Seattle is the second-largest ML engineering H1B market globally -- only San Francisco exceeds it. With 8,200 FY2024 MLE-classified filings and a median wage of $205,000 -- 71% above national -- Seattle's MLE market is shaped entirely by Amazon, Microsoft, and Big Tech satellites. Washington state has no income tax.
| Role | Median |
|---|---|
| MLE L4 | $182,000 |
| Senior MLE L5 | $225,000 |
| Staff MLE L6 | $268,000 |
| Principal MLE L7 | $315,000 |
| Research Scientist | $242,000 |
Source: DOL LCA disclosures, FY2024.
| Employer | Median Wage |
|---|---|
| Amazon/AWS AI | $215,000 |
| Microsoft AI/Azure | $228,000 |
| Google Seattle | $238,000 |
| Meta Seattle | $242,000 |
| Apple Seattle | $225,000 |
| Tableau (Salesforce) | $198,000 |