Principal Software Quality Engineer Salary in the United States
How much does a Principal Software Quality Engineer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Principal Software Quality Engineer in the United States is $74,241 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.
However, a Principal Software Quality Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $83,735
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,486 to $79,211
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,246
10%$63,246
50% (Median)$74,241
90%$83,735
Principal Software Quality Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Principal Software Quality Engineer Salaries
A Principal Software Quality 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, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Principal Software Quality Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Principal Software Quality 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): $74,641
Early Career (1-2 years): $95,783
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $116,119
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $134,102
Expert (over 8 years): $156,879
Levels
Salary
Principal... Level Principal Software Quality Engineer
$74,641
Software ... Level Principal Software Quality Engineer
$95,783
Software ... Level Principal Software Quality Engineer
$116,119
Software ... Level Principal Software Quality Engineer
$134,102
Software ... Level Principal Software Quality Engineer
How Do Principal Software Quality Engineer 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 Software Quality Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $82,200.
California: $81,888.
Massachusetts: $80,797.
District of Columbia$82,200
California$81,888
Massachusetts$80,797
Washington$80,500
New Jersey$80,470
Alaska$80,366
Connecticut$79,341
New York$78,926
Hawaii$77,597
Rhode Island$76,973
Maryland$76,550
Minnesota$75,971
Colorado$75,748
Illinois$75,674
Oregon$75,392
Delaware$75,184
New Hampshire$75,053
Virginia$74,761
Pennsylvania$73,907
Nevada$73,476
North Dakota$73,335
Michigan$73,113
Wisconsin$73,031
Vermont$72,868
Texas$72,415
Maine$72,385
Arizona$72,341
Ohio$72,289
Georgia$71,606
Indiana$71,264
Wyoming$71,197
Utah$71,093
Iowa$71,049
Kansas$70,692
Louisiana$70,588
North Carolina$70,551
Missouri$70,536
Florida$70,247
Montana$70,091
Nebraska$69,943
Kentucky$69,861
South Carolina$69,564
Tennessee$69,378
Idaho$69,304
New Mexico$68,762
Oklahoma$68,643
Alabama$68,205
South Dakota$67,470
Arkansas$67,069
West Virginia$66,854
Mississippi$66,208
Top Paying Cities for Principal Software Quality 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: $93,640
San Francisco: $92,615
Oakland: $90,663
San Jose, CA$93,640
San Francisco, CA$92,615
Oakland, CA$90,663
New York, NY$85,480
Paramus, NJ$84,441
Queens Village, NY$84,437
Passaic, NJ$84,367
Bergenfield, NJ$84,360
Stamford, CT$84,197
Huntington, NY$84,166
Newark, NJ$83,618
Bridgeport, CT$83,461
Vallejo, CA$83,313
New Brunswick, NJ$83,284
Petaluma, CA$83,239
Middlesex, NJ$83,098
Somerset, NJ$83,046
Santa Cruz, CA$82,950
Boston, MA$82,497
Monterey, CA$82,236
Seattle, WA$82,066
Santa Rosa, CA$82,051
Los Angeles, CA$82,029
Juneau, AK$81,836
Washington, DC$81,754
Orange, CA$81,490
Santa Ana, CA$81,294
Long Beach, CA$81,220
Anaheim, CA$81,205
Anchorage, AK$81,168
Santa Maria, CA$80,945
Everett, WA$80,930
Danbury, CT$80,669
Bremerton, WA$80,566
Tacoma, WA$80,299
New Suffolk, NY$80,298
Sacramento, CA$80,277
Santa Barbara, CA$80,195
Trenton, NJ$80,114
San Diego, CA$80,114
Brockton, MA$80,032
Fairbanks, AK$79,850
Lompoc, CA$79,661
Lowell, MA$79,601
Ventura, CA$79,586
Nashua, NH$79,572
Stockton, CA$79,564
Modesto, CA$79,022
Poughkeepsie, NY$78,859
Olympia, WA$78,718
Kennewick, WA$78,718
New Haven, CT$78,688
Lawrence, MA$78,421
Hartford, CT$78,347
Riverside, CA$78,332
New Bedford, MA$78,258
Richland, WA$78,258
Bakersfield, CA$78,154
San Bernardino, CA$78,124
New Britain, CT$78,116
Atlantic City, NJ$78,116
New London, CT$78,087
Norwich, CT$78,065
Portsmouth, NH$78,050
Boulder, CO$77,892
Portland, OR$77,790
Worcester, MA$77,782
Minneapolis, MN$77,552
Philadelphia, PA$77,448
Honolulu, HI$77,203
Saint Paul, MN$77,168
Vineland, NJ$77,151
Providence, RI$76,936
Chicago, IL$76,721
Bellingham, WA$76,632
Springfield, MA$76,572
Baltimore, MD$76,550
Chico, CA$76,364
Pittsfield, MA$76,164
Manchester, NH$76,023
Spokane, WA$75,696
Denver, CO$75,689
Albany, NY$75,340
Troy, NY$75,310
Nassau, NY$75,231
