Microsoft Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer Salaries

344 verified profiles
Last updated on March 31, 2026
Average Annual Total Compensation is $328k

Employees at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer earn an average of $328k, mostly ranging from $303k to $599k based on 344 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 $324k Male
Average Salary : $ 324 k
👩‍💻 Female $322k Female
Average Salary : $ 322 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
Principal Software Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $241k

Stocks: $54k

(Today) (23.8%) $41k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$343k

(Today) (3.8%) $330k

13yrs
NA
Masters

Works in New York, NY

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $190k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (24.0%) $30k

Bonus: $29k

TC:$258k

(Today) (3.6%) $249k

18yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Atlanta, GA

Research Scientist (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $78k

(Today) (22.4%) $61k

Bonus: $59k

TC:$343k

(Today) (5.1%) $325k

9yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Machine Learning Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $255k

Stocks: $75k

(Today) (22.8%) $58k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$378k

(Today) (4.5%) $361k

9yrs
NA
Masters

Works in San Francisco, CA

Production Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (24.5%) $30k

Bonus: $39k

TC:$284k

(Today) (3.4%) $275k

10yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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Data Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $217k

Stocks: $62k

(Today) (24.0%) $47k

Bonus: $43k

TC:$322k

(Today) (4.6%) $307k

21yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $85k

(Today) (27.5%) $62k

Bonus: $41k

TC:$332k

(Today) (7.1%) $308k

7yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Dallas, TX

Base: $198k

Stocks: $78k

(Today) (28.1%) $56k

Bonus: $122k

TC:$398k

(Today) (5.5%) $376k

20yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Portland, OR

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $221k

Stocks: $89k

(Today) (29.1%) $63k

Bonus: $60k

TC:$371k

(Today) (7.0%) $345k

14yrs
NA
Masters

Works in San Francisco, CA

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $215k

Stocks: $89k

(Today) (29.1%) $63k

Bonus: $56k

TC:$361k

(Today) (7.2%) $335k

20yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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Showing only 50 profiles out of 344. 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 18 yrs
$333k
$291k
$316k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
16 to 23 yrs
$416k
$327k
$369k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
21 to 25 yrs
$549k
$518k
$549k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
Level
Experience
10 to 20 yrs
Base
$210k
Stocks / Yr
$80k
Bonus
$46k
Total Salary
$328k
Level
Experience
9 to 18 yrs
Base
$207k
Stocks / Yr
$78k
Bonus
$53k
Total Salary
$333k
Level
Experience
16 to 23 yrs
Base
$225k
Stocks / Yr
$126k
Bonus
$66k
Total Salary
$416k
Level
Experience
21 to 25 yrs
Base
$245k
Stocks / Yr
$225k
Bonus
$80k
Total Salary
$549k
Microsoft Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer salary levels ranges from Principal SDE (Software Engineer) upto 67 (Software Engineer), with 67 (Software Engineer) level earning average salary of $549k along with $225k worth of stock options.

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

Employees at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer earn an average of $328k, mostly ranging from $303k per year to $599k per year based on 344 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $392k per year.

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

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer is $328k.

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

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer is $686k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $392k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $599k per year.

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

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

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

  • software engineer - $328k per year

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

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 Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer?

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

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

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

Employees at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer earn an average of $328k, mostly ranging from $303k per year to $599k per year based on 344 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $392k per year.

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

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer is $328k.

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

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer is $686k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $392k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $599k per year.

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

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

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

  • software engineer - $328k per year

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

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 Software Engineer A Principal Software Engineer?

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

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

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 : 7
> 500 k > 500 k
Percentage : 3
Age Brackets
No age data
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