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 21, 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.

Get AI-Matched Jobs

Salary Range

$83k – $368k

Top Companies

Domino's, Capital One, Roku, Duolingo, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Spotify +36 more

Job Types

96% Full Time, 4% Contract

Top Locations

CA, Washington, McLean, Rockville

Work Model

80% On-Site, 12% Hybrid, 8% Remote

Experience Levels

36% manager, 22% Staff, 16% principal

We found 9,620 principal engineer jobs currently hiring in locations including CA, Washington, McLean. Salaries range from $83k to $368k based on experience, location, and company size. Work arrangements include On-Site (80%), Hybrid (12%), Remote (8%). Top employers include Domino's, Capital One, Roku and 39 other companies.

Companies Hiring for Principal Engineer Jobs

Domino's4 jobs

Capital One3 jobs

Roku2 jobs

Duolingo2 jobs

Acadia Pharmaceuticals2 jobs

Spotify1 job

+36 more companies hiring. Sign up to see all.

Career Path & Salary Progression

Lead

Salary varies

5 jobs

Staff

Salary varies

11 jobs

Director+

$294k–$368k

7 jobs

Latest Jobs Added

Director of Sales - Backstage

Spotify

Loading jobs…

Principal Engineer Jobs

Companies Hiring for Principal Engineer Jobs

Career Path & Salary Progression

Latest Jobs Added

Director of Sales - Backstage

Vice President, Fraud Prevention, Actimize

Onsite Position: Agile Technical Project Manager in Rockville, MD

Team Lead(02401) - 715 E Main St.

General Manager (04258) - 70 S Airport Dr, Highland Springs

General Manager(09376) - Competitive Salary - 1919 N. Main

Hygiene Insurance Services Leader/ Project Manager

Mining Product Manager

Technical Delivery Manager

Technical Program Manager, Voice

Senior / Staff Product Manager

Senior Software Engineering Manager, Ads Auction & Marketplace Optimization

Director – Preconstruction

Business Development Manager - North America

Lead Audio Operator

Senior Staff Accountant / Bookkeeper

Principal Manufacturing Engineer

Staff Pharmacist - Part Time

Project Manager - Mining & Tunneling

Construction and Facilities Project Manager

Lead Software Engineer, Back End (Java, AWS) (Enterprise Platforms Technology)

Concepteur pédagogique principal bilingue Bilingual Senior Instructional

Instructional Designer, Principal Associate Readiness & Associate Experience

Industrial Wastewater Program Lead - Oil, Gas and Chemicals Practice

Supervisory Program Analyst (Director of Inspections and Evaluations Division)

Municipal Engineer

Project Manager/Senior Civil Engineer, Mining

Project Manager - ALBERTA, CANADA

Director, Enterprise Risk Management Issues & Events at McLean, VA

Data Scientist Jobs

Project Manager I, Community Oncology Network

Director of Accounting / Corporate Controller

Enablement Project Manager, Professional Services

Integration & Automation Tech Lead

Director, Product Operations

Project Manager Commercial Roofing

Lead Producer

Senior Product Manager I – Enterprise Systems Data

Head of Growth Marketing

State Inspection Technician Post Production

Assistant Manager - FT Hours - 120 Westheimer Rd

Associate Project Manager (Remote)

Head of Influencers & Community

Head of Influencers & Community

Product Manager

Director, HCP Marketing - Rare Franchise

Principal Technical Lead, AI Robotics

Senior Staff Engineer, Performance Ad Formats

Staff Software Engineer - Query Execution

Director, Field Force Effectiveness - Rare Franchise

Frequently asked questions

Tools to Boost Your Job Search

People Also Search For

Browse Related Categories

Get AI-Matched Principal Engineer Jobs