What are the main factors that influence an Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary?

An Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary grows with experience: an Electrical Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $117,523, an Electrical Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $139,934, an Electrical Engineer, Principal (7-10 years)earns $162,344, an Electrical Engineer VI (10-12 years)earns $195,393, an Electrical Engineering Supervisor I (12+ years)earns $95,806,

What are the highest paying states for an Electrical Engineer, Principal?

Electrical Engineer, Principal salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Electrical Engineer, Principal roles are District of Columbia $180,436, California $179,751, Massachusetts $177,356. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Electrical Engineer, Principal roles make?

Salaries for Electrical Engineer, Principal level roles vary by specialization: Electrical Engineer VI: $200,774; Senior Principal Electrical Engineer: $164,448; Principal Algorithm Engineer: $158,400; Principal AI Engineer: $158,348; Principal Engineer: $158,313.

How do different companies affect an Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Electrical Engineer, Principal roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Electrical Engineer, Principal Salary in the United States

How much does an Electrical Engineer, Principal make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for an Electrical Engineer, Principal in the United States is $162,966 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $78.

However, an Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $179,125
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $152,198 to $171,424
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $142,394

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Electrical Engineer, Principal Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$171,424	$14,285	$3,297	$82
Average	$162,966	$13,581	$3,134	$78
25th Percentile	$152,198	$12,683	$2,927	$73

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Electrical Engineer

Purple Drive Technologies - Delaware, OH

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Professional Placement Services - Mentor, OH

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HSB Architects + Engineers | Cleveland, OH - Cleveland, OH

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Vertiv - Delaware, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Electrical Engineer, Principal Salaries

An Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Electrical Engineer, Principal Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $117,523
Early Career (1-2 years): $139,934
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $162,344
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $195,393
Expert (over 8 years): $95,806

Levels	Salary
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer, Principal	$117,523
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer, Principal	$139,934
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer, Principal	$162,344
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer, Principal	$195,393
Electrica... Level Electrical Engineer, Principal	$95,806

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Electrical Engineer, Principal Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Electrical Engineer, Principals. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $180,436.
California: $179,751.
Massachusetts: $177,356.

District of Columbia $180,436 California $179,751 Massachusetts $177,356 Washington $176,704 New Jersey $176,639 Alaska $176,411 Connecticut $174,162 New York $173,249

Hawaii $170,332 Rhode Island $168,963 Maryland $168,034 Minnesota $166,763 Colorado $166,274 Illinois $166,111 Oregon $165,492 Delaware $165,036

New Hampshire $164,749 Virginia $164,107 Pennsylvania $162,233 Nevada $161,287 North Dakota $160,978 Michigan $160,489 Wisconsin $160,310 Vermont $159,951

Texas $158,957 Maine $158,892 Arizona $158,794 Ohio $158,680 Georgia $157,181 Indiana $156,431 Wyoming $156,284 Utah $156,056

Iowa $155,958 Kansas $155,176 Louisiana $154,948 North Carolina $154,867 Missouri $154,834 Florida $154,198 Montana $153,856 Nebraska $153,530

Kentucky $153,351 South Carolina $152,699 Tennessee $152,292 Idaho $152,129 New Mexico $150,939 Oklahoma $150,678 Alabama $149,717 South Dakota $148,104

Arkansas $147,223 West Virginia $146,751 Mississippi $145,333

Top Paying Cities for Electrical Engineer, Principals

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $205,549
San Francisco: $203,298
Oakland: $199,014

