Lead Healthcare ML Engineer.
Charleston.
$161,000
median salary, 23% below the national average
$126,000 to $210,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
A Lead Healthcare ML Engineer in Charleston earns a median of $161,000 in 2026. That is 23% below the national average. The range runs from $126,000 to $210,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $145,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$105,000
to $129,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$137,000
to $169,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$177,000
to $209,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$201,000
to $250,000
Salary trend
+7% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $45,000 to the total package.
Base
$161,000
Equity
$26,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $206,000
How Charleston compares
Charleston, WV
$161,000
Cost of living: 22% below average
National Average
$209,000
Charleston is $48,000 below
Lead Healthcare ML Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Charleston
What you should know
Here is what the Lead Healthcare ML Engineer market actually looks like in Charleston. Charleston is West Virginia's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, energy, healthcare, and chemical manufacturing. The city offers some of the lowest living costs in the nation. Federal and state government roles provide stable employment anchors. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built. Lead Healthcare ML Engineers who have shipped models serving millions of users command the highest premiums. Employer type matters significantly: AI labs and foundation model companies pay 20% to 40% more than enterprises adopting AI for internal use.
Entry-level Lead Healthcare ML Engineers start near $163,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $209,000 to $272,000. Senior-level roles command $268,000 to $324,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $345,000 and above. In Charleston, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 22% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. And on the tax side: west Virginia's top income tax rate is 5.12%. Charleston has no city income tax. The very low cost of living means even moderate salaries deliver strong purchasing power. When someone quotes you $161,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Benchmark against federal government pay scales. Charleston employers often align with GS grades, and understanding the federal pay system gives you negotiating leverage. The range for Lead Healthcare ML Engineers in Charleston runs from $126,000 to $210,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Reinforcement Learning Engineer in Charleston earns $162,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Charleston is Technical Fellow at $276,000
Common questions.
Lead Healthcare ML Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Charleston
Related
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget — one script tag, free forever.