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Principal electrical engineer salary
Average principal electrical engineer salary
$121,822
Average Principal Electrical Engineer Salary
The average salary for a Principal Electrical Engineer in the United States stands at $121,822 annually. This figure varies based on experience, location, and industry sector. Entry-level positions may start around $90,000, while seasoned professionals can expect upwards of $150,000. States like California, Texas, and New York often feature higher salaries due to the demand for engineering talent.
Career Opportunities
Principal Electrical Engineers are needed in sectors such as renewable energy, telecommunications, and automotive. Their responsibilities typically include leading design projects, overseeing engineering teams, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Additionally, continuing education and certifications can enhance earning potential and job prospects.
Salary Insights by Experience Level
Understanding salary trajectories can help you plan your career. For example, engineers with 1-4 years of experience average around $100,000, while those with over 10 years can earn significantly more, depending on their specialization and the complexity of projects managed.
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Where can a Principal Electrical Engineer earn more?
Principal electrical engineer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level principal electrical engineer | $81,200 | $39.06 |
| Mid-level principal electrical engineer | $129,000 | $62.26 |
| Senior-level principal electrical engineer | $191,000 | $92.06 |
Principal electrical engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average principal electrical engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for principal electrical engineers are California, Washington, and New Jersey. The lowest average principal electrical engineer salary states are Mississippi, Tennessee, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal electrical engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $146,292 | $70.33 |
| 2 | Washington | $142,083 | $68.31 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $132,924 | $63.91 |
| 4 | Idaho | $124,104 | $59.67 |
| 5 | Alaska | $137,059 | $65.89 |
| 6 | Maryland | $127,675 | $61.38 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $129,513 | $62.27 |
| 8 | Texas | $118,383 | $56.91 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $131,172 | $63.06 |
| 10 | Vermont | $127,752 | $61.42 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $141,031 | $67.80 |
| 12 | Alabama | $117,902 | $56.68 |
| 13 | Florida | $118,528 | $56.98 |
| 14 | Delaware | $119,969 | $57.68 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $124,790 | $60.00 |
| 16 | Oregon | $113,955 | $54.79 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $112,280 | $53.98 |
| 18 | Illinois | $114,930 | $55.25 |
| 19 | Nevada | $111,355 | $53.54 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $107,719 | $51.79 |
| 21 | Missouri | $115,137 | $55.35 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $129,136 | $62.08 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $115,522 | $55.54 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $112,495 | $54.08 |
| 25 | Indiana | $110,855 | $53.30 |
| 26 | Michigan | $109,168 | $52.48 |
| 27 | Virginia | $109,125 | $52.46 |
| 28 | Maine | $112,040 | $53.87 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $108,583 | $52.20 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $105,283 | $50.62 |
| 31 | Colorado | $105,821 | $50.88 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $107,311 | $51.59 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $103,782 | $49.90 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $110,516 | $53.13 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $105,013 | $50.49 |
| 36 | Arizona | $102,962 | $49.50 |
| 37 | Georgia | $105,513 | $50.73 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $103,189 | $49.61 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $105,935 | $50.93 |
| 40 | Kansas | $103,985 | $49.99 |
| 41 | Iowa | $104,395 | $50.19 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $102,657 | $49.35 |
| 43 | New York | $99,423 | $47.80 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $102,994 | $49.52 |
| 45 | Montana | $95,006 | $45.68 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $99,297 | $47.74 |
| 47 | Utah | $95,780 | $46.05 |
| 48 | Ohio | $95,450 | $45.89 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $97,288 | $46.77 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $98,943 | $47.57 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $95,257 | $45.80 |
Highest paying cities for principal electrical engineers
The highest-paying cities for principal electrical engineers are Redwood City, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $154,671 | $74.36 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $142,676 | $68.59 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $131,226 | $63.09 |
| 4 | Milford, MA | $129,576 | $62.30 |
| 5 | Jupiter, FL | $119,381 | $57.39 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $118,800 | $57.12 |
| 7 | Huntsville, AL | $116,803 | $56.16 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $115,309 | $55.44 |
| 9 | McLean, VA | $110,128 | $52.95 |
| 10 | Ann Arbor, MI | $109,082 | $52.44 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $108,601 | $52.21 |
| 12 | Broomfield, CO | $105,842 | $50.89 |
| 13 | Nashua, NH | $105,529 | $50.74 |
| 14 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $104,862 | $50.41 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,220 | $49.63 |
| 16 | Cranberry, PA | $102,585 | $49.32 |
| 17 | Clearfield, UT | $95,569 | $45.95 |
Principal electrical engineer salary details
A principal electrical engineer's salary ranges from $93,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $159,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal electrical engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $159,000 | $13,250 | $76 |
| 75th Percentile | $140,000 | $11,667 | $67 |
| Average | $121,822 | $10,152 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $105,000 | $8,750 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
Highest paying principal electrical engineer jobs
The highest paying types of principal electrical engineers are senior staff engineer, senior principal engineer, and principal engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Design Engineer | $107,704 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 113,582 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Contracting Engineer | $122,620 | $10,218 | $58.95 | 115,631 |
| Field Engineer | $71,874 | $5,989 | $34.55 | 86,015 |
| Hardware Engineer | $104,912 | $8,743 | $50.44 | 53,213 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for principal electrical engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring principal electrical engineers now:
Which companies pay principal electrical engineers the most?