San Jose, CA $205,549

San Francisco, CA $203,298

Oakland, CA $199,014

New York, NY $187,637

Paramus, NJ $185,356

Queens Village, NY $185,348

Passaic, NJ $185,193

Bergenfield, NJ $185,178

Stamford, CT $184,820

Huntington, NY $184,753

Newark, NJ $183,549

Bridgeport, CT $183,205

Vallejo, CA $182,880

New Brunswick, NJ $182,815

Petaluma, CA $182,717

Middlesex, NJ $182,408

Somerset, NJ $182,294

Santa Cruz, CA $182,082

Boston, MA $181,088

Monterey, CA $180,516

Seattle, WA $180,143

Santa Rosa, CA $180,110

Los Angeles, CA $180,061

Juneau, AK $179,637

Washington, DC $179,458

Orange, CA $178,878

Santa Ana, CA $178,448

Long Beach, CA $178,285

Anaheim, CA $178,252

Anchorage, AK $178,171

Santa Maria, CA $177,682

Everett, WA $177,649

Danbury, CT $177,076

Bremerton, WA $176,851

Tacoma, WA $176,264

New Suffolk, NY $176,261

Sacramento, CA $176,215

Santa Barbara, CA $176,036

Trenton, NJ $175,857

San Diego, CA $175,857

Brockton, MA $175,677

Fairbanks, AK $175,278

Lompoc, CA $174,863

Lowell, MA $174,731

Ventura, CA $174,700

Nashua, NH $174,667

Stockton, CA $174,651

Modesto, CA $173,461

Poughkeepsie, NY $173,102

Olympia, WA $172,793

Kennewick, WA $172,793

New Haven, CT $172,728

Lawrence, MA $172,141

Hartford, CT $171,978

Riverside, CA $171,945

New Bedford, MA $171,782

Richland, WA $171,782

Bakersfield, CA $171,554

San Bernardino, CA $171,489

New Britain, CT $171,473

Atlantic City, NJ $171,473

New London, CT $171,408

Norwich, CT $171,359

Portsmouth, NH $171,326

Boulder, CO $170,981

Portland, OR $170,756

Worcester, MA $170,739

Minneapolis, MN $170,234

Philadelphia, PA $170,006

Honolulu, HI $169,468

Saint Paul, MN $169,390

Vineland, NJ $169,354

Providence, RI $168,882

Chicago, IL $168,409

Bellingham, WA $168,214

Springfield, MA $168,083

Baltimore, MD $168,034

Chico, CA $167,627

Pittsfield, MA $167,187

Manchester, NH $166,877

Spokane, WA $166,160

Denver, CO $166,144

Albany, NY $165,378

Troy, NY $165,313

Nassau, NY $165,138

Schenectady, NY $164,970

Wilmington, DE $164,840

Burlington, VT $164,612

Salem, OR $164,547

Portland, ME $164,042

Yakima, WA $163,879

Rochester, MN $163,373

Reno, NV $163,292

Fresno, CA $163,292

Milwaukee, WI $163,145

Detroit, MI $162,982

Ann Arbor, MI $162,955

Allentown, PA $162,933

Colorado Springs, CO $162,656

Syracuse, NY $162,575

Carson City, NV $162,575

Houston, TX $162,347

Eugene, OR $162,265

Gary, IN $162,070

Springfield, OR $161,939

Bismarck, ND $161,907

Galveston, TX $161,793

Medford, OR $161,548

Fort Collins, CO $161,483

Concord, NH $161,402

Austin, TX $161,353

Mesa, AZ $161,010

Reading, PA $160,994

Phoenix, AZ $160,978

Dallas, TX $160,929

Saint Cloud, MN $160,772

Madison, WI $160,554

Utica, NY $160,114

Rochester, NY $159,853

Des Moines, IA $159,837

Raleigh, NC $159,821

Atlanta, GA $159,576

Battle Creek, MI $159,527

Salt Lake City, UT $159,479

Lancaster, PA $159,234

Harrisburg, PA $159,006

Kansas City, MO $158,843

Champaign, IL $158,810

Kansas City, KS $158,810

Fort Worth, TX $158,794

Columbus, OH $158,766

Boca Raton, FL $158,729

Pittsburgh, PA $158,664

Richmond, VA $158,599

Indianapolis, IN $158,566

Cleveland, OH $158,550

Las Vegas, NV $158,354

Cincinnati, OH $158,354

Petersburg, VA $158,110

Huntsville, AL $157,865

Lansing, MI $157,756

Lebanon, PA $157,735

Pueblo, CO $157,718

Appleton, WI $157,670

Buffalo, NY $157,604

