Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Data Engineer in Tennessee is $160,001 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $77.
However, a Principal Data Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered HR
Principal Data Engineer Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $176,090 | $14,674 | $3,386 | $85 |
| Average | $160,001 | $13,333 | $3,077 | $77 |
| 25th Percentile | $148,603 | $12,384 | $2,858 | $71 |
OHM Advisors - Chattanooga, TN
OHM Advisors - Memphis, TN
OHM Advisors - Nashville, TN
OHM Advisors - Knoxville, TN
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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer | $118,537 |
| Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer | $136,117 |
| Principal... Level Principal Data Engineer | $158,818 |
| Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer | $178,073 |
| Database ... Level Principal Data Engineer | $103,262 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Principal Data Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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:
For Principal Data Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 43% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Principal Data Engineer positions in Transportation or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Principal Data Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | $192,002 | $92.0 | 20% |
| Internet | $188,802 | $91.0 | 18% |
| Energy & Utilities | $184,002 | $88.0 | 15% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $182,402 | $88.0 | 14% |
| Aerospace & Defense | $179,202 | $86.0 | 12% |
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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $176,090 | $14,674 | $3,386 | $85 |
| Average | $160,001 | $13,333 | $3,077 | $77 |
| 25th Percentile | $148,603 | $12,384 | $2,858 | $71 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Principal Data Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Oracle
Nashville, TN
Oracle | Nashville, TN
Job Description. As a Sr. Principal Member of Technical Staff, you will work with other senior engineers and product management to define requirements for ... more
9 Days Ago
Oracle
Nashville, TN
Oracle | Nashville, TN
Career Level - IC5. We are seeking an experienced Security Engineer to design and build secure backend services that store, manage, rotate, and deliver sec... more
5 Days Ago
Insight
Nashville, TN
Insight | Nashville, TN
Select how often (in days) to receive an alert. Principal Data Scientist. TN, US, 11111. Requisition Number: 105937. Focus. Clinical / HLS, Google Cloud Ge... more
5 Days Ago
Staffing the Universe
Nashville, TN
Staffing the Universe | Nashville, TN
Data Engineer (Dataflow) ConsultantLocation:Nashville, TN - OnsiteDuration:Long TermRate:DOEU.S. Citizens and those who are authorized to work independentl... more
7 Days Ago
American Addiction Centers
Brentwood, TN
American Addiction Centers | Brentwood, TN
OverviewCompany SummaryIf you are searching for a fulfilling place to develop your career and an opportunity to make a difference in helping others, then k... more
9 Days Ago
Intellivo
Memphis, TN
Intellivo | Memphis, TN
Job Description. Job Description. Salary. Senior Data Engineer. Role Summary. The Senior Data Engineer is responsible for designing, building, and optimizi... more
5 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
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.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
