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The expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm updates all of the parameter estimates simultaneously, which is not applicable to direction of arrival (DOA) estimation in unknown nonuniform noise. In this work, we present several computationally efficient EM-type algorithms, which update the parameter estimates sequentially, for solving both the deterministic and stochastic maximum–likelihood (ML) direction finding problems in unknown nonuniform noise. Specifically, we design a generalized EM (GEM) algorithm and a space-alternating generalized EM (SAGE) algorithm for computing the deterministic ML estimator. Simulation results show that the SAGE algorithm outperforms the GEM algorithm. Moreover, we design two SAGE algorithms for computing the stochastic ML estimator, in which the first updates the DOA estimates simultaneously while the second updates the DOA estimates sequentially. Simulation results show that the second SAGE algorithm outperforms the first one. • Present two EM-type algorithms for deterministic ML direction finding in nonuniform noise. • Present two EM-type algorithms for stochastic ML direction finding in nonuniform noise. • Illustrate the convergence of these EM-type algorithms via simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]