2027 machine learning salary guide.
Our 2027 machine learning salary guide covers pay across engineering, deep learning, applied ML, research and leadership roles in the UK. Use it to benchmark a hire, compare an offer or see what your experience is worth in the market.
Download our 2027 machine learning salary guide.
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SALARY TRENDS
Machine learning salary trends in 2027.
Machine learning salaries have risen faster than the wider UK market this year, at 11.1% against 3.8% across the disciplines we cover. Machine learning is the fastest-growing specialism we cover in 2027, with every role in the guide up by more than 5% and most by more than 6%.
The market is candidate-led in 2027. Nearly two thirds of employers plan to hire, and engineers who can take models from research into production, with MLOps and cloud deployment skills, are the hardest roles to fill.
KEY FINDINGS
Key findings for machine learning in 2027.
These figures give you a quick view of salary movement and hiring activity in machine learning for 2027, whether you’re setting a salary for a role, reviewing your own pay or keeping an eye on the market.
- 11.1% average salary increase compared with 2026
- 65% of employers are hiring now or plan to hire within the next six months
- 43% of machine learning professionals are actively looking for a new role
- 33% of machine learning professionals feel their pay doesn’t reflect the work they do
OTHER SALARY GUIDES
Looking at salaries in another area?
Explore our other 2027 data salary guides to compare pay, regional benchmarks and hiring trends across each discipline.
FAQs
Machine learning salary guide FAQs.
The guide covers 10 machine learning roles across engineering, research, applied ML, computer vision, deep learning and leadership. It includes 25th, 50th and 75th percentile salaries across the UK and by region, alongside 2026 comparisons, 2028 projections and our latest hiring findings.
The median UK salary across the 10 machine learning roles in our guide is £94,000. The role, technical depth and level of responsibility can move the salary significantly, so compare the individual position rather than relying on the overall median.
Machine learning salaries increase with technical depth, production responsibility and experience. Professionals who can move models from experimentation into reliable production environments may sit higher in the range, while research, architecture and leadership roles can command different salaries again.
Machine Learning Engineer, Machine Learning Scientist and Applied Machine Learning Engineer are the three most in-demand roles in our research. Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, MLOps, model deployment and cloud ML are also among the technical skills employers are looking for.
Use the benchmark for the exact machine learning role and region. Positions requiring strong production ML, MLOps, advanced modelling or technical leadership may need to sit closer to the upper end of the range. Research and engineering roles should also be benchmarked separately rather than treated as interchangeable.
No. The figures are base salary only. Bonuses, equity, pension contributions and other benefits should be compared separately when assessing the total package.
Yes. We can benchmark machine learning roles around the models, frameworks, production environment, seniority, research requirements, sector and location.