National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Machine Learning Engineers earn a national median of $158,000/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 44% more nationally. The gap is $68,990 per year — or $5,749 per month.
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Machine Learning Engineer
$158,000
national median/year
$13,167/mo • $76/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$68,990
Machine Learning Engineers earn 44% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $782,022.
Best states for Nurses
vs Machine Learning Engineers
Alaska+$-33,760
Hawaii+$-35,680
Wyoming+$-39,680
Mississippi+$-41,680
West Virginia+$-41,680
Best states for Machine Learning Engineers
vs Nurses
Virginia+$101,680
Washington+$93,680
Maryland+$86,680
New York+$86,680
Colorado+$83,680
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Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Machine Learning Engineers is $158,000 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $68,990 per year or $5,749 per month.
The national median salary gap between Machine Learning Engineers and Nurses is $68,990 per year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 44% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $782,022.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Machine Learning Engineers the highest median salary at $212,000 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Salary is one factor — Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Computer and Information Research Scientists and Registered Nurses both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Machine Learning Engineers earn approximately $76 per hour nationally and Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
