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Principal consulting engineer salary
Average principal consulting engineer salary
$118,866
Average Principal Consulting Engineer Salary
The average salary for a Principal Consulting Engineer in the United States stands at $118,866 annually. This figure may vary based on geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For example, engineers in states like California and Texas may see higher compensation due to the demand for specialized skills in tech and engineering sectors.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with extensive experience can command significantly higher salaries. Typically, professionals with over ten years in the field can expect salaries exceeding $130,000. Those considering a career shift into this role should focus on gaining relevant experience in both engineering and consulting.
Opportunities for Growth
With the growing demand for technical consultants, there are numerous opportunities for advancement. Many Principal Consulting Engineers transition into senior management roles or specialized consulting positions, further enhancing their earning potential. To stay competitive, continuous education and networking within the industry are essential.
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Where can a Principal Consulting Engineer earn more?
Principal consulting engineer salaries by experience level
Principal consulting engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average principal consulting engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for principal consulting engineers are California, Washington, and Nevada. The lowest average principal consulting engineer salary states are Ohio, Iowa, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal consulting engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $124,453 | $59.83 |
| 2 | California | $129,749 | $62.38 |
| 3 | Nevada | $122,417 | $58.85 |
| 4 | Oregon | $113,960 | $54.79 |
| 5 | Florida | $114,908 | $55.24 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $120,985 | $58.17 |
| 7 | Texas | $112,658 | $54.16 |
| 8 | New York | $119,612 | $57.51 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $114,018 | $54.82 |
| 10 | Illinois | $109,805 | $52.79 |
| 11 | Arizona | $105,682 | $50.81 |
| 12 | Maryland | $112,595 | $54.13 |
| 13 | Georgia | $110,824 | $53.28 |
| 14 | Alaska | $113,635 | $54.63 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $113,197 | $54.42 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $101,156 | $48.63 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $109,833 | $52.80 |
| 18 | Idaho | $102,032 | $49.05 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $103,275 | $49.65 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $109,740 | $52.76 |
| 21 | Virginia | $101,884 | $48.98 |
| 22 | Colorado | $100,817 | $48.47 |
| 23 | Alabama | $99,359 | $47.77 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $96,667 | $46.47 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $106,813 | $51.35 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $99,430 | $47.80 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $97,948 | $47.09 |
| 28 | Delaware | $96,303 | $46.30 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $95,068 | $45.71 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $97,372 | $46.81 |
| 31 | Michigan | $96,466 | $46.38 |
| 32 | Maine | $98,337 | $47.28 |
| 33 | Utah | $93,711 | $45.05 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $96,575 | $46.43 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $91,225 | $43.86 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $88,950 | $42.76 |
| 37 | Vermont | $89,229 | $42.90 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $90,919 | $43.71 |
| 39 | Kansas | $91,169 | $43.83 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $93,046 | $44.73 |
| 41 | Indiana | $89,176 | $42.87 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $89,139 | $42.86 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $88,592 | $42.59 |
| 44 | Montana | $85,189 | $40.96 |
| 45 | Ohio | $87,036 | $41.84 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $88,176 | $42.39 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $83,858 | $40.32 |
| 48 | Missouri | $88,343 | $42.47 |
| 49 | Iowa | $87,010 | $41.83 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $77,057 | $37.05 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $83,923 | $40.35 |
Highest paying cities for principal consulting engineers
The highest-paying cities for principal consulting engineers are San Francisco, CA, Carson City, NV, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $138,017 | $66.35 |
| 2 | Carson City, NV | $128,636 | $61.84 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $125,330 | $60.25 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $121,073 | $58.21 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $119,827 | $57.61 |
| 6 | Temple Terrace, FL | $115,754 | $55.65 |
| 7 | Milford, MA | $113,299 | $54.47 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $113,141 | $54.39 |
| 9 | Annapolis, MD | $112,836 | $54.25 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $110,419 | $53.09 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $110,120 | $52.94 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge, LA | $109,917 | $52.84 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $105,831 | $50.88 |
| 14 | Charleston, WV | $102,952 | $49.50 |
| 15 | Alexandria, VA | $102,078 | $49.08 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $100,671 | $48.40 |
| 17 | Chattanooga, TN | $100,382 | $48.26 |
| 18 | Concord, NH | $96,403 | $46.35 |
| 19 | Bartlesville, OK | $94,648 | $45.50 |
| 20 | Salt Lake City, UT | $93,185 | $44.80 |
Principal consulting engineer salary details
A principal consulting engineer's salary ranges from $91,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $154,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal consulting engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $154,000 | $12,833 | $74 |
| 75th Percentile | $136,000 | $11,333 | $65 |
| Average | $118,866 | $9,906 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
Highest paying principal consulting engineer jobs
The highest paying types of principal consulting engineers are senior principal engineer, principal engineer, and contracting engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Chief Engineer | $108,050 | $9,004 | $51.95 | 88,473 |
| Team Lead Engineer | $114,867 | $9,572 | $55.22 | 235,155 |
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
| Tool Engineer | $101,135 | $8,428 | $48.62 | 98,936 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for principal consulting engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang
Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Top companies hiring principal consulting engineers now:
Which companies pay principal consulting engineers the most?
