Microsoft Principal Engineer Salaries

345 verified profiles
Last updated on October 15, 2025
Average Annual Total Compensation is $327k

Employees at Microsoft as Principal Engineer earn an average of $327k, mostly ranging from $300k to $600k based on 345 profiles.

Employee Count
massive
Equity Vest
3.5 yrs ; 29% , 29% , 29% , 13%
Signing Bonus
$25k - $50k
  30,761 people laid off in the last year.
👨‍💻 Male $323k Male
Average Salary : $ 323 k
👩‍💻 Female $321k Female
Average Salary : $ 321 k
For every $100 paid to men, women are paid $99
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Salary Profiles
Company
Title(Level)
Annual Salary
Experience
School
Degree
Location
Skills
Security Engineer (Principal SDE)

Base: $183k

Stocks: $146k

(Today) (13.3%) $165k

Bonus: $28k

TC:$357k

(Today) (5.4%) $376k

25yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Atlanta, GA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)

Base: $216k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (16.8%) $46k

Bonus: $34k

TC:$289k

(Today) (2.3%) $296k

14yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Seattle, WA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $233k

Stocks: $76k

(Today) (32.6%) $100k

Bonus: $59k

TC:$368k

(Today) (6.7%) $393k

15yrs
NA
Phd

Works in San Francisco, CA

Full Stack Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $207k

Stocks: $63k

(Today) (31.4%) $83k

Bonus: $46k

TC:$316k

(Today) (6.3%) $336k

17yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Boston, MA

Machine Learning Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $209k

Stocks: $63k

(Today) (32.6%) $84k

Bonus: $42k

TC:$313k

(Today) (6.6%) $334k

19yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Female

Base: $194k

Stocks: $49k

(Today) (32.0%) $64k

Bonus: -

TC:$243k

(Today) (6.4%) $258k

15yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Research Scientist (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $215k

Stocks: $64k

(Today) (25.9%) $80k

Bonus: $61k

TC:$340k

(Today) (4.9%) $357k

14yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Full Stack Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $211k

Stocks: $58k

(Today) (25.8%) $73k

Bonus: $39k

TC:$309k

(Today) (4.9%) $324k

18yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Frontend Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $207k

Stocks: $78k

(Today) (23.7%) $96k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$333k

(Today) (5.5%) $351k

12yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Portland, OR

Principal Software Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $204k

Stocks: $64k

(Today) (23.7%) $79k

Bonus: $44k

TC:$312k

(Today) (4.8%) $327k

17yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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Showing only 50 profiles out of 345. Upgrade to view elite profiles
Level
Experience
Avg
25th
50th
75th
90th
95th
25 to 25 yrs
$284k
$284k
$284k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
12 to 24 yrs
$302k
$281k
$287k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
13 to 25 yrs
$305k
$275k
$299k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
14 to 14 yrs
$315k
$315k
$315k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
5 to 5 yrs
$323k
$323k
$323k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
10 to 20 yrs
$325k
$291k
$312k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
9 to 15 yrs
$326k
$284k
$315k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
20 to 20 yrs
$329k
$329k
$329k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
19 to 19 yrs
$331k
$331k
$331k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
25 to 25 yrs
$347k
$347k
$347k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
20 to 20 yrs
$360k
$360k
$360k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
10 to 21 yrs
$364k
$343k
$370k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
20 to 20 yrs
$387k
$387k
$387k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
16 to 27 yrs
$402k
$327k
$340k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
17 to 24 yrs
$422k
$415k
$429k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
10 to 10 yrs
$504k
$504k
$504k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
20 to 20 yrs
$612k
$612k
$612k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
Level
Experience
25 to 25 yrs
Base
$221k
Stocks / Yr
$63k
Bonus
$0k
Total Salary
$284k
Level
Experience
12 to 24 yrs
Base
$197k
Stocks / Yr
$63k
Bonus
$41k
Total Salary
$302k
Level
Experience
13 to 25 yrs
Base
$196k
Stocks / Yr
$63k
Bonus
$46k
Total Salary
$305k
Level
Experience
14 to 14 yrs
Base
$192k
Stocks / Yr
$74k
Bonus
$49k
Total Salary
$315k
Level
Experience
5 to 5 yrs
Base
$216k
Stocks / Yr
$74k
Bonus
$34k
Total Salary
$323k
Level
Experience
10 to 20 yrs
Base
$206k
Stocks / Yr
$82k
Bonus
$45k
Total Salary
$325k
Level
Experience
9 to 15 yrs
Base
$208k
Stocks / Yr
$78k
Bonus
$45k
Total Salary
$326k
Level
Experience
20 to 20 yrs
Base
$245k
Stocks / Yr
$55k
Bonus
$29k
Total Salary
$329k
Level
Experience
19 to 19 yrs
Base
$200k
Stocks / Yr
$92k
Bonus
$39k
Total Salary
$331k
Level
Experience
25 to 25 yrs
Base
$234k
Stocks / Yr
$59k
Bonus
$54k
Total Salary
$347k
Level
Experience
20 to 20 yrs
Base
$192k
Stocks / Yr
$111k
Bonus
$58k
Total Salary
$360k
Level
Experience
10 to 21 yrs
Base
$213k
Stocks / Yr
$98k
Bonus
$52k
Total Salary
$364k
Level
Experience
20 to 20 yrs
Base
$216k
Stocks / Yr
$132k
Bonus
$39k
Total Salary
$387k
Level
Experience
16 to 27 yrs
Base
$219k
Stocks / Yr
$118k
Bonus
$65k
Total Salary
$402k
Level
Experience
17 to 24 yrs
Base
$231k
Stocks / Yr
$138k
Bonus
$53k
Total Salary
$422k
Level
Experience
10 to 10 yrs
Base
$216k
Stocks / Yr
$172k
Bonus
$117k
Total Salary
$504k
Level
Experience
20 to 20 yrs
Base
$272k
Stocks / Yr
$246k
Bonus
$93k
Total Salary
$612k
Microsoft Principal Engineer salary levels ranges from Principal Product Designer (Product Designer) upto 67 (Software Engineer), with 67 (Software Engineer) level earning average salary of $612k along with $246k worth of stock options.

