What does a principal engineer do?

A principal engineer sets technical direction across teams, drives architectural decisions, mentors senior engineers, and often represents the engineering organization in cross-functional strategy discussions.

What is the salary for a principal engineer?

Total compensation for principal engineer roles ranges from $200k to $350k+, including base salary, equity, and bonuses. FAANG and top startups pay at the upper end.

How do I become a principal engineer?

Build a track record of leading high-impact projects, develop deep expertise in a domain, contribute to org-wide technical strategy, and demonstrate influence beyond your immediate team.

9,620+ JobsUpdated May 16, 2026

Principal Engineer Jobs

Principal Engineer roles represent the top of the individual contributor or management ladder. These positions combine deep technical expertise with organizational influence, commanding $200k–$350k+ in total compensation at leading tech companies.

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Salary Range

$55k – $400k

Top Companies

Carvana, Okta, Inc., Curaleaf International, Walden Security, Asana, Stripe +30 more

Job Types

92% Full Time, 6% Contract, 2% Part Time

Top Locations

Belton, New York, New York, Washington, District of Columbia, Toronto, Ontario

Work Model

72% On-Site, 20% Remote, 8% Hybrid

Experience Levels

26% principal, 26% manager, 14% Staff

We found 9,620 principal engineer jobs currently hiring in locations including Belton, New York, New York, Washington, District of Columbia. Salaries range from $55k to $400k based on experience, location, and company size. Work arrangements include On-Site (72%), Remote (20%), Hybrid (8%). Top employers include Carvana, Okta, Inc., Curaleaf International and 33 other companies.

Companies Hiring for Principal Engineer Jobs

Carvana4 jobs

Okta, Inc.3 jobs

Curaleaf International3 jobs

Walden Security2 jobs

Asana2 jobs

Stripe2 jobs

+30 more companies hiring. Sign up to see all.

Career Path & Salary Progression

Lead

$55k–$65k

4 jobs

Staff

$279k–$400k

7 jobs

Director+

$60k–$269k

5 jobs

Latest Jobs Added

Senior/Principal Platform Engineer, ML Platform

Roblox

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Principal Engineer Jobs

Companies Hiring for Principal Engineer Jobs

Career Path & Salary Progression

Latest Jobs Added

Senior/Principal Platform Engineer, ML Platform

Automotive Line Lead

Director of Solutions Engineering

Line Lead, Post Production

Armed Security Officer - Columbia, SC

Vice President, Client Experience

Principal Delivery Success Manager

Senior Project Manager

Principal Delivery Success Manager

Senior Product Manager

State Inspection Technician

Lead Teacher - Devine School (1-year-old)

Head of Federal Government Affairs

Head of Data Analytics

Marketing - Project Manager

Staff Security Engineer, Defensive Cyber Engineering

Staff Software Engineer - Integration Team

Marketing Operations Program Manager, Sold Funnel

Vice President, Payer Contracting (Commercial)

Project Manager

Director, New Verticals Sales (Auto Loans)

Senior Product Manager, Pages

Director of Academics - SY 26-27

Staff Accountant

Digital Project Manager

Staff Full Stack Engineer - Support Products

NPI Program Manager

Partner Development Manager

Vice President, Client Experience

Partner Development Manager

Principal Support Engineer

Staff Data Engineer, Analytics

Senior Product Manager, Agent Context

Chief of Staff, Product

VP, Global Head of DTC

VP, Global Head of DTC

Strategy & Operations Principal

Support Operations Team Lead

Staff AI Data Scientist

Systems Engineer (Expert) Job #723

Business Development Manager – AI/Cloud Solutions on AWS (FinTech, Insurance,

Vice President, Enterprise Sales - ESP/CDP

Business Development Manager – AI/Cloud Solutions on AWS (FinTech, Insurance,

Lead Store Associate

Lead Store Associate

Master Automotive and Diagnostic Tech - ,000 - ,000 Bonus

Head of People Operations

Patrolling Security Officer

SVP, Human Resources

Assistant Childcare Teacher

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