Apple's salaries for AI and tech roles revealed: You won’t believe the top figures!

Apple’s salary bands for key technical and AI roles have come to light through public filings, offering insight into how the tech giant compensates its most sought-after professionals. As competition surges in the artificial intelligence sector, Apple appears to be offering generous base salaries to attract and retain talent across software development, machine learning, and design.

According to a report by Business Insider, the figures are drawn from disclosures Apple made for foreign hires. While they exclude bonuses and stock options—typically part of overall remuneration—they nonetheless reveal Apple’s baseline pay strategy, especially as some of its top engineers shift to competing firms such as Meta.

Here’s a look at Apple’s reported base salary brackets (in USD) for several in-demand roles

AR/VR Software Development: $129,805 to $312,200

Design Verification Engineer: $103,164 to $312,200

Data Scientist: $105,550 to $322,400

Data Engineer: $105,602 to $234,700

Human Interface Designer: $135,400 to $468,500

RF/Analog/Mixed Signal Engineer: $131,352 to $312,200

Machine Learning Engineer: $143,100 to $312,200

Software Development Engineer (Applications): $132,267 to $378,700

Machine Learning Researcher: $114,100 to $312,200

Software Engineering Manager: $166,691 to $378,700

Hardware Systems Engineer: $125,495 to $378,700

Professional Services Consultant: $100,200 to $258,700

Supply Demand Planning: $100,200 to $209,900

Software Development Engineering Manager: $166,691 to $378,700

Apple’s AI hiring push in the spotlight

The release of these figures comes as Apple’s artificial intelligence division faces scrutiny. Reports indicate that four engineers from the Apple Foundation Models (AFM) team have recently moved to Meta, prompting Apple to adjust its compensation strategy to hold on to top-tier AI and machine learning talent.

Apple is now stepping up recruitment for roles in machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, data science, and software development, in a bid to strengthen its position in emerging technologies. The company is believed to be focusing heavily on expanding its expertise in generative AI, personalised services, and on-device intelligence across its ecosystem.

While rivals like Google and Meta are also competing fiercely for similar talent, Apple’s disclosed pay scales show that it is meeting—or even surpassing—industry benchmarks in roles that are crucial to its future products and innovations.