Responsibilities
Develop machine-learning models and algorithms. · Find and fix bugs in machine-learning programmes. · Assess risks associated with new machine-learning programmes.
Official pay data
Machine Learning salary guide
Updated 15 October 2026
Salary guide
What machine learning roles pay
Official annual estimates for the whole country, mapped to the closest published occupation.
United Kingdom · gross annual earnings estimate
25th percentile
£42,289
Median
£56,914
75th percentile
£75,794
This ASHE benchmark covers full-time employee jobs, not self-employed income or part-time jobs. ASHE gross earnings include basic pay, overtime, incentive pay such as bonuses and commissions, shift premiums, and other cash pay. They are before deductions, exclude payments in kind, and are not take-home pay or the whole benefits package. Compare the benchmark with an offer on the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
This is a country-level occupation benchmark, not a local offer estimate. Pay can differ by location, employer, duties, and working pattern.
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. Mapped to Programmers and software development professionals; the occupation is broader than the page role. Figures are estimates, not advertised salaries.
Quick interpretation
This guide uses the UK benchmark for Programmers and software development professionals as a broad national comparison point. The UK AI-engineer profile provides bounded context through duties such as developing machine-learning models and algorithms, fixing bugs and assessing risks. It is not an exact estimate for every Machine Learning Engineer. Compare offers on the same working-hours and annual-pay basis, separating cash pay from benefits.
Benchmark fit
Why this benchmark applies to Machine Learning
The mapped occupation is a broad benchmark for this guide, not a claim that every Machine Learning Engineer post has the same scope. The UK profile used for context is specifically for AI engineers, and it does not establish full equivalence with Machine Learning Engineers or settle the boundary with research scientists and data scientists.
Overlapping responsibilities
- The bounded profile lists developing machine-learning models and algorithms as a duty.
- It also lists finding and fixing bugs and assessing risks associated with new machine-learning programmes.
What the occupation combines
- Use the mapped benchmark when the post centres on developing machine-learning models and algorithms, and check the job description for research-science or data-science duties that the AI-engineer profile does not settle.
This occupation benchmark is not the exact pay for a particular Machine Learning Engineer, employer, responsibility level or working pattern.
Role scope
What Machine Learning work usually includes
The Machine Learning Engineer scope here uses the broader UK AI-engineer profile as bounded context. That profile covers developing machine-learning models and algorithms, finding and fixing bugs, and assessing risks associated with new machine-learning programmes.
Typical outputs
Machine-learning models and algorithms developed for use. · Corrected machine-learning programmes and associated risk assessments.
Machine Learning Engineer
The pinned title is narrower than the broader AI-engineer profile used for context. That profile does not establish full equivalence or define every boundary with research scientist and data scientist roles.
Read the range
Three points, one pay distribution
For a role focused on building, debugging, and risk-checking machine-learning programmes, compare the offer with the [broad software-development benchmark](/uk/salaries/computer-science). A post that adds research or wider data-science ownership may have a different scope, but the benchmark does not turn those duties into a separate salary band.
25th percentile
One quarter of employees earn below this figure.
Median
Half of employees earn below this figure and half above it; it is not the arithmetic midpoint of the displayed range.
75th percentile
One quarter of employees earn above this figure.
Location
Regional salary benchmarks
The benchmark is national. Supplementary regional medians are available for the listed UK regions, including London, Scotland, Wales, and the English regions.
| Region | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Not published | £60,989 | Not published |
| East Midlands | Not published | £49,685 | Not published |
| London | Not published | £75,296 | Not published |
| North East | Not published | £56,340 | Not published |
| North West | Not published | £50,336 | Not published |
| Scotland | Not published | £48,930 | Not published |
| South East | Not published | £52,798 | Not published |
| South West | Not published | £53,438 | Not published |
| Wales | Not published | £48,346 | Not published |
| West Midlands | Not published | £49,081 | Not published |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | Not published | £47,908 | Not published |
Regional figures are context, not a local offer estimate. Pay can differ with location, employer, duties, and working pattern.
Beyond salary
Salary versus total compensation
Compare the offer on the same annual-pay and working-hours basis as the benchmark, then separate guaranteed cash from payments that depend on conditions and from benefits.
Fixed salary
Check the guaranteed annual amount, review date, and whether the quoted figure is base pay or a wider gross-cash figure.
Conditional cash
Ask whether overtime, bonuses, commissions, shift premiums, or other cash payments are included, and what conditions must be met before they are paid.
Benefits
Confirm pension contributions, health cover, paid leave, or equity separately; payments in kind and the wider benefits package are not part of the gross-earnings benchmark.
Offer review
How to evaluate your Machine Learning offer
- Is the quoted figure fixed base pay, or does it include overtime, bonus, commission, shift premiums, or other cash payments?The benchmark's gross earnings can include those cash elements, so separating them makes the comparison fair.
- Are the offer's working hours and annual-pay basis comparable with the benchmark?A different working pattern can make two annual figures misleading to compare directly.
- What rules govern any bonus or commission, and is it guaranteed?Conditional payments should remain identifiable rather than being treated as guaranteed salary.
- What pension, health cover, leave, or equity terms are included separately from cash pay?The benchmark is not take-home pay or the whole benefits package, so these terms need their own comparison.
Compare roles
Roles near Machine Learning
Computer Science
Shared salary datasetThe related role describes software engineers who create, maintain, audit and improve computer systems and IT solutions. The Machine Learning Engineer context here centres on developing machine-learning models and algorithms. This related role uses the same mapped occupation benchmark.
Compare salary guideQuestions
Machine Learning salary FAQs
Source
About this salary benchmark
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. The figures cover Programmers and software development professionals (2134) and full time employee jobs. Updated 15 October 2026. This broad occupation benchmark may not match every Machine Learning vacancy.
Put the benchmark to work
Build your Machine Learning CV for the roles you want.
Use the salary range as context. Tailor your CV around the experience that supports your target level.