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How much Meta pays its AI talent
09 Apr 2026

Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, is shelling out huge pay packages to attract top talent in artificial intelligence (AI).

An analysis of over 5,800 H-1B and other visa filings from 2025 reviewed by Business Insider has revealed that machine learning engineers at Meta can earn up to $250,000 (approximately ₹2.1 crore).

Even higher salaries are offered for specialized roles within this domain.

Software engineers in machine learning domain
Salary range

Software engineers working in machine learning and related domains at Meta typically earn between $144,000 (around ₹1.2 crore) and nearly $300,000 (approximately ₹2.5 crore).

Senior roles in these areas can exceed salaries of $250,000 (roughly ₹2.1 crore).

Core engineering roles also have a wide salary range with software engineers earning between $124,000 (around ₹1 crore) and as high as $450,000 (nearly ₹3.7 crore), especially in senior or infrastructure-focused positions.

Data engineers, data scientists, and research roles
High earnings

Data engineers and data scientists at Meta also enjoy high salaries, with compensation packages nearing $300,000 (approximately ₹2.5 crore) at senior levels.

Research roles are among the highest-paid positions in Meta's pay structure. AI research scientists make between $163,800 (around ₹1.3 crore) and $328,000 (approximately ₹2.7 crore), while research engineers can earn between $124,000 (about ₹1 crore) and as much as $400,000 (nearly ₹3.3 crore).

Applied scientists and user experience researchers
Salary details

Applied scientists and research scientists at Meta typically earn between $135,000 (approximately ₹1.1 crore) and $300,000 (nearly ₹2.5 crore).

Leadership roles in research exceed salaries of $250,000 (around ₹2.1 crore).

Even user experience research roles can exceed $290,000 (about ₹2.4 crore) at senior levels, underscoring the growing significance of research in developing AI-driven products.

Product management and design leadership positions
Other high-paying roles

Product managers at Meta can earn up to $348,000 (approximately ₹2.9 crore), while design leadership positions can fetch nearly $340,000 (around ₹2.8 crore).

Business API product marketing managers can make around $269,719 (approximately ₹2.2 crore).

The data demonstrates how aggressively Meta is investing in AI talent as it competes for dominance in the next phase of technological advancement.