Principal developer demographics and statistics in the US
Principal developer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates principal developer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our principal developer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about principal developers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 71,187 principal developers currently employed in the United States.
- 19.7% of all principal developers are women, while 80.3% are men.
- The average principal developer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of principal developers is White (52.2%), followed by Asian (29.8%), Hispanic or Latino (8.4%) and Unknown (4.9%).
- Principal developers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for principal developers.
- 8% of all principal developers are LGBT.
On this page
Principal developer demographics by:
Principal developer gender statistics
19.7% of principal developers are women and 80.3% of principal developers are men.
- Male, 80.3%
- Female, 19.7%
Principal developer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.3% |
| Female | 19.7% |
Principal developer gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$123,999
Female income
$116,618
Principal developer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in principal developer positions over time. Currently, 19.7% of principal developers are female.
Principal developer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.73% | 22.27% |
| 2011 | 77.49% | 22.51% |
| 2012 | 78.83% | 21.17% |
| 2013 | 78.73% | 21.27% |
| 2014 | 79.79% | 20.21% |
| 2015 | 79.51% | 20.49% |
| 2016 | 81.02% | 18.98% |
| 2017 | 80.50% | 19.50% |
| 2018 | 80.54% | 19.46% |
| 2019 | 80.28% | 19.72% |
| 2020 | 80.22% | 19.78% |
| 2021 | 80.33% | 19.67% |
Principal developer related jobs gender ratio
We compared principal developers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dell certified systems expert and software applications architect have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Informatics Nurse Specialist | 13% | 87% |
| Clinical Support Specialist | 22% | 78% |
| Clinic Administrator | 23% | 77% |
| Principal Developer | 80% | 20% |
| Senior Data Center Engineer | 98% | 2% |
| Software Applications Architect | 98% | 2% |
| Dell Certified Systems Expert | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Principal developer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among principal developers is White, which makes up 52.2% of all principal developers. Comparatively, 29.8% of principal developers are Asian and 8.4% of principal developers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 52.2%
- Asian, 29.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.4%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- Black or African American, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Principal developer race
| Principal developer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 52.2% |
| Asian | 29.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| Black or African American | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Principal developer race and ethnicity over time
See how principal developer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Principal developer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 60.28% | 5.71% | 25.55% | 5.93% |
| 2011 | 60.75% | 5.94% | 25.05% | 5.64% |
| 2012 | 59.66% | 5.48% | 26.43% | 6.08% |
| 2013 | 60.05% | 5.00% | 26.25% | 5.89% |
| 2014 | 58.93% | 5.51% | 26.90% | 6.02% |
| 2015 | 58.10% | 5.32% | 27.02% | 6.60% |
| 2016 | 57.60% | 5.31% | 27.73% | 6.60% |
| 2017 | 56.18% | 5.19% | 28.28% | 6.96% |
| 2018 | 56.83% | 5.04% | 27.51% | 7.57% |
| 2019 | 55.99% | 5.13% | 28.70% | 7.20% |
| 2020 | 54.20% | 4.88% | 28.46% | 8.01% |
| 2021 | 52.18% | 4.63% | 29.77% | 8.40% |
Principal developer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian principal developers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american principal developers have the lowest average salary at $119,630.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $124,840 |
| White | $124,472 |
| Black or African American | $119,630 |
| Asian | $130,077 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $121,235 |
Average principal developer age
See how the average age of principal developers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Principal developer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 37 | 46 |
| Unknown | 37 | 34 |
| Asian | 38 | 37 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 34 |
| White | 39 | 40 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41 |
Principal developer age breakdown
The average age of principal developers is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the principal developer population.
Principal developer age breakdown
| Principal Developer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 36% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Principal developer educational attainment
The most common degree for principal developers is bachelor's degree, with 70% of principal developers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 23% and master's degree degree at 3%.
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 23%
- Associate, 3%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Principal developers by degree level
| Principal developer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Master's | 23% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Doctorate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Principal developer jobs you might like
Principal developer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, principal developers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $144,580 annually. With a Master's degree, principal developers earn a median annual income of $134,525 compared to $124,515 for principal developers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $134,525 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $124,515 |
| Doctorate Degree | $144,580 |
Principal developer employment statistics
Most principal developers work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where principal developers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where principal developers work.
Principal developer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 36% |
Principal developer jobs by company type
Employees with the principal developer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most principal developers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Principal developer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 44% |
| Private | 50% |
| Government | 1% |
Principal developer jobs by industry
The most common industries for principal developers are technology, professional and manufacturing.
Principal developer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 21% |
| Fortune 500 | 15% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Telecommunication | 5% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Principal developer turnover and employment statistics
Principal developer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for principal developers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Principal developer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Principal developer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.56% |
| 2011 | 3.25% |
| 2012 | 2.64% |
| 2013 | 2.67% |
| 2014 | 2.07% |
| 2015 | 2.26% |
| 2016 | 2.33% |
| 2017 | 2.17% |
| 2018 | 1.80% |
| 2019 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | 2.40% |
| 2021 | 2.07% |
Average principal developer tenure
The average principal developer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 907 principal developers resumes in Zippia's database.
Principal developer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 9% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 19% |
Principal developer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of principal developers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Communications Engineer | 7.31% | 48,258 |
| Scientific Programmer Analyst | 8.42% | 15,524 |
| Principal Developer | 8.46% | - |
| Security Systems Specialist | 8.59% | 117,676 |
| Lan/Wan Engineer | 9.03% | 53,143 |
| Chief Software Architect | 10.54% | 281,099 |
| Technology Services Specialist | 10.88% | 171,044 |
Similar principal developer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Communications Engineer | 7.31% | 48,258 |
| Scientific Programmer Analyst | 8.42% | 15,524 |
| Security Systems Specialist | 8.59% | 117,676 |
| Lan/Wan Engineer | 9.03% | 53,143 |
| Chief Software Architect | 10.54% | 281,099 |
| Technology Services Specialist | 10.88% | 171,044 |
Foreign languages spoken by principal developers
The most common foreign language among principal developers is Spanish at 25.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 11.4% and German is the third-most popular at 8.6%.
- Spanish, 25.7%
- Chinese, 11.4%
- German, 8.6%
- French, 8.6%
- Italian, 8.6%
- Other, 37.1%
Principal developer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 25.7% |
| Chinese | 11.4% |
| German | 8.6% |
| French | 8.6% |
| Italian | 8.6% |
| Other | 37.1% |
