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.

11,763+ JobsUpdated Jun 4, 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

$67k – $230k

Top Companies

CSL, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Spiria, Marid Industries Ltd, ECS, Redbrick Technologies Inc +37 more

Job Types

94% Full Time, 6% Contract

Top Locations

Washington, CA, Arlington, Montreal

Work Model

92% On-Site, 8% Hybrid

Experience Levels

22% Staff, 22% principal, 20% Director+

We found 11,763 principal engineer jobs currently hiring in locations including Washington, CA, Arlington. Salaries range from $67k to $230k based on experience, location, and company size. Work arrangements include On-Site (92%), Hybrid (8%). Top employers include CSL, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Spiria and 40 other companies.

Companies Hiring for Principal Engineer Jobs

CSL6 jobs

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority2 jobs

Spiria2 jobs

Marid Industries Ltd1 job

ECS1 job

Redbrick Technologies Inc1 job

+37 more companies hiring. Sign up to see all.

Career Path & Salary Progression

Lead

Salary varies

7 jobs

Staff

$87k–$175k

11 jobs

Director+

$130k–$150k

10 jobs

Latest Jobs Added

Director External Partnerships & Technology Transfer

CSL

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Principal Engineer Jobs

Companies Hiring for Principal Engineer Jobs

Career Path & Salary Progression

Latest Jobs Added

Director External Partnerships & Technology Transfer

Director External Partnerships & Technology Transfer

Director External Partnerships & Technology Transfer

Production Manager - Production Manager, Metal Fabrication Shop

Training Support Manager - SME

Staff Reporter

Creative Director

Construction Project Manager (Energy Services-Mechanical and HVAC)

Principal Product Designer (Canada OR EMEA)

Cyber Policy Analyst

VP of Government Relations, Aerospace Autonomy Growth

Petroleum Engineering

Insurance & Investment Team Lead

Creative Team Lead for Performance Marketing Agency

National Director of Operations

Firefighter II- EMT Trainee ( ,000 Sign-on-Bonus) Written Exam & WPE Scheduled

Staff Officer II - Regional Policy and Operational Support Staff with Security

Director of Finance & Accounting (F&A)

Business Development Manager

Sales Business Development Manager

Infrastructure Project Manager

Senior Staff Environmental Engineer or Scientist

MLRO/ Head of Compliance

Associate Director, Data Science & AI

Director External Partnerships & Technology Transfer

Director External Partnerships & Technology Transfer

Arts and Culture Board Volunteer

Global Investigations & Law Enforcement Fellow

Senior Principal- Public Affairs

Job Opportunity for Digital Services Technical Manager with our with Security

Warehouse Picker Order Selector

Director, Large-Scale Manufacturing

Project Manager, GEMS, NA Startup

Director of Data Partnerships

Vice President of Finances

Lead Software Developer

Manager, Construction

Lead Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer

Product Manager, Risk Tech - Claims

Director of Government Relations

AVP: Manager - Financial Planning & Analysis

Lead Software Engineer, Back End

AWS Principal Enterprise Account Manager, Travel & Hospitality

Project Manager & Lead Instructional Designer

Data Network Engineer, TS/SCI and Poly

Lead Platform Engineer (DevOps & MLOps)

Firefighter II- EMT Trainee ( ,000 Sign-on-Bonus) Written Exam & WPE Scheduled

Lead Product Marketing Manager

Staff Accountant

Temporary Talent Acquisition Specialist

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