What are the main factors that influence a Principal Engineer's salary?

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

How does experience change A Principal Engineer's salary?

A Principal Engineer's salary grows with experience: an Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $96,399, an Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $121,979, an Principal Engineer (7-10 years)earns $140,868, an Engineer VI (10-12 years)earns $162,810, an Engineering Supervisor (12+ years)earns $74,839,

What are the highest paying cities for a Principal Engineer?

Principal Engineer salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in South Dakota for Principal Engineer roles are San Jose $199,700, San Francisco $197,737, Oakland $193,351.

How much do different types of Principal Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Principal Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Principal Data Engineer: $171,173; Principal Database Engineer: $169,221; Principal Electronics Engineer: $167,285; Principal Engineer I: $165,734; Principal Algorithm Engineer: $158,400.

What specialized skills increase a Principal Engineer's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Decision Making (up to 6% premium), Insight (up to 5% premium), Team Development (up to 4% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Principal Engineer Salary in Artesian, SD

How much does a Principal Engineer make in Artesian, SD?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Engineer in Artesian, SD is $141,340 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $68.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $153,613
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $134,118 to $147,764
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $127,543

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Principal Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$147,764	$12,314	$2,842	$71
Average	$141,340	$11,778	$2,718	$68
25th Percentile	$134,118	$11,177	$2,579	$64

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Principal Engineer Salaries

A Principal 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 Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Principal 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): $96,399
Early Career (1-2 years): $121,979
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $140,868
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $162,810
Expert (over 8 years): $74,839

Levels	Salary
Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer	$96,399
Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer	$121,979
Principal... Level Principal Engineer	$140,868
Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer	$162,810
Engineeri... Level Principal Engineer	$74,839

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Principal 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: $199,700
San Francisco: $197,737
Oakland: $193,351

