Microsoft Software Engineering Principal Salaries

280 verified profiles
Last updated on March 31, 2026
Average Annual Total Compensation is $369k

Employees at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal earn an average of $369k, mostly ranging from $319k to $713k based on 280 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 $372k Male
Average Salary : $ 372 k
👩‍💻 Female $338k Female
Average Salary : $ 338 k
For every $100 paid to men, women are paid $91
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Salary Profiles
Company
Title(Level)
Annual Salary
Experience
School
Degree
Location
Skills

Base: $212k

Stocks: $90k

(Today) (27.9%) $65k

Bonus: $59k

TC:$361k

(Today) (7.0%) $335k

16yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Base: $212k

Stocks: $98k

(Today) (26.2%) $72k

Bonus: $41k

TC:$351k

(Today) (7.3%) $325k

15yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Seattle, WA

Base: $223k

Stocks: $116k

(Today) (27.0%) $85k

Bonus: $52k

TC:$392k

(Today) (8.0%) $361k

14yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Software Engineering Manager (Principal EM)
Male

Base: $208k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (28.8%) $28k

Bonus: $27k

TC:$274k

(Today) (4.1%) $263k

10yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

Base: $194k

Stocks: $68k

(Today) (28.0%) $49k

Bonus: $39k

TC:$301k

(Today) (6.3%) $282k

15yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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Software Engineering Manager (Principal EM)
Male

Base: $204k

Stocks: $97k

(Today) (27.4%) $70k

Bonus: $52k

TC:$353k

(Today) (7.5%) $327k

13yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Redmond, WA

Base: $190k

Stocks: $89k

(Today) (25.3%) $67k

Bonus: $43k

TC:$322k

(Today) (7.0%) $299k

6yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Redmond, WA

Base: $221k

Stocks: $68k

(Today) (22.1%) $53k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$338k

(Today) (4.4%) $323k

15yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Mountain View, CA

Base: $217k

Stocks: $89k

(Today) (22.8%) $69k

Bonus: $58k

TC:$365k

(Today) (5.6%) $344k

25yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Washington, DC

Base: $182k

Stocks: $106k

(Today) (19.4%) $85k

Bonus: $29k

TC:$318k

(Today) (6.5%) $297k

18yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Atlanta, GA

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Showing only 50 profiles out of 280. Upgrade to view elite profiles
Level
Experience
Avg
25th
50th
75th
90th
95th
9 to 20 yrs
$334k
$306k
$324k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
10 to 22 yrs
$336k
$310k
$325k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
15 to 15 yrs
$343k
$343k
$343k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
10 to 23 yrs
$395k
$359k
$387k
$NaNk
$NaNk
$NaNk
Level
Experience
9 to 20 yrs
Base
$208k
Stocks / Yr
$81k
Bonus
$45k
Total Salary
$334k
Level
Experience
10 to 22 yrs
Base
$213k
Stocks / Yr
$74k
Bonus
$50k
Total Salary
$336k
Level
Experience
15 to 15 yrs
Base
$206k
Stocks / Yr
$88k
Bonus
$49k
Total Salary
$343k
Level
Experience
10 to 23 yrs
Base
$222k
Stocks / Yr
$121k
Bonus
$55k
Total Salary
$395k
Microsoft Software Engineering Principal salary levels ranges from Principal EM (Software Engineering Manager) upto 66 (Software Engineering Manager), with 66 (Software Engineering Manager) level earning average salary of $395k along with $121k worth of stock options.

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

Employees at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal earn an average of $369k, mostly ranging from $319k per year to $713k per year based on 280 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $491k per year.

What is the average salary of Microsoft Software Engineering Principal?

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal is $369k.

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

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal is $1697k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $491k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $713k per year.

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

0% of employees have skills in c++ . 0% also know engineering . 0% also know information systems .

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

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

  • software engineering manager - $369k per year

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

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $340k per year.

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

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 Software Engineering Principal?

2% hold a PostGraduate degree. 1% hold a Graduate degree.

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

0% of employees studied at Anna University . 0% studied at Birla Institute of Technology And Science .

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

Employees at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal earn an average of $369k, mostly ranging from $319k per year to $713k per year based on 280 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $491k per year.

What is the average salary of Microsoft Software Engineering Principal?

Average salary of an employee at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal is $369k.

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

Highest reported salary offered at Microsoft as Software Engineering Principal is $1697k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $491k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $713k per year.

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

0% of employees have skills in c++ . 0% also know engineering . 0% also know information systems .

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

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

  • software engineering manager - $369k per year

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

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $340k per year.

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

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 Software Engineering Principal?

2% hold a PostGraduate degree. 1% hold a Graduate degree.

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

0% of employees studied at Anna University . 0% studied at Birla Institute of Technology And Science .

Salary Brackets
Percentage
200-300 k 200-300 k
Percentage : 20
300-400 k 300-400 k
Percentage : 54
400-500 k 400-500 k
Percentage : 13
> 500 k > 500 k
Percentage : 10
Age Brackets
Percentage
21-26 yrs 21-26 yrs
Percentage : 0
31-36 yrs 31-36 yrs
Percentage : 1
36-41 yrs 36-41 yrs
Percentage : 1
> 41 yrs > 41 yrs
Percentage : 0
Skills
Trending
c++
0 %
engineering
0 %
information systems
0 %
mathematics
0 %
python
0 %
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