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.

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Salary range

25th Percentile

$167,000

per year

Median

$223,000

per year

75th Percentile

$291,000

per year

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

Cloud ComputingE-CommerceAerospaceGamingArtificial Intelligence

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.

Computer Vision Engineer salary FAQ

Autonomous vehicle and robotics companies pay the highest CV engineer salaries, typically 15 to 25% above general tech companies. Medical imaging AI is a close second, particularly at companies seeking FDA approved diagnostic tools. Defense and satellite imagery analysis also offer premium compensation, especially with security clearances.

Real time inference and edge deployment skills can add 15 to 20% to your compensation. Many high value CV applications require sub 100ms processing on resource constrained hardware. Engineers who can optimize models for TensorRT, ONNX, or custom silicon are significantly more valuable than those working only in research environments.

Computer Vision Engineers in Seattle earn between $167,000 and $291,000 in 2026. The median salary is $223,000. Compensation varies based on experience level, company size, specific skills, and whether the position includes equity, bonuses, or other benefits.

Computer Vision Engineer salaries in Seattle have been trending upward due to strong demand and competitive hiring. The current range of $167,000 to $291,000 reflects 2026 market conditions. Salary growth varies by specialization, with high demand skills commanding premium compensation increases year over year.

Computer Vision Engineers in Seattle commonly receive benefits including health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, and professional development budgets. Many employers also offer remote work flexibility, signing bonuses, and performance based bonuses. Total compensation often exceeds base salary by 20% to 40%.

Computer Vision Engineer salary in other cities

Other salaries in Seattle

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