Schenectady, NY$75,154
Wilmington, DE$75,095
Burlington, VT$74,991
Salem, OR$74,961
Portland, ME$74,731
Yakima, WA$74,657
Rochester, MN$74,427
Reno, NV$74,390
Fresno, CA$74,390
Milwaukee, WI$74,323
Detroit, MI$74,249
Ann Arbor, MI$74,236
Allentown, PA$74,226
Colorado Springs, CO$74,100
Syracuse, NY$74,063
Carson City, NV$74,063
Houston, TX$73,959
Eugene, OR$73,922
Gary, IN$73,833
Springfield, OR$73,773
Bismarck, ND$73,759
Galveston, TX$73,707
Medford, OR$73,595
Fort Collins, CO$73,566
Concord, NH$73,528
Austin, TX$73,506
Mesa, AZ$73,350
Reading, PA$73,343
Phoenix, AZ$73,335
Dallas, TX$73,313
Saint Cloud, MN$73,242
Madison, WI$73,142
Utica, NY$72,942
Rochester, NY$72,823
Des Moines, IA$72,816
Raleigh, NC$72,808
Atlanta, GA$72,697
Battle Creek, MI$72,675
Salt Lake City, UT$72,652
Lancaster, PA$72,541
Harrisburg, PA$72,437
Kansas City, MO$72,363
Champaign, IL$72,348
Kansas City, KS$72,348
Fort Worth, TX$72,341
Columbus, OH$72,328
Boca Raton, FL$72,311
Pittsburgh, PA$72,281
Richmond, VA$72,251
Indianapolis, IN$72,237
Cleveland, OH$72,229
Las Vegas, NV$72,140
Cincinnati, OH$72,140
Petersburg, VA$72,029
Huntsville, AL$71,917
Lansing, MI$71,868
Lebanon, PA$71,858
Pueblo, CO$71,851
Appleton, WI$71,828
Buffalo, NY$71,799
Dayton, OH$71,776
Racine, WI$71,761
Charlotte, NC$71,754
Saint Louis, MO$71,732
York, PA$71,687
Elkhart, IN$71,687
Gastonia, NC$71,673
Billings, MT$71,655
Beaumont, TX$71,635
Lorain, OH$71,620
Benton Harbor, MI$71,606
Toledo, OH$71,591
Binghamton, NY$71,554
Rock Hill, SC$71,546
Rockford, IL$71,509
Springfield, IL$71,479
Elyria, OH$71,472
Fargo, ND$71,472
Flagstaff, AZ$71,420
Fort Lauderdale, FL$71,375
Duluth, MN$71,331
Miami, FL$71,331
Cheyenne, WY$71,279
Grand Forks, ND$71,279
Bangor, ME$71,116
Cedar Rapids, IA$71,034
Durham, NC$71,003
Louisville, KY$70,997
Grand Rapids, MI$70,982
Hialeah, FL$70,974
Casper, WY$70,871
Scranton, PA$70,781
New Orleans, LA$70,759
Virginia Beach, VA$70,752
Akron, OH$70,715
Peoria, IL$70,618
Sarasota, FL$70,603
Nashville, TN$70,551
Omaha, NE$70,551
Green Bay, WI$70,551
Baton Rouge, LA$70,514
Charleston, SC$70,499
Jamestown, NY$70,462
Davenport, IA$70,462
Tucson, AZ$70,425
Saint Petersburg, FL$70,381
Tampa, FL$70,366
Evansville, IN$70,321
Port Arthur, TX$70,321
Bradenton, FL$70,291
Santa Fe, NM$70,158
Orlando, FL$70,024
Clearwater, FL$70,002
Canton, OH$69,846
La Crosse, WI$69,846
Albuquerque, NM$69,801
Newport News, VA$69,794
High Point, NC$69,772
Ogden, UT$69,742
Corpus Christi, TX$69,683
Norfolk, VA$69,638
Laramie, WY$69,638
Rock Island, IL$69,594
Saginaw, MI$69,579
Jacksonville, FL$69,571
Salisbury, NC$69,556
Boise, ID$69,542
Moline, IL$69,505
Fort Myers, FL$69,482
Memphis, TN$69,467
Tulsa, OK$69,430
Waterloo, IA$69,386
Spartanburg, SC$69,311
Lincoln, NE$69,274
Fort Wayne, IN$69,260
Provo, UT$69,252
Cedar Falls, IA$69,163
San Antonio, TX$69,133
Greensboro, NC$69,104
South Bend, IN$69,096
Savannah, GA$69,015
Muskegon, MI$68,985
Birmingham, AL$68,977
Winston Salem, NC$68,941
Lake Charles, LA$68,762
Anderson, IN$68,747
Lexington, KY$68,725
Augusta, GA$68,703
Greenville, SC$68,703
Lima, OH$68,643
Wichita, KS$68,636
Tuscaloosa, AL$68,636
Columbia, SC$68,569
Springfield, OH$68,554
Asheville, NC$68,435
Bloomington, IN$68,383
Knoxville, TN$68,116
Shreveport, LA$68,109
Wilmington, NC$68,012
Roanoke, VA$68,012
Topeka, KS$67,879
Frankfort, KY$67,870
Oklahoma City, OK$67,819
Chillicothe, OH$67,790
Longview, TX$67,782
Melbourne, FL$67,775
Sioux Falls, SD$67,656
Mobile, AL$67,648
Terre Haute, IN$67,619
Altoona, PA$67,574
Amarillo, TX$67,522
Killeen, TX$67,500
Fayetteville, AR$67,441
Chattanooga, TN$67,418
Sioux City, IA$67,352
Idaho Falls, ID$67,337
Lynchburg, VA$67,277
Gainesville, FL$67,181
Portsmouth, OH$67,144
Little Rock, AR$67,129
Lafayette, LA$67,099
Youngstown, OH$67,099
Daytona Beach, FL$67,055
Clarksville, TN$67,047
Pensacola, FL$67,040
Temple, TX$67,035
Hopkinsville, KY$66,817
Erie, PA$66,802
Florence, SC$66,772
Charleston, WV$66,654
Great Falls, MT$66,617
Macon, GA$66,513
Tallahassee, FL$66,505
Fayetteville, NC$66,490
Waco, TX$66,475
Helena, MT$66,424
Pine Bluff, AR$66,395
Vincennes, IN$66,305
Lubbock, TX$66,275
Alamogordo, NM$66,230
Twin Falls, ID$66,164
Rapid City, SD$66,141
Jackson, MS$66,008
Huntington, WV$66,003
Greenville, MS$66,000
Parkersburg, WV$65,925
Montgomery, AL$65,911
Wichita Falls, TX$65,837
Springfield, MO$65,837
Biloxi, MS$65,800
Monroe, LA$65,726
Johnstown, PA$65,674
Sumter, SC$65,644
Columbus, GA$65,637
Pascagoula, MS$65,495
Abilene, TX$65,495
Kingsport, TN$65,302