Principal consulting engineer salaries at Palo Alto Networks and Slalom are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal consulting engineer salary at companies like Waters and Autodesk are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Alto Networks | $143,799 | $69.13 |
| 2 | Slalom | $133,863 | $64.36 |
| 3 | Waters | $129,249 | $62.14 |
| 4 | Autodesk | $128,310 | $61.69 |
| 5 | ICONMA | $127,479 | $61.29 |
| 6 | Nokia | $125,845 | $60.50 |
| 7 | Optiv | $125,272 | $60.23 |
| 8 | Alcatel Networks Inc | $125,272 | $60.23 |
| 9 | EMA | $123,978 | $59.60 |
| 10 | AT&T | $121,718 | $58.52 |
| 11 | Bellsouth Telecommunications Inc | $120,461 | $57.91 |
| 12 | TA Instruments | $119,731 | $57.56 |
| 13 | TEKsystems | $118,080 | $56.77 |
| 14 | Boehringer Ingelheim | $118,038 | $56.75 |
| 15 | Elastic | $116,139 | $55.84 |
| 16 | General Electric | $113,234 | $54.44 |
| 17 | ERM | $113,227 | $54.44 |
| 18 | FICO | $111,692 | $53.70 |
| 19 | Enterprise Integration | $110,615 | $53.18 |
| 20 | VIVA USA | $106,564 | $51.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal Consulting Engineer salary by industry
The average principal consulting engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average principal consulting engineer salary in the manufacturing industry is $141,803, the highest of any industry.
- The average principal consulting engineer salary in the finance industry is $121,124.
- Principal consulting engineers in the finance industry earn an average salary of $95,908, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for principal consulting engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $141,803 | $68.17 |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $121,124 | $58.23 |
| 3 | Technology | $109,358 | $52.58 |
| 4 | Professional | $108,453 | $52.14 |
| 5 | Finance | $95,908 | $46.11 |
High paying principal consulting engineer jobs
Principal consulting engineer salary trends
The average principal consulting engineer salary has risen by $14,410 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal consulting engineer earned $104,456 annually, but today, they earn $118,866 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for principal consulting engineers over the last decade.
Compare principal consulting engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal consulting engineer salary over time
Compare principal consulting engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal consulting engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $119,000 | $57.15 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $117,000 | $56.05 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $55.38 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $113,000 | $54.43 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $111,000 | $53.36 | +0.7% |
Recently added principal consulting engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Atlanta, GA | 06/30/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Washington, DC | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Indianapolis, IN | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Overland Park, KS | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Charlotte, NC | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Richmond, VA | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Philadelphia, PA | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Nashville, TN | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Saint Louis, MO | 06/18/2025 | $120,963 |
| Braun Intertec Corporation | Principal Consultant-Geotechnical Engineering | Lenexa, KS | 06/13/2025 | $118,500 |
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