Principal Application Developer Salary in the United States

How much does a Principal Application Developer make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Application Developer in the United States is $166,800 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $80.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $196,379
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $150,953 to $182,283
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $136,525
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $150,953 10% $136,525 90% $196,379 75% $182,283 $166,800 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Principal Application Developer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $182,283 $15,190 $3,505 $88
Average $166,800 $13,900 $3,208 $80
25th Percentile $150,953 $12,579 $2,903 $73
Check out Principal Application Developer Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Principal Application Developer Salaries

A Principal Application Developer'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.

How Experience Level Affects Principal Application Developer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Principal Application Developer'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): $161,958
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $163,058
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $163,498
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $165,699
  • Expert (over 8 years): $173,356
Levels Salary
Entry Level Principal Application Developer$161,958
Intermediate Level Principal Application Developer$163,058
Senior Level Principal Application Developer$163,498
Specialist Level Principal Application Developer$165,699
Expert Level Principal Application Developer$173,356
$161,958 0 yr
$163,058 < 2 yrs
$163,498 2-4 yrs
$165,699 5-8 yrs
$173,356 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Principal Application Developer Salaries Vary from State to State?

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 Application Developers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $184,681.
  • California: $183,980.
  • Massachusetts: $181,528.

Top Paying Cities for Principal Application Developers

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: $210,385
  • San Francisco: $208,317
  • Oakland: $203,696

What Skills Can Increase a Principal Application Developer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.15% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Application Development (Mentioned in 3.77% Job Postings): Application development may refer to: Mobile application development ("app development") or the process of developing desktop application software. Mobile app development is the act or process by which a mobile app is developed for mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones. These applications can be pre-installed on phones during manufacturing platforms, or delivered as web applications using server-side or client-side processing (e.g., JavaScript) to provide an "application-like" experience within a Web browser.
  • HTML (Mentioned in 2.45% Job Postings): A computer language that used in creating, updating and maintaining text, graphics and links in a website.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.15%
Application Development 3.77%
HTML 2.45%
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 Application Developer's salary.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • UI: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Troubleshooting: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Consulting
 $185,148
11%
UI
 $181,812
9%
Troubleshooting
 $180,144
8%
Leadership
 $180,144
8%
Software Development
 $180,144
8%
Debugging
 $180,144
8%
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Principal Application Developer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Principal Application Developer'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$150,953
Average $166,800/year
$182,283
$12,579
Average $13,900/month
$15,190
$2,903
Average $3,208/week
$3,505
$73
Average $80/hour
$88
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $182,283 $15,190 $3,505 $88
Average $166,800 $13,900 $3,208 $80
25th Percentile $150,953 $12,579 $2,903 $73

Salaries of jobs related to Principal Application Developer

Salary Trends for Principal Application Developer

Salaries for a Principal Application Developer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $156,961 in 2023 to around $152,045 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Principal Application Developer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Principal Application Developer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$156,961
2024
$153,656
2025
$152,045
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $156,961
2024 $153,656
2025 $152,045
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Principal Application Developer

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Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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