Albany, GA$65,302
Gulfport, MS$65,280
Alexandria, LA$65,035
Fort Smith, AR$64,850
El Paso, TX$64,649
Las Cruces, NM$64,315
Harlingen, TX$64,126
Pocatello, ID$64,115
Florence, AL$64,018
Brownsville, TX$64,003
Mcallen, TX$63,847
Dothan, AL$63,743
Columbus, MS$63,302
Altus, OK$62,956
Lawton, OK$62,815
Pierre, SD$62,548
What Skills Can Increase a Principal Software Quality Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 4.71% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Test Automation (Mentioned in 3.05% Job Postings): Leveraging automation tools to maintain test data, execute tests, and analyze test results to improve software quality.
Automated Testing (Mentioned in 1.76% Job Postings): Test automation is the use of software to control the execution of tests and the comparison of predicted to actual outcomes.
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 Software Quality Engineer's salary.
Java: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Software Development: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Principal Software Quality Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Principal Software Quality Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 110% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average.
In contrast, Principal Software Quality Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Principal Software Quality Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Principal Software Quality Engineer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$111,362
$54.0
50%
Pharmaceuticals
$92,801
$45.0
25%
Financial Services
$89,089
$43.0
20%
Energy & Utilities
$85,377
$41.0
15%
Biotechnology
$81,665
$39.0
10%
How Education impacts a Principal Software Quality Engineer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Principal Software Quality Engineers enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Principal Software Quality Engineer with a No Diploma is between
$62,150
and $66,214).
Principal Software Quality Engineer Salaries by Degree Level
$71,500
$70,200
$68,900
$67,500
$66,200
$64,900
$63,500
$62,200
No Diploma
High School
Associates
Bachelors
Masters
Doctorate
Typical Education for Principal Software Quality Engineer
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
3.0%
High School
5.2%
Associates
11.2%
Bachelors
56.7%
Masters
23.9%
Doctorate
0.0%
Typical Education for Principal Software Quality Engineer
Principal Software Quality Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Principal Software Quality 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$68,486
Average$74,241/year
$79,211
$5,707
Average$6,187/month
$6,601
$1,317
Average$1,428/week
$1,523
$33
Average$36/hour
$38
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$79,211
$6,601
$1,523
$38
Average
$74,241
$6,187
$1,428
$36
25th Percentile
$68,486
$5,707
$1,317
$33
Salaries of Jobs related to Principal Software Quality Engineer
Senior Principal Software Engineer$172,306
Principal Software Development Engineer$169,315
Principal Embedded Software Engineer$159,821
Principal Supplier Quality Engineer$153,838
Principal Quality Engineer$148,673
Principal Software Engineer$132,163
Software Quality Assurance Engineer III$113,831
Software Quality Assurance Engineer II$93,896
Software Quality Assurance Engineer I$73,170
Software Quality Engineer$72,553
Principal Software Test Engineer$71,796
Salary Trends for Principal Software Quality Engineer
Salaries for a Principal Software Quality Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $71,891 in 2023
to around $70,956 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Principal Software Quality Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Principal Software Quality Engineer Over Time
$???
$71,891
$71,556
$70,956
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$71,891
2024
$71,556
2025
$70,956
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Principal Software Quality Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Principal Software Quality Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Principal Software Quality Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Principal Software Quality Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Principal Software Quality Engineer?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Principal Software Quality Engineer roles,
with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.
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.