Dayton, OH $157,556

Racine, WI $157,523

Charlotte, NC $157,507

Saint Louis, MO $157,458

York, PA $157,360

Elkhart, IN $157,360

Gastonia, NC $157,329

Billings, MT $157,290

Beaumont, TX $157,246

Lorain, OH $157,213

Benton Harbor, MI $157,181

Toledo, OH $157,148

Binghamton, NY $157,067

Rock Hill, SC $157,050

Rockford, IL $156,969

Springfield, IL $156,904

Elyria, OH $156,887

Fargo, ND $156,887

Flagstaff, AZ $156,773

Fort Lauderdale, FL $156,676

Duluth, MN $156,578

Miami, FL $156,578

Cheyenne, WY $156,464

Grand Forks, ND $156,464

Bangor, ME $156,105

Cedar Rapids, IA $155,926

Durham, NC $155,857

Louisville, KY $155,844

Grand Rapids, MI $155,812

Hialeah, FL $155,795

Casper, WY $155,567

Scranton, PA $155,372

New Orleans, LA $155,323

Virginia Beach, VA $155,307

Akron, OH $155,225

Peoria, IL $155,013

Sarasota, FL $154,981

Nashville, TN $154,867

Omaha, NE $154,867

Green Bay, WI $154,867

Baton Rouge, LA $154,785

Charleston, SC $154,753

Jamestown, NY $154,671

Davenport, IA $154,671

Tucson, AZ $154,590

Saint Petersburg, FL $154,492

Tampa, FL $154,459

Evansville, IN $154,361

Port Arthur, TX $154,361

Bradenton, FL $154,296

Santa Fe, NM $154,003

Orlando, FL $153,710

Clearwater, FL $153,661

Canton, OH $153,318

La Crosse, WI $153,318

Albuquerque, NM $153,221

Newport News, VA $153,204

High Point, NC $153,155

Ogden, UT $153,090

Corpus Christi, TX $152,960

Norfolk, VA $152,862

Laramie, WY $152,862

Rock Island, IL $152,764

Saginaw, MI $152,732

Jacksonville, FL $152,715

Salisbury, NC $152,683

Boise, ID $152,650

Moline, IL $152,569

Fort Myers, FL $152,520

Memphis, TN $152,487

Tulsa, OK $152,406

Waterloo, IA $152,308

Spartanburg, SC $152,145

Lincoln, NE $152,064

Fort Wayne, IN $152,031

Provo, UT $152,015

Cedar Falls, IA $151,819

San Antonio, TX $151,754

Greensboro, NC $151,689

South Bend, IN $151,672

Savannah, GA $151,493

Muskegon, MI $151,428

Birmingham, AL $151,412

Winston Salem, NC $151,332

Lake Charles, LA $150,939

Anderson, IN $150,907

Lexington, KY $150,858

Augusta, GA $150,809

Greenville, SC $150,809

Lima, OH $150,678

Wichita, KS $150,662

Tuscaloosa, AL $150,662

Columbia, SC $150,515

Springfield, OH $150,483

Asheville, NC $150,222

Bloomington, IN $150,108

Knoxville, TN $149,521

Shreveport, LA $149,505

Wilmington, NC $149,293

Roanoke, VA $149,293

Topeka, KS $149,000

Frankfort, KY $148,982

Oklahoma City, OK $148,869

Chillicothe, OH $148,804

Longview, TX $148,788

Melbourne, FL $148,772

Sioux Falls, SD $148,511

Mobile, AL $148,495

Terre Haute, IN $148,429

Altoona, PA $148,332

Amarillo, TX $148,218

Killeen, TX $148,169

Fayetteville, AR $148,038

Chattanooga, TN $147,989

Sioux City, IA $147,843

Idaho Falls, ID $147,810

Lynchburg, VA $147,680

Gainesville, FL $147,468

Portsmouth, OH $147,386

Little Rock, AR $147,354

Lafayette, LA $147,289

Youngstown, OH $147,289

Daytona Beach, FL $147,191

Clarksville, TN $147,175

Pensacola, FL $147,158

Temple, TX $147,147

Hopkinsville, KY $146,669

Erie, PA $146,637

Florence, SC $146,572

Charleston, WV $146,311

Great Falls, MT $146,229

Macon, GA $146,001

Tallahassee, FL $145,985

Fayetteville, NC $145,952

Waco, TX $145,920

Helena, MT $145,806

Pine Bluff, AR $145,744

Vincennes, IN $145,545

Lubbock, TX $145,480

Alamogordo, NM $145,382

Twin Falls, ID $145,235

Rapid City, SD $145,186

Jackson, MS $144,893

Huntington, WV $144,882