Principal electrical engineer salaries at Microsoft and PacBio are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal electrical engineer salary at companies like Silicon Valley Power and Waters are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $147,617 | $70.97 |
| 2 | PacBio | $137,916 | $66.31 |
| 3 | Silicon Valley Power | $137,016 | $65.87 |
| 4 | Waters | $135,020 | $64.91 |
| 5 | Oshkosh | $131,116 | $63.04 |
| 6 | Skyworks Solutions | $130,602 | $62.79 |
| 7 | Renesas Electronics | $127,835 | $61.46 |
| 8 | Cirrus Aircraft | $127,209 | $61.16 |
| 9 | Dell | $124,937 | $60.07 |
| 10 | Goodwin Recruiting | $124,147 | $59.69 |
| 11 | Moderna | $124,126 | $59.68 |
| 12 | Bl Companies | $123,948 | $59.59 |
| 13 | MSA | $123,756 | $59.50 |
| 14 | NEXTAFF | $123,485 | $59.37 |
| 15 | QinetiQ North America | $123,448 | $59.35 |
| 16 | Ember Technologies | $123,184 | $59.22 |
| 17 | Bloom Energy | $122,843 | $59.06 |
| 18 | TRW Automotive Holdings | $122,139 | $58.72 |
| 19 | Teleflex | $122,112 | $58.71 |
| 20 | Apollo Professional Solutions | $121,992 | $58.65 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal Electrical Engineer salary by industry
The average principal electrical engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average principal electrical engineer salary in the technology industry is $119,245, the highest of any industry.
- The average principal electrical engineer salary in the finance industry is $119,082.
- Principal electrical engineers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $113,745, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for principal electrical engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $119,245 | $57.33 |
| 2 | Health Care | $119,082 | $57.25 |
| 3 | Professional | $114,791 | $55.19 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $113,745 | $54.69 |
High paying principal electrical engineer jobs
Principal electrical engineer salary trends
The average principal electrical engineer salary has risen by $18,014 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal electrical engineer earned $103,808 annually, but today, they earn $121,822 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for principal electrical engineers over the last decade.
Compare principal electrical engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal electrical engineer salary over time
Compare principal electrical engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal electrical engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $122,000 | $58.57 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $119,000 | $57.23 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $117,000 | $56.13 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $115,000 | $55.22 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $114,000 | $54.72 | +1.3% |
Recently added principal electrical engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrodyne TDI | Principal Electrical Engineer | Hackettstown, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $130,000 |
| Northrop Grumman | Sentinel-Electrical Engineer/Principal Electrical Engineer | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/28/2025 | $100,300 |
| Northrop Grumman | Senior Principal Emi/Emc Electrical Engineer | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $84,900 |
| Beaconembedded | Principal Electrical Engineer | Eden Prairie, MN | 06/28/2025 | $130,000 |
| Gsk | Principal Electrical Engineer | Rockville, MD | 06/28/2025 | $132,825 |
| Dell | Electrical Principal Engineer (Embedded Power and Batteries) | Round Rock, TX | 06/27/2025 | $139,400 |
| GE Vernova | Principal Engineer-Electrical Power System Analytics (Remote Eligible, U.S.) | Cambridge, MA | 06/27/2025 | $128,000 |
| Msccn | Principal/SR. Principal Electrical Engineer-Warner | Warner Robins, GA | 06/27/2025 | $118,600 |
| AEP Service Corporation | Electrical Engineer Associate To Principal | New Albany, OH | 06/25/2025 | $112,869 |
| National Grid | Principal Engineer, Electrical Planning and Design Job Details | National Grid | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $179,000 |
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