Apple, the world’s most valuable tech company, is going all-in on artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR/VR), and next-gen software experiences. As a result, the iPhone maker has been ramping up its global hiring efforts—and the salaries on offer are attracting serious attention.
Recently surfaced salary disclosures reveal how much Apple is willing to pay its top talent across roles such as software engineers, data scientists, machine learning researchers, and designers. While these salaries are based on U.S. and international filings, they give Indian professionals valuable insight into global compensation benchmarks—and where India’s tech talent could fit in.
Summary Table: Apple’s Global Salary Ranges for Key Tech Roles
Job Title |
Salary Range (USD) |
INR Equivalent (Approx.) |
Relevance for Indian Engineers |
|---|---|---|---|
Software Engineer (Apps) |
$132,267 – $378,700 |
₹1.10 Cr – ₹3.15 Cr |
High demand for full-stack and iOS/Swift experts |
Data Scientist |
$105,550 – $322,400 |
₹88.5 L – ₹2.68 Cr |
Big Data, ML & AI modelling |
Machine Learning Engineer |
$143,100 – $312,200 |
₹1.20 Cr – ₹2.60 Cr |
Core AI development and deployment |
Machine Learning Researcher |
$114,100 – $312,200 |
₹95.5 L – ₹2.60 Cr |
Research-heavy AI roles |
Software Engineering Manager |
$166,691 – $378,700 |
₹1.38 Cr – ₹3.15 Cr |
Leadership roles with 7–10 yrs experience |
Human Interface Designer |
$135,400 – $468,500 |
₹1.13 Cr – ₹3.90 Cr |
UI/UX with Apple design systems knowledge |
Hardware Systems Engineer |
$125,495 – $378,700 |
₹1.05 Cr – ₹3.15 Cr |
Embedded systems, SoC design, etc. |
AR/VR Software Developer |
$129,805 – $312,200 |
₹1.08 Cr – ₹2.60 Cr |
XR developers with Unity/Unreal experience |
RF/Mixed Signal Engineer |
$131,352 – $312,200 |
₹1.10 Cr – ₹2.60 Cr |
Hardware roles for Apple Silicon, 5G, etc. |
Design Verification Engineer |
$103,164 – $312,200 |
₹86.5 L – ₹2.60 Cr |
Chip verification, VLSI roles |
Why This Matters to Indian Professionals
1. Benchmark for Aspiring Indian Engineers
With increasing Indian talent migrating to the U.S. and Ireland to work for top tech firms, these salary disclosures provide a clear picture of earning potential at companies like Apple. For those considering H-1B or Apple’s India operations, these figures serve as aspiration points.
2. Signals Increased AI Competition in India
Apple’s focus on generative AI, on-device ML, and AR/VR capabilities means it could expand hiring in India—especially in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and NCR where it already has tech partnerships and offices.
Why Apple’s AI Division Is In the Spotlight
Apple has been relatively quiet about its AI ambitions compared to Google and Meta. However, things are rapidly changing in 2025. Recent developments include:
- Four key engineers from the Apple Foundation Models (AFM) team have recently left for Meta.
- Apple is raising pay to retain top AI talent, especially those working on large language models (LLMs), vision transformers, and real-time neural engine applications.
- There’s increasing pressure to integrate Apple Intelligence (its AI suite) deeper into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices.
This intensifies the war for AI talent—an area where India’s engineering pool plays a major supporting role through contractors, Apple vendors, and remote teams.
Apple’s Hiring Focus in 2025
According to public job listings and filings, Apple is currently hiring aggressively in the following roles:
Software Engineering
- iOS and macOS development
- Cloud infrastructure
- Security architecture
- App store engineering
Machine Learning & AI
- Neural networks and computer vision
- On-device AI model optimization
- Siri development and integration
- LLM pre-training and prompt engineering
AR/VR and Mixed Reality
- Unity/Unreal developers
- XR interface design
- Apple Vision Pro ecosystem support
What This Means for Indian Job Seekers
A. Global Pay vs India-Based Roles
While Apple’s salaries in India won’t match U.S. figures, senior-level employees in India can expect base packages between ₹40 LPA to ₹1.2 Cr, depending on experience and location. Roles in Hyderabad and Bengaluru in Apple’s engineering divisions or via vendor companies like Wipro, TCS, and Infosys may offer additional exposure.
B. Remote and Hybrid Opportunities
With Apple increasing its use of hybrid work, there is greater scope for remote Indian professionals to be hired as contractors, especially in UI/UX design, AR app testing, and ML data annotation.
How to Prepare for Apple’s Hiring Expectations
Skill Area |
In-Demand Tech Stack |
Certification Suggestions |
|---|---|---|
Machine Learning |
Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, CoreML |
Google ML, AWS ML, Stanford ML courses |
iOS Development |
Swift, Objective-C, UIKit, Xcode |
Swift Developer Cert (Apple) |
AR/VR |
Unity, Unreal Engine, C#, ARKit |
Unity Certified Dev |
UX Design |
Figma, Sketch, Human Interface Guidelines |
Nielsen Norman UX Cert |
Backend Engineering |
GoLang, Node.js, Kubernetes, Swift Server |
AWS DevOps Engineer, CKA |
Hardware Systems |
VHDL, Verilog, RTL, signal processing |
VLSI Certification, IIT-M Online |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Are these Apple salary numbers relevant to jobs in India?
Ans. No, these reflect U.S. salaries, but they set benchmarks and expectations. India-based roles usually pay less, though mid-to-senior engineers in Apple India can still earn ₹40 LPA to ₹1.2 Cr annually.
Q2. Does Apple hire freshers or interns from India?
Ans. Yes. Apple conducts global internships and has hired from top Indian engineering colleges like IITs and IIITs. Apple India may also hire through vendor firms or contract-based roles.
Q3. What are the hottest skills Apple is hiring for in 2025?
Ans. Machine Learning, AR/VR development, iOS engineering, Human Interface design, and on-device AI optimisation are top skills.
Q4. What’s the future of Apple’s AI team in India?
Ans. While Apple’s core AI team is U.S.-based, they’re expected to expand data operations and testing teams in India for supporting tasks like data labeling, feature optimization, and app integration.
Q5. Do Apple engineers get stock options?
Ans. Yes. Most U.S.-based engineers receive annual RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) as part of total compensation. These often double the effective pay but are subject to vesting.
Conclusion
Apple’s salary disclosures offer a clear signal: top global tech talent is being rewarded at unprecedented levels, especially in AI and software engineering. For Indian professionals—whether aspiring to work abroad, remotely, or within Apple’s Indian ecosystem—this is a clarion call to:
- Sharpen skills in AI, AR, and Swift/iOS
- Focus on upskilling in design, machine learning, and back-end scalability
- Prepare for global opportunities with smart resume building and certifications
Whether you’re a fresher from an IIT or a mid-career developer in Hyderabad, understanding Apple’s compensation trends gives you a career edge in the evolving tech landscape.
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