Highest-Paying Companies for Machine Learning & AI Roles (2027)
Which employers post the highest pay for machine learning and AI roles in life sciences, compared like with like: each job is compared with other employers' jobs doing the same kind of work and asking for the same years of experience, not the same title. From 361 US job postings with a salary range at 99 employers, posted since Nov 2025.
Employers ranked by posted pay
Median difference between each employer's posted midpoint and other employers' median midpoint for the same work and experience band. Employers with at least 5 comparable postings are ranked.
| # | Employer | Pay vs market | Typical posted range | Postings | Experience asked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Altos Labs |
|
$201K–$258K | 5 | 0-2 yrs: 2 · 3-5 yrs: 1 · 10+ yrs: 2 |
| 2 | Genentech |
|
$167K–$311K | 44 | 0-2 yrs: 26 · 3-5 yrs: 8 · 6-9 yrs: 8 · 10+ yrs: 2 |
| 3 | Formation Bio |
|
$182K–$250K | 8 | 0-2 yrs: 1 · 3-5 yrs: 6 · 6-9 yrs: 1 |
| 4 | Eli Lilly |
|
$152K–$249K | 18 | 0-2 yrs: 7 · 3-5 yrs: 8 · 6-9 yrs: 3 |
| 5 | Pfizer |
|
$139K–$232K | 16 | 0-2 yrs: 11 · 3-5 yrs: 4 · 6-9 yrs: 1 |
| 6 | Flagship Pioneering |
|
$208K–$286K | 11 | 0-2 yrs: 5 · 3-5 yrs: 3 · 6-9 yrs: 1 · 10+ yrs: 2 |
| 7 | Novartis |
|
$132K–$246K | 16 | 0-2 yrs: 5 · 3-5 yrs: 9 · 10+ yrs: 2 |
| 8 | Tempus AI |
|
$140K–$200K | 5 | 0-2 yrs: 3 · 3-5 yrs: 2 |
| 9 | Merck (MSD) |
|
$130K–$205K | 22 | 0-2 yrs: 16 · 3-5 yrs: 3 · 6-9 yrs: 2 · 10+ yrs: 1 |
| 10 | Bristol Myers Squibb |
|
$157K–$190K | 17 | 0-2 yrs: 5 · 3-5 yrs: 8 · 6-9 yrs: 4 |
| 11 | AstraZeneca |
|
$145K–$217K | 18 | 0-2 yrs: 5 · 3-5 yrs: 7 · 6-9 yrs: 5 · 10+ yrs: 1 |
| 12 | Gilead Sciences |
|
$147K–$190K | 9 | 0-2 yrs: 4 · 3-5 yrs: 3 · 6-9 yrs: 2 |
| 13 | Takeda |
|
$137K–$215K | 6 | 0-2 yrs: 4 · 6-9 yrs: 1 · 10+ yrs: 1 |
| 14 | Regeneron |
|
$148K–$242K | 7 | 0-2 yrs: 3 · 3-5 yrs: 2 · 6-9 yrs: 1 · 10+ yrs: 1 |
| 15 | Johnson & Johnson |
|
$117K–$201K | 25 | 0-2 yrs: 11 · 3-5 yrs: 8 · 6-9 yrs: 3 · 10+ yrs: 3 |
| 16 | Sanofi |
|
$122K–$177K | 5 | 0-2 yrs: 4 · 3-5 yrs: 1 |
| 17 | St. Jude |
|
$104K–$186K | 7 | 0-2 yrs: 2 · 3-5 yrs: 5 |
| 18 | Mass General Brigham |
|
$72K–$74K | 5 | 0-2 yrs: 5 |
Bars run from -60% to +60%; values beyond are capped in the bar but shown in full. Grey: below the market for the same work and experience.
Machine Learning & AI pay by experience required
Typical posted range (median posted minimum to median posted maximum) for all employers, by the minimum years of experience the posting asks for.
| Experience required | Typical posted range | Median midpoint | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 years | $130K–$200K | $165K | 171 |
| 3-5 years | $157K–$232K | $191K | 112 |
| 6-9 years | $186K–$283K | $235K | 52 |
| 10+ years | $202K–$292K | $257K | 26 |
Common questions
Which companies pay the most for machine learning and AI roles in life sciences?
Compared with other employers for the same kind of work and the same required experience, the highest posted pay in the last 12 months was at Altos Labs (+33%, 5 postings), Genentech (+31%, 44 postings), Formation Bio (+15%, 8 postings). Based on 361 US job postings with a salary range and a stated experience requirement.
What do machine learning and AI roles in life sciences requiring 0-2 years of experience pay?
Across 171 US postings in the last 12 months, the typical posted range was $130K to $200K (median posted minimum to median posted maximum). These are posted base-salary ranges, not offers, and exclude bonus and equity.
What do machine learning and AI roles in life sciences requiring 3-5 years of experience pay?
Across 112 US postings in the last 12 months, the typical posted range was $157K to $232K (median posted minimum to median posted maximum). These are posted base-salary ranges, not offers, and exclude bonus and equity.
What do machine learning and AI roles in life sciences requiring 6-9 years of experience pay?
Across 52 US postings in the last 12 months, the typical posted range was $186K to $283K (median posted minimum to median posted maximum). These are posted base-salary ranges, not offers, and exclude bonus and equity.
What do machine learning and AI roles in life sciences requiring 10+ years of experience pay?
Across 26 US postings in the last 12 months, the typical posted range was $202K to $292K (median posted minimum to median posted maximum). These are posted base-salary ranges, not offers, and exclude bonus and equity.
How this is computed
- Posted ranges, not offers. Salary ranges employers published in their own US job postings over the last 12 months. Base salary only; no bonus or equity.
- Each posting counted once. Copies of the same job on job boards and reposts are collapsed.
- Same work, not same title. A title means different things at different employers, so the kind of work and the years of experience required are read from each job description, with the exact sentence kept as evidence.
- Experience band is the lowest number of years any accepted path asks for (for "PhD with 0-2 years or MS with 5+", that is 0-2). Postings that state no number of years are left out of the ranking.
- Score: for each posting, the difference between its midpoint and other employers' median midpoint in the same band; an employer's score is the median of its postings. Small samples move a lot: check the postings count.