ML Engineer.
Columbus.
$174,000
median salary, 6% below the national average
$132,000 to $225,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Here is what ML Engineers actually make in Columbus: $132,000 at the 25th percentile, $174,000 at the median, and $225,000 at the 75th. That is 6% below the national average. Columbus is Ohio's largest city and a growing technology and logistics hub, home to companies like Nationwide Insurance and a major Intel semiconductor fab under construction. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $157,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$113,000
to $139,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$148,000
to $183,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$191,000
to $226,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$218,000
to $270,000
Salary trend
+8% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $74,000 to the total package.
Base
$174,000
Equity
$45,000
Bonus
$19,000
Signing
$10,000
Estimated total: $248,000
ML 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 Columbus compares
Columbus, OH
$174,000
Cost of living: 7% below average
National Average
$185,000
Columbus is $11,000 below
ML Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Columbus
What you should know
Before you negotiate a ML Engineer offer in Columbus, understand the terrain. Columbus is Ohio's largest city and a growing technology and logistics hub, home to companies like Nationwide Insurance and a major Intel semiconductor fab under construction. The city's large university system and low cost of living attract both startups and corporate expansions. Tech salaries have been climbing as national employers establish Midwest offices. Model training expertise at scale, infrastructure optimization skills, and publication record in top venues are the strongest differentiators. ML engineers who can reduce training costs by 50% or improve model latency by an order of magnitude are exceptionally valuable. Specialization in transformer architectures, reinforcement learning, or generative models commands the highest premiums.
Entry level ML engineers (with MS/PhD) start at $130,000 to $165,000, reaching mid level at $170,000 to $220,000 in two to three years. Senior ML engineers earn $220,000 to $300,000. Staff and principal level engineers at leading AI labs can exceed $500,000 in total compensation. In Columbus, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at AI labs and top tech companies often doubles total compensation, with RSU grants of $50,000 to $200,000+ annually at senior levels. Bonuses of 15 to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $40,000 to $100,000 are common. Compute budgets for personal research projects are a growing perk. And on the tax side: ohio's income tax tops out around 3.5%, and Columbus adds a city income tax of 2.5%. The combined rate is moderate, but the city tax applies to all who work within city limits. When someone quotes you $174,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Mention Intel's new fab investment when negotiating. The semiconductor megaproject is driving salaries upward across the entire Columbus tech and engineering market. The range for ML Engineers in Columbus runs from $132,000 to $225,000. 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 LLM Fine-Tuning Engineer in Columbus earns $175,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Columbus is Chief AI Officer at $297,000
Common questions.
ML Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Columbus
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