Principal Software Developer Salaries

3435 verified profiles
Last updated on October 12, 2026
Average Annual Total Compensation is $320k

Employees as Principal Software Developer earn an average of $320k, mostly ranging from $218k to $1001k based on 3435 profiles.

👨‍💻 Male $310k Male
Average Salary : $ 310 k
👩‍💻 Female $298k Female
Average Salary : $ 298 k
🧑 Non-binary $264k Non-binary
Average Salary : $ 264 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

Base: $162k

Stocks: $26k

Bonus: $37k

TC:$225k

13.2yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Base: $239k

Stocks: $502k

(Today) (50.0%) $251k

Bonus: $60k

TC:$801k

(Today) (31.3%) $550k

18.2yrs
Bachelors in computer science & engineering

Works in California, United States

Base: $220k

Stocks: $404k

(Today) (24.4%) $502k

Bonus: -

TC:$624k

(Today) (15.8%) $722k

25.8yrs
Bachelors in electronic

Works in Boston, MA

Base: $220k

Stocks: $404k

(Today) (23.8%) $500k

Bonus: -

TC:$624k

(Today) (15.4%) $720k

25.8yrs
Bachelors in electronic

Works in Boston, MA

Base: $220k

Stocks: $404k

(Today) (31.9%) $533k

Bonus: -

TC:$624k

(Today) (20.6%) $753k

25.8yrs
Bachelors in electronic

Works in Boston, MA

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Principal Software Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $241k

Stocks: $54k

(Today) (10.5%) $60k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$343k

(Today) (1.7%) $349k

13yrs
NA
Masters

Works in New York, NY

Backend engineer (Principal Software Engineer)
Male

Base: $263k

Stocks: $147k

(Today) (160.8%) $383k

Bonus: $35k

TC:$445k

(Today) (53.1%) $681k

23yrs
NA
Associate

Works in Dallas, TX

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $190k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (10.1%) $43k

Bonus: $29k

TC:$258k

(Today) (1.5%) $262k

18yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Atlanta, GA

Base: $216k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (9.2%) $43k

Bonus: $43k

TC:$298k

(Today) (1.2%) $302k

18yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Irving, TX

Research Scientist (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $206k

Stocks: $78k

(Today) (12.4%) $88k

Bonus: $59k

TC:$343k

(Today) (2.8%) $353k

9yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Redmond, WA

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

Employees as Principal Software Developer earn an average of $320k, mostly ranging from $218k per year to $1001k per year based on 3435 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $533k per year.

What is the average salary of Principal Software Developer?

Average salary of an employee as Principal Software Developer is $320k.

What is the highest salary offered as Principal Software Developer?

Highest reported salary offered as Principal Software Developer is $2086k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $533k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $1001k per year.

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

1% of employees have skills in engineering . 1% also know information systems . 1% also know mathematics .

What are the highest paying jobs as Principal Software Developer?

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

  • hardware engineer - $370k per year

  • software engineer ii - $359k per year

  • software engineer - $325k per year

  • information technologist - $312k per year

  • software engineering manager - $303k per year

What are the new grad salaries as Principal Software Developer?
  • software engineer - $190k per year

What is the median salary offered as Principal Software Developer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $277k per year.

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

10% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 7% of the employees fall in the age group of 36-41 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have as Principal Software Developer?

11% hold a Graduate degree. 11% hold a PostGraduate degree.

Which schools do employees working as Principal Software Developer went to?

1% of employees studied at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University . 1% studied at University of Madras .

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

Employees as Principal Software Developer earn an average of $320k, mostly ranging from $218k per year to $1001k per year based on 3435 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $533k per year.

What is the average salary of Principal Software Developer?

Average salary of an employee as Principal Software Developer is $320k.

What is the highest salary offered as Principal Software Developer?

Highest reported salary offered as Principal Software Developer is $2086k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $533k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $1001k per year.

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

1% of employees have skills in engineering . 1% also know information systems . 1% also know mathematics .

What are the highest paying jobs as Principal Software Developer?

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

  • hardware engineer - $370k per year

  • software engineer ii - $359k per year

  • software engineer - $325k per year

  • information technologist - $312k per year

  • software engineering manager - $303k per year

What are the new grad salaries as Principal Software Developer?
  • software engineer - $190k per year

What is the median salary offered as Principal Software Developer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $277k per year.

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

10% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 7% of the employees fall in the age group of 36-41 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have as Principal Software Developer?

11% hold a Graduate degree. 11% hold a PostGraduate degree.

Which schools do employees working as Principal Software Developer went to?

1% of employees studied at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University . 1% studied at University of Madras .

Salary Brackets
Percentage
< 100 k < 100 k
Percentage : 0
100-200 k 100-200 k
Percentage : 23
200-300 k 200-300 k
Percentage : 21
300-400 k 300-400 k
Percentage : 17
400-500 k 400-500 k
Percentage : 8
> 500 k > 500 k
Percentage : 11
Age Brackets
Percentage
21-26 yrs 21-26 yrs
Percentage : 0
26-31 yrs 26-31 yrs
Percentage : 3
31-36 yrs 31-36 yrs
Percentage : 10
36-41 yrs 36-41 yrs
Percentage : 7
> 41 yrs > 41 yrs
Percentage : 2
Skills
Trending
engineering
1 %
information systems
1 %
mathematics
1 %
information technology
1 %
javascript
1 %
java
0 %
jquery
0 %
Schools
Top
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
1 %
University of Madras
1 %
Visveswaraiah Technological University
1 %
Anna University
1 %
Bharathidasan University
0 %
University of Pune
0 %
Bharathiar University
0 %
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