Machine Learning Engineer
Salary in Manchester
£59K–£198K across all experience levels. Updated 2025.
England, UK
Senior ML Engineer · Median
£127K
Base salary · 5–8 years experience
Total comp median: £197K
Salary by experience level — Manchester
Manchester is the UK's second-largest tech hub, home to Autotrader, The Hut Group, booking.com, and AO World. A lower cost of living than London combined with a maturing startup ecosystem makes Manchester increasingly attractive for tech talent.
£71K
median base salary
£98K
median base salary
£127K
median base salary
£166K
median base salary
| Level | Experience | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | 0–2 yrs | £59K | £71K | £84K |
| Mid Level | 3–5 yrs | £82K | £98K | £115K |
| Senior | 5–8 yrs | £105K | £127K | £152K |
| Staff / Principal | 8+ yrs | £136K | £166K | £198K |
Base salary in GBP. Data reflects 2025 compensation benchmarks from Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and Zari platform data.
Senior ML Engineer · Total Compensation
£197K
Median total comp (base + equity + bonus)
Total comp range
Negotiation opportunity
£47K
Gap between 25th and 75th percentile for senior ML Engineer in Manchester
Most candidates who don't negotiate land at the 25th percentile. Strong negotiation moves you toward the 75th — a difference of £47K per year.
How to negotiate a Machine Learning Engineer offer in Manchester
The difference between the 25th and 75th percentile is £47K/year — and it comes down to this conversation.
Anchor above the median
Open at £152K — the 75th percentile. This gives you room to "meet in the middle" at or above the median. Never give a range; ranges get taken at the low end.
Use competing offers as leverage
A competing offer — even from a less preferred employer — is the single most powerful negotiating tool in Manchester. Get at least one before negotiating.
Negotiate total comp, not just base
Base salary is often the hardest component to move. Signing bonus and equity are frequently more flexible. In Manchester, a £16K signing bonus has the same year-1 value.
Never accept on the call
Ask for the offer in writing and follow up in 24–48 hours. This creates space to counter without pressure. No legitimate employer rescinds an offer because a candidate asked for review time.