San Jose, CA $199,700

San Francisco, CA $197,737

Oakland, CA $193,351

New York, NY $183,487

Queens Village, NY $182,300

Paramus, NJ $181,033

Passaic, NJ $180,875

Bergenfield, NJ $180,717

Stamford, CT $180,479

Huntington, NY $180,321

Newark, NJ $179,292

Bridgeport, CT $178,975

New Brunswick, NJ $178,453

Vallejo, CA $178,120

Middlesex, NJ $178,025

Somerset, NJ $177,883

Petaluma, CA $177,518

Santa Cruz, CA $176,901

Boston, MA $176,584

Monterey, CA $175,793

Fairbanks, AK $175,682

Los Angeles, CA $175,381

Washington, DC $175,302

Seattle, WA $175,017

Santa Rosa, CA $174,985

Juneau, AK $174,526

Orange, CA $174,004

Anchorage, AK $173,719

Anaheim, CA $173,608

Santa Ana, CA $173,370

Nassau, NY $173,275

Long Beach, CA $173,212

Danbury, CT $173,164

Santa Maria, CA $172,626

Everett, WA $172,594

Bremerton, WA $171,819

Trenton, NJ $171,518

Sacramento, CA $171,454

San Diego, CA $171,375

Brockton, MA $171,312

Tacoma, WA $171,249

Santa Barbara, CA $171,027

Lowell, MA $170,394

New Suffolk, NY $170,330

Nashua, NH $170,140

Lompoc, CA $169,887

Ventura, CA $169,729

Stockton, CA $169,681

New Haven, CT $169,365

Atlantic City, NJ $168,953

Hartford, CT $168,605

Modesto, CA $168,525

Poughkeepsie, NY $168,177

New Britain, CT $168,098

Olympia, WA $167,876

Kennewick, WA $167,876

New London, CT $167,845

Norwich, CT $167,797

Lawrence, MA $167,718

Bakersfield, CA $167,275

Riverside, CA $167,053

New Bedford, MA $167,053

Richland, WA $166,895

Portsmouth, NH $166,768

Vineland, NJ $166,736

San Bernardino, CA $166,610

Boulder, CO $166,166

Worcester, MA $166,040

Portland, OR $165,897

Saint Paul, MN $165,707

Minneapolis, MN $165,707

Philadelphia, PA $165,485

Honolulu, HI $164,646

Springfield, MA $164,092

Providence, RI $164,076

Chicago, IL $163,617

Bellingham, WA $163,427

Baltimore, MD $163,253

Chico, CA $162,857

Wilmington, DE $162,588

Pittsfield, MA $162,430

Manchester, NH $162,129

Spokane, WA $161,432

Denver, CO $161,416

Albany, NY $160,672

Troy, NY $160,609

Schenectady, NY $160,276

Burlington, VT $159,928

Portland, ME $159,374

Salem, OR $159,247

Yakima, WA $159,216

Ann Arbor, MI $159,168

Rochester, MN $158,725

Fresno, CA $158,646

Reno, NV $158,646

Milwaukee, WI $158,503

Detroit, MI $158,345

Allentown, PA $158,297

Carson City, NV $158,282

Houston, TX $158,044

Colorado Springs, CO $158,028

Syracuse, NY $157,949

Eugene, OR $157,648

Bismarck, ND $157,458

Gary, IN $157,458

Galveston, TX $157,458

Springfield, OR $157,332

Medford, OR $156,952

Fort Collins, CO $156,888

Austin, TX $156,762

Mesa, AZ $156,429

Phoenix, AZ $156,397

Dallas, TX $156,350

Reading, PA $156,255

Saint Cloud, MN $156,192

Concord, NH $156,049

Madison, WI $155,986

Utica, NY $155,558

Raleigh, NC $155,432

Las Vegas, NV $155,416

Rochester, NY $155,305

Des Moines, IA $155,289

Atlanta, GA $155,036

Battle Creek, MI $154,988

Salt Lake City, UT $154,941

Lancaster, PA $154,703

Champaign, IL $154,672

Harrisburg, PA $154,482

Durham, NC $154,339

Kansas City, MO $154,323

Kansas City, KS $154,292

Fort Worth, TX $154,276

Boca Raton, FL $154,212

Cleveland, OH $154,197

Columbus, OH $154,165

Pittsburgh, PA $154,149

Richmond, VA $154,086

Indianapolis, IN $154,054

Cincinnati, OH $153,848

Petersburg, VA $153,611

Billings, MT $153,262

Lansing, MI $153,262

Huntsville, AL $153,262

Lebanon, PA $153,247

Dayton, OH $153,231

Pueblo, CO $153,231

Appleton, WI $153,183

Buffalo, NY $153,120

Racine, WI $153,041

Charlotte, NC $153,025

Saint Louis, MO $152,977

Springfield, IL $152,914

Elkhart, IN $152,882

York, PA $152,882

Gastonia, NC $152,867

Benton Harbor, MI $152,867

Beaumont, TX $152,772

Lorain, OH $152,740

Toledo, OH $152,677

Binghamton, NY $152,597

Rock Hill, SC $152,582

Rockford, IL $152,502

Fargo, ND $152,423

Elyria, OH $152,423

Flagstaff, AZ $152,312

Fort Lauderdale, FL $152,218

Miami, FL $152,123

Duluth, MN $151,869

Bangor, ME $151,663

Cedar Rapids, IA $151,489

Louisville, KY $151,410

Grand Rapids, MI $151,378

Hialeah, FL $151,363

Casper, WY $151,141

Scranton, PA $150,951

New Orleans, LA $150,903

Virginia Beach, VA $150,888

Akron, OH $150,808

Peoria, IL $150,603

Sarasota, FL $150,571

Green Bay, WI $150,460

Baton Rouge, LA $150,381

Charleston, SC $150,349

Nashville, TN $150,302

Jamestown, NY $150,270

Davenport, IA $150,270

Tucson, AZ $150,191