Greenville, MS $144,877

Parkersburg, WV $144,711

Montgomery, AL $144,681

Wichita Falls, TX $144,518

Springfield, MO $144,518

Biloxi, MS $144,437

Monroe, LA $144,274

Johnstown, PA $144,160

Sumter, SC $144,095

Columbus, GA $144,078

Pascagoula, MS $143,769

Abilene, TX $143,769

Kingsport, TN $143,345

Albany, GA $143,345

Gulfport, MS $143,296

Alexandria, LA $142,758

Fort Smith, AR $142,351

El Paso, TX $141,911

Las Cruces, NM $141,177

Harlingen, TX $140,764

Pocatello, ID $140,737

Florence, AL $140,526

Brownsville, TX $140,493

Mcallen, TX $140,151

Dothan, AL $139,923

Columbus, MS $138,955

Altus, OK $138,195

Lawton, OK $137,886

Pierre, SD $137,299

What Skills Can Increase an Electrical Engineer, Principal's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 8.44% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
AutoCAD (Mentioned in 3.02% Job Postings): AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers.
CAD (Mentioned in 1.58% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	8.44%
AutoCAD	3.02%
CAD	1.58%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Electrical Engineer, Principal's salary.

Renewable Energy: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Prototyping: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Renewable Energy	$177,633	9%
Insight	$171,114	5%
Prototyping	$167,855	3%
Communicates Effectively	$167,855	3%
Schematic	$167,855	3%
System Design	$167,855	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Electrical Engineer, Principal's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Electrical Engineer, Principals enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Electrical Engineer, Principal with a Bachelor's Degree is between $164,616 and $172,376).

Electrical Engineer, Principal Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Electrical Engineer, Principal

No Diploma 0.6%

High School 0.6%

Associates 0.6%

Bachelors 43.2%

Masters 38.0%

Doctorate 17.6%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.6%
High School	0.6%
Associates	0.6%
Bachelors	43.2%
Masters	38.0%
Doctorate	17.6%

view as graph

Electrical Engineer, Principal Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Electrical Engineer, Principal's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on June 01, 2026

$152,198

Average $162,966/year

$171,424

$12,683

Average $13,581/month

$14,285

$2,927

Average $3,134/week

$3,297

$73

Average $78/hour

$82

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$171,424	$14,285	$3,297	$82
Average	$162,966	$13,581	$3,134	$78
25th Percentile	$152,198	$12,683	$2,927	$73

Salaries of jobs related to Electrical Engineer, Principal

Salary Trends for Electrical Engineer, Principal

Salaries for an Electrical Engineer, Principal can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $146,481 in 2023 to around $140,681 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Electrical Engineer, Principal salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Electrical Engineer, Principal Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$146,481

2024

$143,201

2025

$140,681

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$146,481
2024	$143,201
2025	$140,681
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Electrical Engineer, Principal

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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