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Best states for a principle software engineer
Quoted expert
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for principle software engineers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for principle software engineer jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for principle software engineers -- where there are plenty of principle software engineer jobs to go around and principle software engineers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for principle software engineers.California is the best state, and Eureka is the city with the highest pay for principle software engineers.
10 best states for principle software engineers in 2025
1. California
Total principle software engineer jobs: 18,536 Average annual salary: $158,987 Lowest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $214,000 Location Quotient: 1.852. Washington
Total principle software engineer jobs: 5,052 Average annual salary: $150,976 Lowest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $207,000 Location Quotient: 2.023. Oregon
Total principle software engineer jobs: 2,217 Average annual salary: $150,838 Lowest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $206,000 Location Quotient: 1.564. Vermont
Total principle software engineer jobs: 344 Average annual salary: $130,915 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $168,000 Location Quotient: 1.315. Utah
Total principle software engineer jobs: 1,472 Average annual salary: $125,448 Lowest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location Quotient: 1.356. Nevada
Total principle software engineer jobs: 555 Average annual salary: $141,252 Lowest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $192,000 Location Quotient: 0.787. Indiana
Total principle software engineer jobs: 1,728 Average annual salary: $130,545 Lowest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location Quotient: 0.778. Alaska
Total principle software engineer jobs: 204 Average annual salary: $139,827 Lowest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000 Location Quotient: 0.719. District of Columbia
Total principle software engineer jobs: 1,010 Average annual salary: $136,439 Lowest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location Quotient: 1.7610. Connecticut
Total principle software engineer jobs: 1,036 Average annual salary: $130,888 Lowest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
Principle software engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a principle software engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a principle software engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $158,987 | $117,000 | 39,536,653 | 18,536 |
| 2 | Washington | $150,976 | $109,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,052 |
| 3 | Oregon | $150,838 | $110,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,217 |
| 4 | Vermont | $130,915 | $101,000 | 623,657 | 344 |
| 5 | Utah | $125,448 | $91,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,472 |
| 6 | Nevada | $141,252 | $103,000 | 2,998,039 | 555 |
| 7 | Indiana | $130,545 | $100,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,728 |
| 8 | Alaska | $139,827 | $108,000 | 739,795 | 204 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $136,439 | $104,000 | 693,972 | 1,010 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $130,888 | $100,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,036 |
| 11 | Idaho | $123,412 | $89,000 | 1,716,943 | 549 |
| 12 | Montana | $121,655 | $89,000 | 1,050,493 | 427 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $119,817 | $92,000 | 1,059,639 | 508 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $120,146 | $92,000 | 1,342,795 | 585 |
| 15 | Delaware | $119,545 | $91,000 | 961,939 | 578 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $122,646 | $93,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,700 |
| 17 | Texas | $119,467 | $90,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,098 |
| 18 | Arizona | $116,954 | $86,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,835 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $121,096 | $92,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,832 |
| 20 | New York | $120,859 | $92,000 | 19,849,399 | 4,578 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $118,143 | $87,000 | 2,088,070 | 492 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $111,933 | $82,000 | 579,315 | 222 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $115,118 | $88,000 | 6,859,819 | 4,246 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $116,362 | $88,000 | 869,666 | 207 |
| 25 | Illinois | $115,963 | $88,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,666 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $111,831 | $85,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,971 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $124,796 | $99,000 | 1,427,538 | 215 |
| 28 | Virginia | $111,086 | $84,000 | 8,470,020 | 4,529 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $112,126 | $85,000 | 1,815,857 | 262 |
| 30 | Colorado | $111,735 | $83,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,532 |
| 31 | Maryland | $111,400 | $85,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,837 |
| 32 | Michigan | $109,290 | $83,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,972 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $107,861 | $82,000 | 1,920,076 | 601 |
| 34 | Maine | $108,670 | $84,000 | 1,335,907 | 339 |
| 35 | Georgia | $107,359 | $82,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,823 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $107,842 | $82,000 | 2,984,100 | 270 |
| 37 | Missouri | $107,915 | $82,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,299 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $108,096 | $81,000 | 3,930,864 | 402 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $107,935 | $83,000 | 5,024,369 | 573 |
| 40 | Florida | $107,667 | $82,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,622 |
| 41 | Iowa | $105,052 | $80,000 | 3,145,711 | 773 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $102,526 | $79,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,157 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $101,132 | $78,000 | 755,393 | 251 |
| 44 | Ohio | $102,393 | $78,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,069 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $102,805 | $79,000 | 6,715,984 | 829 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $102,530 | $78,000 | 4,454,189 | 670 |
| 47 | Alabama | $100,327 | $76,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,033 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $94,655 | $72,000 | 3,004,279 | 686 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $98,804 | $75,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,145 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $100,028 | $76,000 | 4,684,333 | 524 |
| 51 | Kansas | $94,282 | $71,000 | 2,913,123 | 736 |
Highest paying states for principle software engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Principle Software Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $158,987 |
| 2 | Washington | $150,976 |
| 3 | Oregon | $150,838 |
| 4 | Vermont | $130,915 |
| 5 | Utah | $125,448 |
| 6 | Nevada | $141,252 |
| 7 | Indiana | $130,545 |
| 8 | Alaska | $139,827 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $136,439 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $130,888 |
| 11 | Idaho | $123,412 |
| 12 | Montana | $121,655 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $119,817 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $120,146 |
| 15 | Delaware | $119,545 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $122,646 |
| 17 | Texas | $119,467 |
| 18 | Arizona | $116,954 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $121,096 |
| 20 | New York | $120,859 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $118,143 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $111,933 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $115,118 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $116,362 |
| 25 | Illinois | $115,963 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $111,831 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $124,796 |
| 28 | Virginia | $111,086 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $112,126 |
| 30 | Colorado | $111,735 |
| 31 | Maryland | $111,400 |
| 32 | Michigan | $109,290 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $107,861 |
| 34 | Maine | $108,670 |
| 35 | Georgia | $107,359 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $107,842 |
| 37 | Missouri | $107,915 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $108,096 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $107,935 |
| 40 | Florida | $107,667 |
| 41 | Iowa | $105,052 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $102,526 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $101,132 |
| 44 | Ohio | $102,393 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $102,805 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $102,530 |
| 47 | Alabama | $100,327 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $94,655 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $98,804 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $100,028 |
| 51 | Kansas | $94,282 |
Expert opinions on the best states for principle software engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for principle software engineers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
Associate Professor of Engineering, John Brown University
Due to COVID-19, people have more choices on location as more companies allow their employees to work remotely.
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Updated January 8, 2025