Microsoft Principal Software Engineer Developer Salaries

342 verified profiles
Last updated on March 9, 2026
Average Annual Total Compensation is $326k

Employees at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer earn an average of $326k, mostly ranging from $302k to $578k based on 342 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 $321k Male
Average Salary : $ 321 k
👩‍💻 Female $308k Female
Average Salary : $ 308 k
For every $100 paid to men, women are paid $96
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Salary Profiles
Company
Title(Level)
Annual Salary
Experience
School
Degree
Location
Skills
Principal Software Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $241k

Stocks: $54k

(Today) (15.5%) $46k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$343k

(Today) (2.4%) $335k

13yrs
NA
Masters

Works in New York, NY

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $190k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (15.7%) $33k

Bonus: $29k

TC:$258k

(Today) (2.4%) $252k

18yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Atlanta, GA

Research Scientist (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $78k

(Today) (14.0%) $67k

Bonus: $59k

TC:$343k

(Today) (3.2%) $332k

9yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Machine Learning Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $255k

Stocks: $75k

(Today) (14.6%) $64k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$378k

(Today) (2.9%) $367k

9yrs
NA
Masters

Works in San Francisco, CA

Production Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (16.6%) $33k

Bonus: $39k

TC:$284k

(Today) (2.3%) $278k

10yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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Data Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $217k

Stocks: $62k

(Today) (15.8%) $52k

Bonus: $43k

TC:$322k

(Today) (3.0%) $312k

21yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $85k

(Today) (19.8%) $69k

Bonus: $41k

TC:$332k

(Today) (5.1%) $315k

7yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Dallas, TX

Base: $198k

Stocks: $78k

(Today) (20.5%) $62k

Bonus: $122k

TC:$398k

(Today) (4.0%) $382k

20yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Portland, OR

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $221k

Stocks: $89k

(Today) (21.5%) $70k

Bonus: $60k

TC:$371k

(Today) (5.2%) $351k

14yrs
NA
Masters

Works in San Francisco, CA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $215k

Stocks: $89k

(Today) (21.5%) $70k

Bonus: $56k

TC:$361k

(Today) (5.3%) $342k

20yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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Showing only 50 profiles out of 342. Upgrade to view elite profiles
Level
Experience
Avg
25th
50th
75th
90th
95th
10 to 20 yrs
$328k
$291k
$320k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
9 to 16 yrs
$337k
$308k
$321k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
Level
Experience
10 to 20 yrs
Base
$210k
Stocks / Yr
$80k
Bonus
$46k
Total Salary
$328k
Level
Experience
9 to 16 yrs
Base
$204k
Stocks / Yr
$82k
Bonus
$61k
Total Salary
$337k
Microsoft Principal Software Engineer Developer salary levels ranges from Principal SDE (Software Engineer) upto 65 (Software Engineer), with 65 (Software Engineer) level earning average salary of $337k along with $82k worth of stock options.

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

Employees at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer earn an average of $326k, mostly ranging from $302k per year to $578k per year based on 342 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $388k per year.

What is the average salary of Microsoft Principal Software Engineer Developer?

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer is $326k.

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

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer is $686k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $388k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $578k per year.

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

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

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

  • principal software engineer - $349k per year

  • software engineer - $325k per year

What is the median salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $318k per year.

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

1% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 1% of the employees fall in the age group of 36-41 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer?

1% hold a Graduate degree. 1% hold a PostGraduate degree.

Which schools do employees working at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer 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 Software Engineer Developer employees make?

Employees at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer earn an average of $326k, mostly ranging from $302k per year to $578k per year based on 342 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $388k per year.

What is the average salary of Microsoft Principal Software Engineer Developer?

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer is $326k.

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

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer is $686k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $388k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $578k per year.

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

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

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

  • principal software engineer - $349k per year

  • software engineer - $325k per year

What is the median salary offered at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $318k per year.

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

1% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 1% of the employees fall in the age group of 36-41 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer?

1% hold a Graduate degree. 1% hold a PostGraduate degree.

Which schools do employees working at Microsoft as Principal Software Engineer Developer 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 : 33
300-400 k 300-400 k
Percentage : 57
400-500 k 400-500 k
Percentage : 6
> 500 k > 500 k
Percentage : 3
Age Brackets
Percentage
26-31 yrs 26-31 yrs
Percentage : 0
31-36 yrs 31-36 yrs
Percentage : 1
36-41 yrs 36-41 yrs
Percentage : 1
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