National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Web Developers earn a national median of $92,750/year vs Machine Learning Engineers at $158,000/year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 70% more nationally. The gap is $65,250 per year — or $5,438 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Web Developer
$92,750
national median/year
$7,729/mo • $45/hr
VS
Machine Learning Engineer
$158,000
national median/year
$13,167/mo • $76/hr
Annual salary gap
$65,250
Machine Learning Engineers earn 70% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $739,628.
Best states for Machine Learning Engineers
vs Web Developers
California+$89,680
Virginia+$81,680
Washington+$79,680
Maryland+$73,680
New York+$73,680
Best states for Web Developers
vs Machine Learning Engineers
Mississippi+$-41,680
West Virginia+$-43,680
North Dakota+$-45,680
Wyoming+$-45,680
Arkansas+$-47,680
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Web Developers is $92,750 versus $158,000 for Machine Learning Engineers — a difference of $65,250 per year or $5,438 per month.
The national median salary gap between Web Developers and Machine Learning Engineers is $65,250 per year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 70% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $739,628.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Web Developers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Machine Learning Engineers the highest median salary at $212,000 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. Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers and Computer and Information Research Scientists 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, Web Developers earn approximately $45 per hour nationally and Machine Learning Engineers earn approximately $76 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.
