Best cities for a principal design engineer
The best cities for principal design engineers are Austin, TX, Fort Worth, TX, and San Jose, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for principal design engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for principal design engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a principal design engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for principal design engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for principal design engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a principal design engineer. While the absolute best city for principal design engineers is Austin, TX, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for principal design engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a principal design engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for principal design engineers in 2025
1. Austin, TX
Total principal design engineer jobs: 78 Average annual salary: $143,967 Lowest 10 percent warn: $105,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location quotient: 7.36 2. Fort Worth, TX
Total principal design engineer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $143,061 Lowest 10 percent warn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 2.29 3. San Jose, CA
Total principal design engineer jobs: 25 Average annual salary: $168,224 Lowest 10 percent warn: $121,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $233,000 Location quotient: 25.02 4. Irvine, CA
Total principal design engineer jobs: 109 Average annual salary: $157,320 Lowest 10 percent warn: $113,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $218,000 Location quotient: 25.17 5. Long Beach, CA
Total principal design engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $157,964 Lowest 10 percent warn: $113,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $219,000 Location quotient: 5.16 6. Chandler, AZ
Total principal design engineer jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $126,604 Lowest 10 percent warn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $175,000 Location quotient: 29.24 7. Houston, TX
Total principal design engineer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $142,944 Lowest 10 percent warn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 0.45 8. Las Vegas, NV
Total principal design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $147,933 Lowest 10 percent warn: $105,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $206,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. North Las Vegas, NV
Total principal design engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $147,743 Lowest 10 percent warn: $105,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $206,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Sacramento, CA
Total principal design engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $167,425 Lowest 10 percent warn: $120,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $233,000 Location quotient: 0.91
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Best cities for principal design engineers
- Austin, TX
- Fort Worth, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Chandler, AZ
- Houston, TX
- Las Vegas, NV
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Sacramento, CA
- (78 principal design engineer jobs)
- (6 principal design engineer jobs)
- (25 principal design engineer jobs)
- (109 principal design engineer jobs)
- (5 principal design engineer jobs)
- (46 principal design engineer jobs)
- (8 principal design engineer jobs)
- (0 principal design engineer jobs)
- (0 principal design engineer jobs)
- (3 principal design engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a principal design engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin, TX | $143,967 | $105,000 | 947,890 | 78 |
| 2 | Fort Worth, TX | $143,061 | $104,000 | 854,113 | 6 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $168,224 | $121,000 | 1,025,350 | 25 |
| 4 | Irvine, CA | $157,320 | $113,000 | 266,122 | 109 |
| 5 | Long Beach, CA | $157,964 | $113,000 | 470,130 | 5 |
| 6 | Chandler, AZ | $126,604 | $91,000 | 247,477 | 46 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $142,944 | $104,000 | 2,303,482 | 8 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $147,933 | $105,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 9 | North Las Vegas, NV | $147,743 | $105,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA | $167,425 | $120,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 11 | Henderson, NV | $147,309 | $105,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 12 | Lubbock, TX | $145,363 | $105,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $155,264 | $111,000 | 1,406,630 | 66 |
| 14 | San Antonio, TX | $144,197 | $105,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 15 | Reno, NV | $154,099 | $110,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 16 | Laredo, TX | $143,811 | $105,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 17 | Dallas, TX | $142,700 | $104,000 | 1,317,929 | 3 |
| 18 | Corpus Christi, TX | $143,047 | $105,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 19 | El Paso, TX | $147,736 | $107,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 20 | Arlington, TX | $142,944 | $104,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $158,699 | $114,000 | 3,976,322 | 11 |
| 22 | Irving, TX | $142,739 | $104,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 23 | Garland, TX | $142,452 | $104,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 24 | Plano, TX | $142,377 | $104,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 25 | Albuquerque, NM | $132,560 | $95,000 | 559,277 | 1 |
| 26 | San Francisco, CA | $169,016 | $121,000 | 870,887 | 2 |
| 27 | Oakland, CA | $168,744 | $121,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 28 | Oklahoma City, OK | $129,283 | $95,000 | 638,367 | 1 |
| 29 | Nashville, TN | $116,912 | $87,000 | 660,388 | 3 |
| 30 | Greensboro, NC | $111,861 | $84,000 | 287,027 | 4 |
| 31 | Fremont, CA | $168,398 | $121,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 32 | Stockton, CA | $167,497 | $120,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 33 | Colorado Springs, CO | $125,758 | $91,000 | 465,101 | 10 |
| 34 | Tucson, AZ | $125,673 | $90,000 | 530,706 | 3 |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | $112,006 | $84,000 | 458,880 | 8 |
| 36 | Seattle, WA | $141,882 | $101,000 | 704,352 | 6 |
| 37 | Phoenix, AZ | $126,898 | $91,000 | 1,615,017 | 4 |
| 38 | Fresno, CA | $165,190 | $118,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 39 | Winston-Salem, NC | $111,832 | $84,000 | 242,203 | 1 |
| 40 | Washington, DC | $159,005 | $120,000 | 681,170 | 6 |
| 41 | Tulsa, OK | $127,498 | $94,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 42 | Bakersfield, CA | $161,935 | $116,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 43 | Anchorage, AK | $138,894 | $109,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 44 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $113,747 | $84,000 | 260,999 | 4 |
| 45 | Anaheim, CA | $157,765 | $113,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 46 | Santa Ana, CA | $157,551 | $113,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 47 | Glendale, AZ | $126,938 | $91,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 48 | Memphis, TN | $118,599 | $88,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 49 | Riverside, CA | $157,307 | $113,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 50 | Scottsdale, AZ | $126,822 | $91,000 | 246,645 | - |
Highest paying cities for principal design engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. principal design engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain View, CA | $168,570 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $143,967 |
| 3 | Bellevue, WA | $141,679 |
| 4 | Huntsville, AL | $132,922 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $126,898 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs, CO | $125,758 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $123,170 |
| 8 | Andover, MA | $123,076 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $121,695 |
| 10 | Manchester, NH | $118,988 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $118,834 |
| 12 | Orlando, FL | $113,111 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $112,117 |
| 14 | Greenville, SC | $106,138 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $104,541 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $102,648 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $96,593 |
| 18 | Waukesha, WI | $91,511 |
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Updated January 8, 2025