Machine Learning Engineer.
Knoxville.
$142,000
median salary, 8% below the national average
$110,000 to $183,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A Machine Learning Engineer in Knoxville earns a median of $142,000 in 2026. That is 8% below the national average. The range runs from $110,000 to $183,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Production ML experience, deep learning framework fluency, and ability to optimize models for scale are the strongest differentiators.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $128,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$92,000
to $114,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$121,000
to $149,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$156,000
to $185,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$178,000
to $220,000
Salary trend
+9% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $63,000 to the total package.
Base
$142,000
Equity
$38,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$9,000
Estimated total: $205,000
Machine Learning Engineer salary by company
Total compensation estimates include base, equity, bonus, and signing. Ranges reflect mid to senior level. Derived from public H-1B LCA filings, SEC proxy statements, and aggregated self-reported data.
How Knoxville compares
Knoxville, TN
$142,000
Cost of living: 11% below average
National Average
$155,000
Knoxville is $13,000 below
Machine Learning Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Knoxville
What you should know
The Machine Learning Engineer landscape in Knoxville is not what most salary sites will tell you. Knoxville benefits from the presence of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The national lab drives strong demand for research scientists, engineers, and data analysts. No state income tax and affordable living make it an attractive value proposition. Production ML experience, deep learning framework fluency, and ability to optimize models for scale are the strongest differentiators. Engineers who bridge research and production by deploying models that serve millions of predictions per day command significant premiums. Specialization in recommendation systems, search ranking, or fraud detection adds further value.
Entry level ML engineers start at $110,000 to $140,000, reaching mid level at $145,000 to $190,000 in two to three years. Senior ML engineers earn $190,000 to $260,000. Staff ML engineers at top companies exceed $350,000 in total compensation, with research oriented roles paying even more. In Knoxville, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 11% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at AI focused companies adds $30,000 to $150,000+ annually. Bonuses of 10 to 20% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common at well funded firms. Benefits frequently include GPU compute budgets, conference sponsorship, and research publication support. And on the tax side: tennessee has no state income tax on wages. Knoxville has no city income tax. This zero income tax environment combined with very affordable housing creates excellent purchasing power. When someone quotes you $142,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight Oak Ridge National Lab and DOE experience. National lab affiliations and security clearances command significant premiums in the Knoxville area. The range for Machine Learning Engineers in Knoxville runs from $110,000 to $183,000. 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 MLOps Engineer in Knoxville earns $141,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Knoxville is Distinguished Engineer at $305,000
Common questions.
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