What it costs to hire an AI engineer in India
Published pay for AI and machine learning engineers in India differs by more than two to one depending on who collects it. This page puts three public sources side by side, says what each one measures, and shows how to turn a salary into the monthly cost of a permanent hire or a contract. Every figure links to its source, with the date we read it.
Why the sources disagree
Levels.fyi reports total compensation: base salary plus stock and bonus, from pay its users submit. PayScale and Indeed report base salary from their own surveys and listings. Stock and bonus make up a large part of pay at product companies, which is one reason the Levels.fyi figures are the highest of the three.
The job titles also differ slightly: Levels.fyi groups ML and AI software engineers, while PayScale and Indeed use "machine learning engineer". Compare like with like, and check the live pages for current numbers.
From salary to monthly cost
- Permanent hire employed by you in India: monthly cost = annual CTC ÷ 12, plus any one-time placement fee, plus your own overheads such as equipment and software. In India the CTC figure usually already includes the employer's provident fund contribution.
- Contract engineer through a provider: monthly cost = hourly rate × hours billed in the month. At 8 hours a day for 21 working days that is 168 hours, so a rate of R an hour costs 168 × R a month.
- Through an employer of record: monthly cost = annual salary ÷ 12, plus statutory costs, plus the employer of record's monthly fee.
- Worked example: the Levels.fyi median of ₹28,19,010 a year is about ₹2,34,918 a month before any fee; PayScale's average base of ₹10,22,861 a year is about ₹85,238 a month.
What moves the number
- Experience: PayScale shows entry-level pay (under 1 year) 42% below its overall average for the role, and late-career pay 184% above it.
- Company type: total compensation at product companies includes stock and bonus, which base-salary surveys leave out.
- Engagement model: a contract rate or an employer of record fee adds the provider's margin to the salary; a permanent hire adds a one-time fee instead.
What HookStep charges
HookStep quotes rates per role, against the seniority, stack and engagement type in your brief; there is no public rate card. Share the role and your budget and we will tell you plainly whether we can fill it at that rate.
Published AI and ML engineer pay in India
| Source | What it measures | Figures | Sample and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levels.fyi: ML / AI software engineer, India | Total compensation (base + stock + bonus), per year | Median ₹28.19 lakh; 25th percentile ₹14.27 lakh; 75th percentile ₹49.18 lakh; 90th percentile ₹72.83 lakh | 1,348 submissions; updated 16 Oct 2026 |
| PayScale: machine learning engineer, India | Base salary per year; average total pay by experience | Average base ₹10.23 lakh (10th to 90th percentile ₹3.62 lakh to ₹30 lakh); under 1 year ₹5.96 lakh and 1-4 years ₹8.41 lakh average total pay | 232 profiles; updated 11 Jul 2026 |
| Indeed: machine learning engineer, India | Base salary per year | Average ₹11.34 lakh; typical range ₹6.32 lakh to ₹20.36 lakh | 51 salaries; updated 28 Sep 2026 |
Read on 16 October 2026. 1 lakh = ₹1,00,000. Salary sites update continuously, so the live pages may show different numbers.
Sources
- Levels.fyi, ML / AI software engineer salaries in India, read 16 October 2026.
- PayScale, average machine learning engineer salary in India, read 16 October 2026.
- Indeed India, machine learning engineer salaries, read 16 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI engineer cost in India per month?
On these sources, average base pay for a machine learning engineer is about ₹85,000 to ₹95,000 a month (PayScale ₹10.23 lakh and Indeed ₹11.34 lakh a year), and the Levels.fyi median total compensation is about ₹2.35 lakh a month. Seniority, company type and the engagement model move it a long way; use the formulas above for your case.
Why are the Levels.fyi figures so much higher?
Levels.fyi counts total compensation, including stock and bonus, from pay its users submit. PayScale and Indeed report base salary only.
Do these figures include HookStep's fee?
No. They are salary figures from public sources. HookStep's rates are quoted per role against your brief.
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