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 $113,602, an Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $143,766, an Principal Engineer (7-10 years)earns $166,011, an Engineer VI (10-12 years)earns $191,875, an Engineering Supervisor (12+ years)earns $88,181,

What are the highest paying cities for a Principal Engineer?

Principal Engineer salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in California for Principal Engineer roles are San Jose $199,680, San Francisco $197,494, Oakland $193,332.

How much do different types of Principal Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Principal Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Principal Data Engineer: $171,192; Principal Database Engineer: $169,240; Principal Electronics Engineer: $167,277; Principal Engineer I: $165,717; 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 Burson, CA

How much does a Principal Engineer make in Burson, CA?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Engineer in Burson, CA is $166,561 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $80.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $180,842
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $157,990 to $174,036
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $150,186

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Principal Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$174,036	$14,503	$3,347	$84
Average	$166,561	$13,880	$3,203	$80
25th Percentile	$157,990	$13,166	$3,038	$76

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): $113,602
Early Career (1-2 years): $143,766
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $166,011
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $191,875
Expert (over 8 years): $88,181

Levels	Salary
Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer	$113,602
Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer	$143,766
Principal... Level Principal Engineer	$166,011
Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer	$191,875
Engineeri... Level Principal Engineer	$88,181

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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: $199,680
San Francisco: $197,494
Oakland: $193,332

