and GenAI (Llama / product) are the major hiring orgs. PSC bonus targets match SWE; equity refresh has been outsized for retention since 2023.
5 rounds. 4 of them can be practised here - each one below links the rep that trains it.
Recruiter screen
30 minutes. ML background, level calibration, and loop logistics.
Technical phone screen
45 minutes. Usually two coding problems. Pace matters.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Onsite: Coding (x2)
45 minutes each. Two problems per round, often with follow-ups.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Onsite: ML system design
45 minutes, sometimes two rounds at senior levels. Ranking, recommendation, and classification systems end to end.
Free rep: Design walkthrough: Design a Recommendation System (YouTube / Netflix / TikTok) →Onsite: Behavioral
45 minutes. Impact, conflict, ambiguity, and growth, calibrated to level.
Free rep: STAR answers: Focus on Impact (Meta Value) →The full Meta prep pack → what they value, topic emphasis, and the questions candidates ask.
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The offer calculator compares your current and target offers 4 years out - vesting, refresh grants, and federal + state + FICA tax - so you negotiate with real take-home numbers.
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