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Machine Learning Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a machine learning engineer is $127,400 per annum, before tax, up $26,800 since 2018.
Pay moves most with how close the role sits to revenue, so a machine learning engineer in a trading, advertising or product team generally earns more than one working on internal tools or in the public sector. Experience with large-scale cloud platforms and a track record of getting prediction systems running in production also lift offers, and contract work carries a premium for the same reason. Seniority separates earnings more than job title does, because the gap between a mid-level engineer and a staff engineer is wide.
Roles that pay more than machine learning engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $20,800 a year, moving into Quantitative Analyst.
- Quantitative Analyst+$20,800/yr
- Quantitative Trader+$20,800/yr
- Software Engineer+$4,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher machine learning engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time machine learning engineer salary is $127,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Machine Learning Engineers are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Machine learning and Data analysis tend to command a premium over general machine learning engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Quantitative Analyst pays a typical $20,800 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Machine Learning Engineer salary questions
How much do machine learning engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a machine learning engineer is $127,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is machine learning engineer pay rising or falling?
The median machine learning engineer salary is up $26,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than machine learning engineer?
Quantitative Analyst pays a typical $20,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to machine learning engineer.