San Jose, CA $199,680

San Francisco, CA $197,494

Oakland, CA $193,332

New York, NY $182,280

Paramus, NJ $180,064

Queens Village, NY $180,056

Passaic, NJ $179,905

Bergenfield, NJ $179,891

Stamford, CT $179,543

Huntington, NY $179,478

Newark, NJ $178,308

Bridgeport, CT $177,974

Vallejo, CA $177,659

New Brunswick, NJ $177,596

Petaluma, CA $177,501

Middlesex, NJ $177,200

Somerset, NJ $177,089

Santa Cruz, CA $176,883

Boston, MA $175,917

Monterey, CA $175,362

Seattle, WA $174,999

Santa Rosa, CA $174,968

Los Angeles, CA $174,920

Juneau, AK $174,508

Washington, DC $174,334

Orange, CA $173,771

Santa Ana, CA $173,353

Long Beach, CA $173,194

Anaheim, CA $173,163

Anchorage, AK $173,084

Santa Maria, CA $172,609

Everett, WA $172,577

Danbury, CT $172,020

Bremerton, WA $171,801

Tacoma, WA $171,231

New Suffolk, NY $171,228

Sacramento, CA $171,184

Santa Barbara, CA $171,010

Trenton, NJ $170,836

San Diego, CA $170,836

Brockton, MA $170,661

Fairbanks, AK $170,274

Lompoc, CA $169,870

Lowell, MA $169,742

Ventura, CA $169,712

Nashua, NH $169,680

Stockton, CA $169,664

Modesto, CA $168,508

Poughkeepsie, NY $168,160

Olympia, WA $167,859

Kennewick, WA $167,859

New Haven, CT $167,796

Lawrence, MA $167,226

Hartford, CT $167,068

Riverside, CA $167,036

New Bedford, MA $166,878

Richland, WA $166,878

Bakersfield, CA $166,656

San Bernardino, CA $166,593

New Britain, CT $166,577

Atlantic City, NJ $166,577

New London, CT $166,514

Norwich, CT $166,466

Portsmouth, NH $166,434

Boulder, CO $166,099

Portland, OR $165,880

Worcester, MA $165,865

Minneapolis, MN $165,374

Philadelphia, PA $165,152

Honolulu, HI $164,630

Saint Paul, MN $164,554

Vineland, NJ $164,519

Providence, RI $164,060

Chicago, IL $163,601

Bellingham, WA $163,411

Springfield, MA $163,284

Baltimore, MD $163,237

Chico, CA $162,841

Pittsfield, MA $162,413

Manchester, NH $162,113

Spokane, WA $161,416

Denver, CO $161,400

Albany, NY $160,656

Troy, NY $160,593

Nassau, NY $160,423

Schenectady, NY $160,260

Wilmington, DE $160,134

Burlington, VT $159,912

Salem, OR $159,849

Portland, ME $159,358

Yakima, WA $159,200

Rochester, MN $158,709

Reno, NV $158,630

Fresno, CA $158,630

Milwaukee, WI $158,487

Detroit, MI $158,329

Ann Arbor, MI $158,302

Allentown, PA $158,281

Colorado Springs, CO $158,012

Syracuse, NY $157,933

Carson City, NV $157,933

Houston, TX $157,711

Eugene, OR $157,632

Gary, IN $157,442

Springfield, OR $157,316

Bismarck, ND $157,284

Galveston, TX $157,173

Medford, OR $156,936

Fort Collins, CO $156,872

Concord, NH $156,793

Austin, TX $156,746

Mesa, AZ $156,413

Reading, PA $156,397

Phoenix, AZ $156,382

Dallas, TX $156,334

Saint Cloud, MN $156,182

Madison, WI $155,970

Utica, NY $155,543

Rochester, NY $155,289

Des Moines, IA $155,273

Raleigh, NC $155,258

Atlanta, GA $155,020

Battle Creek, MI $154,973

Salt Lake City, UT $154,925

Lancaster, PA $154,688

Harrisburg, PA $154,466

Kansas City, MO $154,308

Champaign, IL $154,276

Kansas City, KS $154,276

Fort Worth, TX $154,260

Columbus, OH $154,233

Boca Raton, FL $154,197

Pittsburgh, PA $154,134

Richmond, VA $154,070

Indianapolis, IN $154,039

Cleveland, OH $154,023

Las Vegas, NV $153,833

Cincinnati, OH $153,833

Petersburg, VA $153,595

Huntsville, AL $153,358

Lansing, MI $153,252

Lebanon, PA $153,231

Pueblo, CO $153,215

Appleton, WI $153,168

Buffalo, NY $153,105

Dayton, OH $153,057

Racine, WI $153,025

Charlotte, NC $153,010

Saint Louis, MO $152,962

York, PA $152,867

Elkhart, IN $152,867

Gastonia, NC $152,837

Billings, MT $152,799

Beaumont, TX $152,756

Lorain, OH $152,725

Benton Harbor, MI $152,693

Toledo, OH $152,661

Binghamton, NY $152,582

Rock Hill, SC $152,566

Rockford, IL $152,487

Springfield, IL $152,424

Elyria, OH $152,408

Fargo, ND $152,408

Flagstaff, AZ $152,297

Fort Lauderdale, FL $152,202

Duluth, MN $152,107

Miami, FL $152,107

Cheyenne, WY $151,996

Grand Forks, ND $151,996

Bangor, ME $151,648

Cedar Rapids, IA $151,474

Durham, NC $151,407

Louisville, KY $151,395

