Machine Learning Researcher.
New York.
$186,000
median salary, 32% above the national average
$128,000 to $247,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Machine Learning Researcher offer in New York, NY, here is the reality: $128,000 to $247,000, with $186,000 as the midpoint. 32% above the national average. Publication record in top-tier venues like NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR is the strongest salary differentiator. Do not accept the first number. 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 New York, 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 $170,890 for Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, based on 2,100 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$94,550
25th percentile
$129,990
Median
$170,890
75th percentile
$252,670
90th percentile
$314,130
Workers surveyed
2,100
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 New York range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such. New York is reported by BLS within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1221Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $167,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$121,000
to $149,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$158,000
to $195,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$205,000
to $242,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$233,000
to $288,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $78,000 to the total package.
Base
$186,000
Equity
$47,000
Bonus
$20,000
Signing
$11,000
Estimated total: $264,000
How New York compares.
New York, NY
$186,000
Cost of living: 28% above average
National Average
$141,000
New York is $45,000 above
Machine Learning Researcher salary by city.
Salary by role in New York.
What you should know.
The Machine Learning Researcher landscape in New York is not what most salary sites will tell you. New York City remains one of the world's largest and most diverse job markets, with unmatched density in finance, media, and technology. The city's tech sector has grown rapidly, rivaling the Bay Area for venture funding and startup activity. Remote work has reshaped demand slightly, but employers still pay premiums for in office presence in Manhattan. 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 New York, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 28% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
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: new York State income tax rates reach 10.9%, and New York City adds a local income tax up to 3.876%. Combined with federal taxes, your effective rate can be among the highest nationally. When someone quotes you $186,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work from the office in Manhattan. Many NYC employers pay 10 to 15% more for in person roles compared to remote positions. The range for Machine Learning Researchers in New York runs from $128,000 to $247,000. 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 Generative AI Researcher in New York earns $182,000 (2% less)
- The highest-paying role in New York is CTO at $376,000
- See all ai research roles tracked in Orbyt Intelligence
Common questions.
Machine Learning Researcher salary in other cities.
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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 New York, NY." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/machine-learning-researcher/new-york
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