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 Engineer in Illinois is $161,361 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $78.
However, a Principal 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-Powered HR
Recruit with AI
Principal Engineer Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $168,634 | $14,053 | $3,243 | $81 |
| Average | $161,361 | $13,447 | $3,103 | $78 |
| 25th Percentile | $153,055 | $12,755 | $2,943 | $74 |
Hansen Technologies LLC - Willowbrook, IL
Socotec - Chicago, IL
Dozee - Mundelein, IL
AbbVie - North Chicago, IL
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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer | $110,050 |
| Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer | $139,288 |
| Principal... Level Principal Engineer | $160,827 |
| Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer | $185,887 |
| Engineeri... Level Principal Engineer | $85,412 |
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 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 Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Principal Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Principal Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace & Defense | $193,634 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Biotechnology | $193,634 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Business Services | $193,634 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Chemicals | $193,634 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Construction | $193,634 | $93.0 | 20% |
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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $168,634 | $14,053 | $3,243 | $81 |
| Average | $161,361 | $13,447 | $3,103 | $78 |
| 25th Percentile | $153,055 | $12,755 | $2,943 | $74 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Principal Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Amaris Consulting
Chicago, IL
Amaris Consulting | Chicago, IL
We are seeking an experienced. Technical Lead – Mechanical Design Engineering. to oversee and guide mechanical design activities across multiple product de... more
3 Days Ago
Valdes Architecture & Engineering
Lombard, IL
Valdes Architecture & Engineering | Lombard, IL
Job Description. Job Description. Valdes Architecture & Engineering is seeking an experienced. Principal Structural Engineer. to provide technical leadersh... more
4 Days Ago
Alliant Credit Union
Chicago, IL
Alliant Credit Union | Chicago, IL
Job Description. Job Description. Essential Responsibilities. Define enterprise-wide platform strategy, vision, and target-state architectures for platform... more
5 Days Ago
LUDEX, LLC
Chicago, IL
LUDEX, LLC | Chicago, IL
Job Description. Job Description. Principal Backend Engineer | Architect. Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid – 1 day/week in-office). Company: Ludex, Inc. About... more
6 Days Ago
Full Spectrum
Lincolnshire, IL
Full Spectrum | Lincolnshire, IL
Job Description. Job Description. Full Spectrum partners with leading companies in MedTech to develop cutting-edge software for medical devices. With proje... more
6 Days Ago
Rimkus
Chicago, IL
Rimkus | Chicago, IL
Job Description. Job Description:\n\nAt Rimkus, our Built Environment Solutions team operates on a global scale with the advantage of local expertise. Our ... more
6 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:
