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This question is about principal engineer.
It takes between 12 to 20 years to become a principal engineer at Google. The time it takes largely comes down to your educational background and previous work experience.
A principal engineer at Google is considered a level 8 position. An entry-level engineer starts at level 3 or level 4.
A freshly graduated engineer with a bachelor's degree would usually begin at level 3, whereas a graduate with a master's degree may start out at level 4. It takes between two to four years for the average Google engineer to be promoted to each level.
Example of the various levels at Google leading up to principal engineer:
L8, Principal Engineer at Google, is in fact at par with Distinguished Engineer at Amazon or Distinguished Engineer(DE) at Microsoft.
L7, Senior Engineer: join from similar companies + get promoted one level
L6, Staff Engineer: join from similar companies + get promoted two levels
L5, Senior Software Developer: join from similar company + get promoted three levels
L4, Software Engineer III: fresh out of grad school or with some experience + get promoted four levels
L3, Software Engineer II: fresh out of undergrad + get promoted five levels

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