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 Texas is $154,412 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $74.
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
Recruit with AI
AI-Powered HR
Principal Engineer Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $161,371 | $13,448 | $3,103 | $78 |
| Average | $154,412 | $12,868 | $2,969 | $74 |
| 25th Percentile | $146,463 | $12,205 | $2,817 | $70 |
BSA Lifestructures Inc - Austin, TX
Fuze Health - Texas City, TX
BSA Lifestructures Inc - Houston, TX
CCS INC - Plano, TX
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 | $105,311 |
| Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer | $133,290 |
| Principal... Level Principal Engineer | $153,900 |
| Engineer ... Level Principal Engineer | $177,881 |
| Engineeri... Level Principal Engineer | $81,733 |
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 | $185,294 | $89.0 | 20% |
| Biotechnology | $185,294 | $89.0 | 20% |
| Business Services | $185,294 | $89.0 | 20% |
| Chemicals | $185,294 | $89.0 | 20% |
| Construction | $185,294 | $89.0 | 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 | $161,371 | $13,448 | $3,103 | $78 |
| Average | $154,412 | $12,868 | $2,969 | $74 |
| 25th Percentile | $146,463 | $12,205 | $2,817 | $70 |
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.
Olsson
Plano, TX
Olsson | Plano, TX
Job Description. Job Description. Company Description. We are Olsson. We engineer and design solutions that improve the world around us. As a company, we p... more
4 Days Ago
ANS
Austin, TX
ANS | Austin, TX
Job Description. Job Description. At ANS, we’re not just a consulting engineering firm, we’re a team of trailblazers shaping the future of civil, structura... more
4 Days Ago
Renesas Electronics
Austin, TX
Renesas Electronics | Austin, TX
Job Description. Job Description. Company Description. Renesas is a global semiconductor company delivering innovative embedded processing, analog, power, ... more
2 Days Ago
GameStop Texas LTD
Grapevine, TX
GameStop Texas LTD | Grapevine, TX
Job Description. Job Description. GameStop is in the midst of a game-changing metamorphosis, transforming from old school into a modern company that is dri... more
3 Days Ago
CesiumAstro
Austin, TX
CesiumAstro | Austin, TX
Job Description. Job Description. Please Note. To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.... more
4 Days Ago
Renesas Electronics
Austin, TX
Renesas Electronics | Austin, TX
Job Description. Job Description. Company Description. Renesas Electronics Americas (REA) is a dynamic, multi-cultural tech company where employees can lea... more
4 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:
