Fine-Tuning Engineer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$113,000
national median salary
$83,000 to $156,000. Last updated August 2026.
Orbyt prices 47 titles at this same figure, including Data Scientist, Data Analyst, and Healthcare Data Analyst. Orbyt does not hold title-level wage data that would separate them.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $120,230 for Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051) across the United States, based on 262,440 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$67,240
25th percentile
$85,660
Median
$120,230
75th percentile
$158,880
90th percentile
$199,130
Workers surveyed
262,440
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$112,590
May 2025 release
$120,230
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051) rather than Fine-Tuning Engineerspecifically. The national 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 15-2051Highest Paying
$156,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$118,000
Washington DC, DC
Lowest Paying
$87,000
Jackson, MS
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated August 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 15-2051. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Fine-Tuning Engineer salary in the United States at $113,000 in 2026, within a range of $83,000 to $156,000. 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. This figure is not specific to this title: Orbyt prices 47 titles at the same estimate. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $156,000, while Washington DC offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Compensation for Fine-Tuning Engineers is driven by depth of technical specialization, open-source or published work, and the specific technology stack.
Fine-Tuning Engineer salary by city.
Skills that increase Fine-Tuning Engineer pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Fine-Tuning Engineers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $15,820 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$15,820 per year
≈ +$14,690 per year
≈ +$13,560 per year
≈ +$12,430 per year
≈ +$12,430 per year
≈ +$11,300 per year
≈ +$11,300 per year
≈ +$10,170 per year
What you should know.
Compensation for Fine-Tuning Engineers is driven by depth of technical specialization, open-source or published work, and the specific technology stack. Base salary carries most of the total compensation, with bonuses adding roughly 10% in a typical year. Within tech-sector Fine-Tuning Engineers specifically, employer tier (FAANG and frontier-AI labs vs mid-stage startups vs traditional enterprise) drives 67%+ variance across the compensation band.
Fine-Tuning Engineers typically progress Junior → Mid → Senior → Staff → Principal over 8 to 12 years, with the Staff+ levels carrying significant technical scope and cross-team influence. The director/VP track diverges around year 8 for those who choose management; IC staff-plus roles keep building technical depth.
Total compensation for Fine-Tuning Engineers runs roughly $182K at median when factoring base + typical bonus (~10% of base). Base salary carries most of the compensation; benefits (healthcare, 401(k) match, PTO) add an estimated 15–25% in imputed value on top. At tech companies specifically, equity and sign-on are often the largest delta between offers — two roles with matching base can differ by $100K+ at total when equity is included.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Fine-Tuning Engineers typically earn $102,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Fine-Tuning Engineer pay.
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