Frequently asked questions
How much do Microsoft Principal Engineer employees make?

Employees at Microsoft as Principal Engineer earn an average of $327k, mostly ranging from $300k per year to $600k per year based on 345 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $412k per year.

What is the average salary of Microsoft Principal Engineer?

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Principal Engineer is $327k.

What is the highest salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Engineer is $686k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $412k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $600k per year.

What are the most common skills required at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

2% of employees have skills in engineering . 2% also know information systems . 2% also know mathematics .

What are the highest paying jobs at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

The top 5 highest paying jobs at Microsoft as Principal Engineer with reported salaries are:

  • principal software engineer - $349k per year

  • hardware engineer - $341k per year

  • software engineering manager - $333k per year

  • software engineer - $324k per year

  • mechanical engineer - $324k per year

Which are the top locations?
What is the median salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $314k per year.

How is the age distributed among employees at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

2% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 1% of the employees fall in the age group of 21-26 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

4% hold a Graduate degree. 2% hold a PostGraduate degree.

Which schools do employees working at Microsoft as Principal Engineer went to?

0% of employees studied at California Institute of Technology . 0% studied at Eotvos Lorand University of Applied Sciences .

Frequently asked questions
How much do Microsoft Principal Engineer employees make?

Employees at Microsoft as Principal Engineer earn an average of $327k, mostly ranging from $300k per year to $600k per year based on 345 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $412k per year.

What is the average salary of Microsoft Principal Engineer?

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Principal Engineer is $327k.

What is the highest salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Engineer is $686k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $412k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $600k per year.

What are the most common skills required at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

2% of employees have skills in engineering . 2% also know information systems . 2% also know mathematics .

What are the highest paying jobs at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

The top 5 highest paying jobs at Microsoft as Principal Engineer with reported salaries are:

  • principal software engineer - $349k per year

  • hardware engineer - $341k per year

  • software engineering manager - $333k per year

  • software engineer - $324k per year

  • mechanical engineer - $324k per year

Which are the top locations?
What is the median salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $314k per year.

How is the age distributed among employees at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

2% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 1% of the employees fall in the age group of 21-26 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have at Microsoft as Principal Engineer?

4% hold a Graduate degree. 2% hold a PostGraduate degree.

Which schools do employees working at Microsoft as Principal Engineer went to?

0% of employees studied at California Institute of Technology . 0% studied at Eotvos Lorand University of Applied Sciences .

Salary Brackets
Percentage
100-200 k 100-200 k
Percentage : 1
200-300 k 200-300 k
Percentage : 32
300-400 k 300-400 k
Percentage : 50
400-500 k 400-500 k
Percentage : 8
> 500 k > 500 k
Percentage : 3
Age Brackets
Percentage
21-26 yrs 21-26 yrs
Percentage : 1
26-31 yrs 26-31 yrs
Percentage : 1
31-36 yrs 31-36 yrs
Percentage : 2
36-41 yrs 36-41 yrs
Percentage : 1
> 41 yrs > 41 yrs
Percentage : 1
Skills
Trending
engineering
2 %
information systems
2 %
mathematics
2 %
c++
1 %
c#
1 %
debugging
1 %
distributed systems
1 %
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