Software Principal Engineer Salaries

4263 verified profiles
Last updated on October 15, 2026
Average Annual Total Compensation is $322k

Employees as Software Principal Engineer earn an average of $322k, mostly ranging from $206k to $1176k based on 4263 profiles.

Average total compvs top-paid
Multi-ethnic
$349k n=41
100%
Asian
$324k n=417
93%
White
$285k n=479
82%
Black
$264k n=13
76%
Hispanic
$231k n=40
66%
Overall average $302k6figr.com
For every $100 paid to Multi-ethnic employees, Hispanics are paid $66
Latest Jobs
Hiring? Promote your job
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) (55.0%) $226k

Bonus: $60k

TC:$801k

(Today) (34.5%) $525k

18.2yrs
Bachelors in computer science & engineering

Works in California, United States

Base: $220k

Stocks: $404k

(Today) (18.5%) $479k

Bonus: -

TC:$624k

(Today) (12.0%) $699k

25.8yrs
Bachelors in electronic

Works in Boston, MA

Base: $220k

Stocks: $404k

(Today) (25.6%) $508k

Bonus: -

TC:$624k

(Today) (16.6%) $728k

25.8yrs
Bachelors in electronic

Works in Boston, MA

Base: $220k

Stocks: $404k

(Today) (17.9%) $476k

Bonus: -

TC:$624k

(Today) (11.6%) $696k

25.8yrs
Bachelors in electronic

Works in Boston, MA

🚀 AI Agents that work 24/7 to land you higher paying jobs
Principal Software Engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $241k

Stocks: $54k

(Today) (9.2%) $59k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$343k

(Today) (1.5%) $348k

13yrs
NA
Masters

Works in New York, NY

Backend engineer (Principal Software Engineer)
Male

Base: $263k

Stocks: $147k

(Today) (110.5%) $309k

Bonus: $35k

TC:$445k

(Today) (36.5%) $607k

23yrs
NA
Associate

Works in Dallas, TX

Backend engineer (Principal SDE)
Male

Base: $190k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (8.8%) $42k

Bonus: $29k

TC:$258k

(Today) (1.3%) $261k

18yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Atlanta, GA

Base: $216k

Stocks: $39k

(Today) (14.5%) $45k

Bonus: $43k

TC:$298k

(Today) (1.9%) $304k

18yrs
NA
Bachelors

Works in Irving, TX

Base: $157k

Stocks: $49k

Bonus: $49k

TC:$255k

10yrs
NA
Masters

Works in Durham, NC

100% real time & verified!

Showing only 50 profiles out of 4263. Upgrade to view elite profiles
Frequently asked questions
How much do Software Principal Engineer employees make?

Employees as Software Principal Engineer earn an average of $322k, mostly ranging from $206k per year to $1176k per year based on 4263 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $545k per year.

What is the average salary of Software Principal Engineer?

Average salary of an employee as Software Principal Engineer is $322k.

What is the highest salary offered as Software Principal Engineer?

Highest reported salary offered as Software Principal Engineer is $2086k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $545k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $1176k per year.

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

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

What are the highest paying jobs as Software Principal Engineer?

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

  • software engineer ii - $359k per year

  • software engineer - $326k per year

  • information technologist - $312k per year

  • hardware engineer - $291k per year

  • product manager - $288k per year

What are the new grad salaries as Software Principal Engineer?
  • software engineer - $198k per year

What is the median salary offered as Software Principal Engineer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $267k per year.

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

8% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 5% of the employees fall in the age group of 36-41 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have as Software Principal Engineer?

9% hold a Graduate degree. 9% hold a PostGraduate degree.

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

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

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

Employees as Software Principal Engineer earn an average of $322k, mostly ranging from $206k per year to $1176k per year based on 4263 profiles. The top 10% of employees earn more than $545k per year.

What is the average salary of Software Principal Engineer?

Average salary of an employee as Software Principal Engineer is $322k.

What is the highest salary offered as Software Principal Engineer?

Highest reported salary offered as Software Principal Engineer is $2086k. The top 10% of employees earn more than $545k per year. The top 1% earn more than a whopping $1176k per year.

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

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

What are the highest paying jobs as Software Principal Engineer?

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

  • software engineer ii - $359k per year

  • software engineer - $326k per year

  • information technologist - $312k per year

  • hardware engineer - $291k per year

  • product manager - $288k per year

What are the new grad salaries as Software Principal Engineer?
  • software engineer - $198k per year

What is the median salary offered as Software Principal Engineer?

The median salary approximately calculated from salary profiles measured so far is $267k per year.

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

8% of employees lie between 31-36 yrs . 5% of the employees fall in the age group of 36-41 yrs .

What qualifications do employees have as Software Principal Engineer?

9% hold a Graduate degree. 9% hold a PostGraduate degree.

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

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

Salary Brackets
100-200 k: 33%200-300 k: 25%300-400 k: 19%400-500 k: 9%> 500 k: 14%
  • 100-200 k
  • 200-300 k
  • 300-400 k
  • 400-500 k
  • > 500 k
Age Brackets
26-31 yrs: 17%31-36 yrs: 44%36-41 yrs: 28%> 41 yrs: 11%
  • 26-31 yrs
  • 31-36 yrs
  • 36-41 yrs
  • > 41 yrs
Browse by Locations