Grand Rapids, MI $151,363

Hialeah, FL $151,347

Casper, WY $151,126

Scranton, PA $150,936

New Orleans, LA $150,888

Virginia Beach, VA $150,872

Akron, OH $150,793

Peoria, IL $150,587

Sarasota, FL $150,556

Nashville, TN $150,445

Omaha, NE $150,445

Green Bay, WI $150,445

Baton Rouge, LA $150,366

Charleston, SC $150,334

Jamestown, NY $150,255

Davenport, IA $150,255

Tucson, AZ $150,176

Saint Petersburg, FL $150,081

Tampa, FL $150,049

Evansville, IN $149,954

Port Arthur, TX $149,954

Bradenton, FL $149,891

Santa Fe, NM $149,606

Orlando, FL $149,321

Clearwater, FL $149,273

Canton, OH $148,941

La Crosse, WI $148,941

Albuquerque, NM $148,846

Newport News, VA $148,830

High Point, NC $148,783

Ogden, UT $148,719

Corpus Christi, TX $148,593

Norfolk, VA $148,498

Laramie, WY $148,498

Rock Island, IL $148,403

Saginaw, MI $148,371

Jacksonville, FL $148,355

Salisbury, NC $148,323

Boise, ID $148,292

Moline, IL $148,213

Fort Myers, FL $148,165

Memphis, TN $148,133

Tulsa, OK $148,054

Waterloo, IA $147,959

Spartanburg, SC $147,801

Lincoln, NE $147,722

Fort Wayne, IN $147,690

Provo, UT $147,674

Cedar Falls, IA $147,484

San Antonio, TX $147,421

Greensboro, NC $147,358

South Bend, IN $147,342

Savannah, GA $147,168

Muskegon, MI $147,104

Birmingham, AL $147,089

Winston Salem, NC $147,011

Lake Charles, LA $146,630

Anderson, IN $146,598

Lexington, KY $146,550

Augusta, GA $146,503

Greenville, SC $146,503

Lima, OH $146,376

Wichita, KS $146,360

Tuscaloosa, AL $146,360

Columbia, SC $146,218

Springfield, OH $146,186

Asheville, NC $145,933

Bloomington, IN $145,822

Knoxville, TN $145,252

Shreveport, LA $145,236

Wilmington, NC $145,031

Roanoke, VA $145,031

Topeka, KS $144,746

Frankfort, KY $144,728

Oklahoma City, OK $144,619

Chillicothe, OH $144,556

Longview, TX $144,540

Melbourne, FL $144,524

Sioux Falls, SD $144,271

Mobile, AL $144,255

Terre Haute, IN $144,191

Altoona, PA $144,096

Amarillo, TX $143,986

Killeen, TX $143,938

Fayetteville, AR $143,812

Chattanooga, TN $143,764

Sioux City, IA $143,622

Idaho Falls, ID $143,590

Lynchburg, VA $143,463

Gainesville, FL $143,257

Portsmouth, OH $143,178

Little Rock, AR $143,147

Lafayette, LA $143,083

Youngstown, OH $143,083

Daytona Beach, FL $142,988

Clarksville, TN $142,972

Pensacola, FL $142,957

Temple, TX $142,946

Hopkinsville, KY $142,482

Erie, PA $142,450

Florence, SC $142,387

Charleston, WV $142,133

Great Falls, MT $142,054

Macon, GA $141,833

Tallahassee, FL $141,817

Fayetteville, NC $141,785

Waco, TX $141,753

Helena, MT $141,643

Pine Bluff, AR $141,582

Vincennes, IN $141,389

Lubbock, TX $141,326

Alamogordo, NM $141,231

Twin Falls, ID $141,089

Rapid City, SD $141,041

Jackson, MS $140,756

Huntington, WV $140,745

Greenville, MS $140,740

Parkersburg, WV $140,579

Montgomery, AL $140,550

Wichita Falls, TX $140,392

Springfield, MO $140,392

Biloxi, MS $140,313

Monroe, LA $140,154

Johnstown, PA $140,044

Sumter, SC $139,980

Columbus, GA $139,965

Pascagoula, MS $139,664

Abilene, TX $139,664

Kingsport, TN $139,252

Albany, GA $139,252

Gulfport, MS $139,205

Alexandria, LA $138,682

Fort Smith, AR $138,286

El Paso, TX $137,859

Las Cruces, NM $137,147

Harlingen, TX $136,744

Pocatello, ID $136,719

Florence, AL $136,513

Brownsville, TX $136,482

Mcallen, TX $136,149

Dothan, AL $135,928

Columbus, MS $134,987

Altus, OK $134,249

Lawton, OK $133,949

Pierre, SD $133,379

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	$176,555	6%
Insight	$174,889	5%
Team Development	$173,224	4%
Innovation	$173,224	4%
Software Development	$173,224	4%
AWS	$173,224	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 June 01, 2026

$157,990

Average $166,561/year

$174,036

$13,166

Average $13,880/month

$14,503

$3,038

Average $3,203/week

$3,347

$76

Average $80/hour

$84

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$174,036	$14,503	$3,347	$84
Average	$166,561	$13,880	$3,203	$80
25th Percentile	$157,990	$13,166	$3,038	$76

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