Salary Benchmarks
All figures AUD total package inclusive of super. Sydney market rates, Q1 2026.
| Role | Mid-Level | Senior | Lead / Principal |
|---|---|---|---|
| ML Engineer | $140k–170k | $175k–225k | $225k–290k |
| Data Scientist | $120k–150k | $150k–200k | $200k–260k |
| Algorithm / Research Engineer | $140k–175k | $175k–230k | $230k–300k |
| Data Engineer | $120k–150k | $150k–200k | $200k–260k |
| Data Architect | $140k–170k | $170k–220k | $220k–280k |
| MLOps / ML Platform Engineer | $130k–160k | $160k–210k | $210k–270k |
| Embedded AI Engineer | $130k–165k | $165k–215k | $215k–280k |
| Computer Vision Engineer | $135k–170k | $170k–220k | $220k–285k |
| AI Security Engineer | $150k–185k | $185k–240k | $240k–310k |
| Cyber Security Engineer | $140k–175k | $175k–230k | $230k–300k |
| Cloud / DevOps Engineer | $130k–160k | $160k–210k | $210k–270k |
| Head of AI / VP Engineering | — | $300k–450k+ | |
Methodology
Based on Sonitec's placement data, candidate negotiations, and market intelligence gathered across 500+ AI hiring conversations in 2025-2026. Sydney market rates. Figures are total package inclusive of superannuation.
Key Trends for 2026
- Embedded AI and computer vision salaries up 15-20% YoY
- AI security roles commanding 20%+ premium over general cyber
- MLOps demand outpacing supply — salaries rising fastest in this category
- Head of AI/VP packages increasingly include equity
- Remote-eligible roles paying 10-15% less than Sydney-based equivalents