Cheyenne, WY $150,143

Saint Petersburg, FL $150,096

Tampa, FL $150,064

Omaha, NE $150,033

Port Arthur, TX $149,969

Evansville, IN $149,969

Bradenton, FL $149,906

Santa Fe, NM $149,621

Orlando, FL $149,463

Clearwater, FL $149,288

Canton, OH $148,956

La Crosse, WI $148,956

Grand Forks, ND $148,908

Albuquerque, NM $148,861

Tulsa, OK $148,861

Newport News, VA $148,845

High Point, NC $148,798

Ogden, UT $148,734

Corpus Christi, TX $148,608

Laramie, WY $148,513

Norfolk, VA $148,513

Rock Island, IL $148,418

Saginaw, MI $148,386

Jacksonville, FL $148,370

Salisbury, NC $148,338

Memphis, TN $148,307

Moline, IL $148,228

Fort Myers, FL $148,180

Waterloo, IA $147,974

Spartanburg, SC $147,816

Lincoln, NE $147,737

Fort Wayne, IN $147,705

Birmingham, AL $147,531

Cedar Falls, IA $147,499

Provo, UT $147,483

Springfield, OH $147,468

San Antonio, TX $147,436

Greensboro, NC $147,373

South Bend, IN $147,357

Winston Salem, NC $147,341

Boise, ID $147,293

Savannah, GA $147,183

Muskegon, MI $146,898

Lima, OH $146,708

Lake Charles, LA $146,644

Anderson, IN $146,613

Lexington, KY $146,565

Augusta, GA $146,518

Greenville, SC $146,518

Wichita, KS $146,375

Tuscaloosa, AL $146,375

Columbia, SC $146,233

Bloomington, IN $145,837

Roanoke, VA $145,742

Asheville, NC $145,536

Knoxville, TN $145,267

Shreveport, LA $145,251

Wilmington, NC $145,045

Frankfort, KY $144,744

Oklahoma City, OK $144,634

Chillicothe, OH $144,570

Longview, TX $144,554

Topeka, KS $144,507

Mobile, AL $144,269

Terre Haute, IN $144,206

Erie, PA $144,190

Altoona, PA $144,111

Melbourne, FL $144,064

Amarillo, TX $144,000

Killeen, TX $143,953

Fayetteville, AR $143,826

Sioux Falls, SD $143,715

Chattanooga, TN $143,620

Idaho Falls, ID $143,604

Gainesville, FL $143,272

Portsmouth, OH $143,193

Little Rock, AR $143,161

Lynchburg, VA $143,161

Lafayette, LA $143,098

Youngstown, OH $143,098

Temple, TX $143,034

Daytona Beach, FL $143,003

Clarksville, TN $142,987

Pensacola, FL $142,971

Hopkinsville, KY $142,496

Charleston, WV $142,480

Florence, SC $142,401

Sioux City, IA $142,306

Macon, GA $141,847

Tallahassee, FL $141,831

Fayetteville, NC $141,799

Waco, TX $141,768

Wichita Falls, TX $141,768

Pine Bluff, AR $141,704

Vincennes, IN $141,404

Lubbock, TX $141,340

Great Falls, MT $141,245

Alamogordo, NM $141,229

Abilene, TX $141,103

Rapid City, SD $140,897

Monroe, LA $140,897

Albany, GA $140,802

Huntington, WV $140,786

Jackson, MS $140,770

Greenville, MS $140,754

Parkersburg, WV $140,596

Montgomery, AL $140,564

Johnstown, PA $140,533

Springfield, MO $140,406

Biloxi, MS $140,327

Sumter, SC $139,995

Columbus, GA $139,979

Twin Falls, ID $139,884

Pascagoula, MS $139,678

Kingsport, TN $139,266

Gulfport, MS $139,219

Alexandria, LA $138,696

Fort Smith, AR $138,300

El Paso, TX $137,873

Helena, MT $137,667

Las Cruces, NM $137,160

Harlingen, TX $136,717

Pocatello, ID $136,575

Florence, AL $136,527

Brownsville, TX $136,495

Dothan, AL $136,242

Mcallen, TX $136,163

Columbus, MS $134,991

Altus, OK $134,263

Lawton, OK $133,962

Pierre, SD $133,392

What Skills Can Increase a Principal Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 5.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
AWS (Mentioned in 2.1% 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.
AutoCAD (Mentioned in 1.6% 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.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	5.06%
AWS	2.1%
AutoCAD	1.6%

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 Engineer's salary.

Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Team Development: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Decision Making	$149,821	6%
Insight	$148,407	5%
Team Development	$146,994	4%
Innovation	$146,994	4%
Software Development	$146,994	4%
AWS	$146,994	4%

Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how a Principal 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.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$134,118

Average $141,340/year

$147,764

$11,177

Average $11,778/month

$12,314

$2,579

Average $2,718/week

$2,842

$64

Average $68/hour

$71

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$147,764	$12,314	$2,842	$71
Average	$141,340	$11,778	$2,718	$68
25th Percentile	$134,118	$11,177	$2,579	$64

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