Principal Data Engineer Salary in Raleigh, NC

How much does a Principal Data Engineer make in Raleigh, NC?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Data Engineer in Raleigh, NC is $168,041 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $81.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $200,648
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $156,187 to $185,108
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $145,394
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View as table View as graph 25% $156,187 10% $145,394 90% $200,648 75% $185,108 $168,041 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Principal Data Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $185,108 $15,426 $3,560 $89
Average $168,041 $14,003 $3,232 $81
25th Percentile $156,187 $13,016 $3,004 $75
Check out Principal Data Engineer Job Openings in Raleigh, NC
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Key Factors That Influence Principal Data Engineer Salaries

A Principal Data Engineer'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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Principal Data Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Principal Data Engineer'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): $124,522
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $142,983
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $166,786
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $186,994
  • Expert (over 8 years): $108,593
Levels Salary
Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer$124,522
Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer$142,983
Principal... Level Principal Data Engineer$166,786
Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer$186,994
Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer$108,593
$124,522 0 yr
$142,983 < 2 yrs
$166,786 2-4 yrs
$186,994 5-8 yrs
$108,593 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Principal Data Engineers

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: $215,901
  • San Francisco: $213,778
  • Oakland: $209,036

What Skills Can Increase a Principal Data Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • People Management (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): People management refers to the practice of recruiting, training, engaging and retaining employees to optimize their talent and maximize their productivity.
  • AWS (Mentioned in 3.77% Job Postings): Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
  • Open Source (Mentioned in 3.07% Job Postings): Open source is a term that originally referred to open source software (OSS). Open source software is code that is designed to be publicly accessible—anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code as they see fit
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
People Management 3.03%
AWS 3.77%
Open Source 3.07%
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 a Principal Data Engineer's salary.
  • People Management: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Open Source: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Experimenting: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
People Management
 $189,886
13%
Open Source
 $179,803
7%
Experimenting
 $176,443
5%
Mentoring Others
 $176,443
5%
Accountability
 $174,762
4%
Data Engineering
 $174,762
4%
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Principal Data Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Principal Data Engineer'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.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on April 01, 2026
$156,187
Average $168,041/year
$185,108
$13,016
Average $14,003/month
$15,426
$3,004
Average $3,232/week
$3,560
$75
Average $81/hour
$89
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $185,108 $15,426 $3,560 $89
Average $168,041 $14,003 $3,232 $81
25th Percentile $156,187 $13,016 $3,004 $75

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Cost of Living In Raleigh, NC

Cost of Living in Raleigh, NC is
8.9% Higher
than the National Average

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Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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