Salary Data
Computer Vision Engineer Salary in Seattle
$223,000
median salary, 24% above the national average
According to Orbit's 2026 salary analysis, the average Computer Vision Engineer salary in Seattle is $223,000. Salaries range from $167,000 (25th percentile) to $291,000 (75th percentile), adjusted for Seattle's cost of living.
Salary range
How Seattle compares
Seattle, WA
$223,000
Cost of living: 24% above average
National Average
$180,000
Seattle is $43,000 above
Computer Vision Engineer job market in Seattle
Seattle market overview
Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and a dense cluster of cloud computing, gaming, and AI companies. The presence of major tech headquarters drives some of the highest engineering salaries outside the Bay Area. Seattle's job market is particularly strong for cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and enterprise software roles.
What drives Computer Vision Engineer salaries
Expertise in specific application domains (autonomous vehicles, medical imaging, manufacturing inspection) drives the largest salary variation. Engineers who can deploy real time inference systems with strict latency requirements earn more. Experience with 3D vision, video understanding, and edge device optimization commands significant premiums over basic image classification skills.
Beyond base salary
Total compensation
Equity at autonomous vehicle and robotics companies can add $40,000 to $150,000+ annually. Bonuses of 15 to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $30,000 to $80,000 are common. Benefits frequently include access to specialized hardware, conference sponsorship, and patent filing bonuses.
Tax considerations in Seattle
Washington State has no personal income tax, which significantly boosts take home pay. However, state and local sales taxes are among the highest in the country at roughly 10.25%.
Career progression
Junior CV engineers start at $120,000 to $150,000, reaching mid level at $160,000 to $205,000 in two to three years. Senior CV engineers earn $205,000 to $275,000. Staff engineers and research leads at companies like Waymo or in medical imaging can exceed $400,000 in total compensation.
Top industries in Seattle
Negotiating in Seattle
Remind employers that no state income tax makes your effective compensation higher. You can accept a slightly lower gross salary and still take home more than in California.