Welcome to the Harrison Clarke Compensation Report: AI and Data Engineering Roles in Bay Area/Silicon Valley (2021–2025), your definitive guide to understanding salary trends and market demand for top AI and data engineering roles in one of the world’s leading tech hubs. Published in June 2025, this comprehensive report analyzes compensation data for Machine Learning Engineers, AI/Research Scientists, MLOps Engineers, and Data Engineers, covering both startups (Seed to Series C+ backed by Tier 1 Venture Capital firms) and Big Tech companies.

Whether you’re a hiring manager, a tech professional navigating your career, or an industry enthusiast, this report provides critical insights into the evolving landscape of AI and data engineering in Silicon Valley. Discover how salaries have soared, which roles are in highest demand, and why first principles thinking is shaping the future of tech innovation.