Machine Learning Researcher.
Baltimore.
$154,000
median salary, 9% above the national average
$106,000 to $204,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Machine Learning Researcher pay in Baltimore ranges from $106,000 to $204,000 in 2026. The median is $154,000, 9% above the national average. Baltimore's economy is anchored by Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, one of the largest employers in the state. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Machine Learning Researcher in Baltimore, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $156,750 for Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan area, based on 1,070 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$101,400
25th percentile
$128,860
Median
$156,750
75th percentile
$183,770
90th percentile
$197,050
Workers surveyed
1,070
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) rather than Machine Learning Researcher specifically. The Baltimore range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1221Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $139,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$100,000
to $123,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$131,000
to $162,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$169,000
to $200,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$193,000
to $239,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $64,000 to the total package.
Base
$154,000
Equity
$39,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$9,000
Estimated total: $218,000
How Baltimore compares.
Baltimore, MD
$154,000
Cost of living: 8% above average
National Average
$141,000
Baltimore is $13,000 above
Machine Learning Researcher salary by city.
Salary by role in Baltimore.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Machine Learning Researcher offer in Baltimore, understand the terrain. Baltimore's economy is anchored by Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, one of the largest employers in the state. The city has strong cybersecurity, defense, and biotech sectors, benefiting from proximity to NSA, Fort Meade, and NIH. The port of Baltimore also drives significant logistics and trade employment. Publication record in top-tier venues like NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR is the strongest salary differentiator. Researchers with first-author papers at these conferences command 15 to 25% premiums. Industry labs at major tech firms pay significantly more than academic positions or smaller startups.
Research interns start at $45,000 to $65,000 for summer positions. Junior researchers earn $140,000 to $170,000, while senior researchers reach $200,000 to $280,000. Principal researchers and research directors at major labs can exceed $400,000 in base salary alone. In Baltimore, 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. Total compensation at top labs often doubles base salary through equity grants and annual bonuses of 20 to 40%. Many positions include conference travel budgets, compute credits, and sabbatical programs for independent research. And on the tax side: maryland's top income tax rate is 5.75%, and Baltimore City adds a local income tax of 3.2%. The combined burden is among the higher ones, but federal and defense salaries compensate. When someone quotes you $154,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is extremely valuable in the Baltimore corridor. Cleared professionals earn 20 to 30% more, and the NSA and defense contractor presence drives constant demand. The range for Machine Learning Researchers in Baltimore runs from $106,000 to $204,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Data Engineer in Baltimore earns $153,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Machine Learning Researcher Salary in Baltimore, MD." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/machine-learning-researcher/baltimore
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