ML Engineer.
Madison.
$179,000
median salary, 3% below the national average
$136,000 to $233,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a ML Engineer offer in Madison, WI, here is the reality: $136,000 to $233,000, with $179,000 as the midpoint. 3% below the national average. Model training expertise at scale, infrastructure optimization skills, and publication record in top venues are the strongest differentiators. Do not accept the first number.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $161,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$116,000
to $143,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$152,000
to $188,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$197,000
to $233,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$224,000
to $277,000
Salary trend
+8% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $78,000 to the total package.
Base
$179,000
Equity
$47,000
Bonus
$20,000
Signing
$11,000
Estimated total: $257,000
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 Madison compares
Madison, WI
$179,000
Cost of living: 5% below average
National Average
$185,000
Madison is $6,000 below
ML Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Madison
What you should know
Here is what the ML Engineer market actually looks like in Madison. Madison is a growing tech hub anchored by the University of Wisconsin and Epic Systems, one of the largest health IT companies. The city consistently ranks among the best places to live and has a thriving startup ecosystem. Salaries are competitive relative to the modest cost of living. 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 Madison, 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: wisconsin's top income tax rate is 7.65%. Madison has no city income tax. The moderate state rate is offset by the affordable cost of living and strong employer base. When someone quotes you $179,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Epic Systems compensation benchmarks. Epic sets the salary standard for tech in Madison and most employers in the area compete against their packages. The range for ML Engineers in Madison runs from $136,000 to $233,000. 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 Computer Vision Engineer in Madison earns $178,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Madison is Distinguished Engineer at $307,000
Common questions.
ML Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Madison
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