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Principal network engineer salary
Average principal network engineer salary
$112,094
The role of a Principal Network Engineer is crucial in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of an organization's networking systems. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position stands at $112,094 per year. This figure may fluctuate based on several factors, including the engineer's level of experience, the industry, and geographic location.
For example, highly populated tech hubs like San Francisco and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. In contrast, areas with lower living costs may have reduced salary averages. The demand for network engineers continues to grow, especially with the rise of remote work and cloud technologies.
In addition to base salary, many principal network engineers receive bonuses and benefits that can further enhance their overall compensation package. Understanding the full compensation landscape, including potential career advancements and specialized roles, is vital for aspiring engineers. To navigate this field successfully, job seekers should consider not only salary estimates but also company culture, growth opportunities, and industry trends.
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Where can a Principal Network Engineer earn more?
Principal network engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average principal network engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for principal network engineers are California, Washington, and Idaho. The lowest average principal network engineer salary states are Kansas, Maine, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal network engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $139,177 | $66.91 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $123,396 | $59.33 |
| 3 | California | $142,261 | $68.39 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $122,844 | $59.06 |
| 5 | Oregon | $115,846 | $55.70 |
| 6 | Idaho | $132,650 | $63.77 |
| 7 | Nevada | $119,095 | $57.26 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $106,547 | $51.22 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $114,505 | $55.05 |
| 10 | Texas | $105,185 | $50.57 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $103,398 | $49.71 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $111,474 | $53.59 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $105,980 | $50.95 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $105,449 | $50.70 |
| 15 | Alaska | $104,819 | $50.39 |
| 16 | Arizona | $100,562 | $48.35 |
| 17 | New York | $109,898 | $52.84 |
| 18 | Delaware | $104,377 | $50.18 |
| 19 | Maryland | $103,744 | $49.88 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $106,770 | $51.33 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $99,475 | $47.82 |
| 22 | Georgia | $101,325 | $48.71 |
| 23 | Vermont | $96,849 | $46.56 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $98,815 | $47.51 |
| 25 | Florida | $97,927 | $47.08 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $95,870 | $46.09 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $95,446 | $45.89 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $98,542 | $47.38 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $96,995 | $46.63 |
| 30 | Utah | $95,509 | $45.92 |
| 31 | Virginia | $94,263 | $45.32 |
| 32 | Colorado | $94,727 | $45.54 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $95,209 | $45.77 |
| 34 | Illinois | $96,503 | $46.40 |
| 35 | Michigan | $95,340 | $45.84 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $93,774 | $45.08 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $93,353 | $44.88 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $92,792 | $44.61 |
| 39 | Iowa | $93,981 | $45.18 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $94,519 | $45.44 |
| 41 | Montana | $92,967 | $44.70 |
| 42 | Ohio | $91,950 | $44.21 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $92,592 | $44.52 |
| 44 | Missouri | $93,837 | $45.11 |
| 45 | Alabama | $90,029 | $43.28 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $91,765 | $44.12 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $89,792 | $43.17 |
| 48 | Kansas | $91,075 | $43.79 |
| 49 | Maine | $90,129 | $43.33 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $86,143 | $41.41 |
| 51 | Indiana | $83,305 | $40.05 |
Highest paying cities for principal network engineers
The highest-paying cities for principal network engineers are Sunnyvale, CA, Seattle, WA, and Carson City, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | $154,219 | $74.14 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $140,181 | $67.39 |
| 3 | Carson City, NV | $126,225 | $60.69 |
| 4 | Providence, RI | $123,388 | $59.32 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $122,990 | $59.13 |
| 6 | Salem, OR | $116,067 | $55.80 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $110,113 | $52.94 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $106,021 | $50.97 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $105,806 | $50.87 |
| 10 | Santa Fe, NM | $104,391 | $50.19 |
| 11 | Annapolis, MD | $104,094 | $50.05 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $101,137 | $48.62 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $100,818 | $48.47 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $98,828 | $47.51 |
| 15 | Columbia, SC | $98,665 | $47.44 |
| 16 | Jackson, MS | $97,453 | $46.85 |
| 17 | Raleigh, NC | $96,506 | $46.40 |
| 18 | Springfield, IL | $95,464 | $45.90 |
| 19 | Lincoln, NE | $95,180 | $45.76 |
| 20 | Lansing, MI | $95,134 | $45.74 |
Principal network engineer salary details
A principal network engineer's salary ranges from $86,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $145,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal network engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $145,000 | $12,083 | $70 |
| 75th Percentile | $128,000 | $10,667 | $62 |
| Average | $112,094 | $9,341 | $54 |
| 25th Percentile | $97,000 | $8,083 | $47 |
| 10th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
Highest paying principal network engineer jobs
The highest paying types of principal network engineers are principal systems engineer, principal engineer, and senior network engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Network Support Analyst | $83,921 | $6,993 | $40.35 | 118,825 |
| Network Operations Manager | $98,658 | $8,222 | $47.43 | 86,381 |
| Network Consultant | $89,303 | $7,442 | $42.93 | 58,194 |
| Computer Engineer | $96,805 | $8,067 | $46.54 | 126,709 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Systems Engineer | $82,834 | $6,903 | $39.82 | 145,936 |
Top companies hiring principal network engineers now:
Which companies pay principal network engineers the most?
Principal network engineer salaries at Walmart and Über are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal network engineer salary at companies like Amazon and Foundation Medicine are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walmart | $155,082 | $74.56 |
| 2 | Über | $149,228 | $71.74 |
| 3 | Amazon | $146,521 | $70.44 |
| 4 | Foundation Medicine | $144,060 | $69.26 |
| 5 | Zynga | $141,393 | $67.98 |
| 6 | Bloomberg | $141,374 | $67.97 |
| 7 | Intuit | $139,174 | $66.91 |
| 8 | Panasonic Avionics | $138,485 | $66.58 |
| 9 | Wayfair | $138,379 | $66.53 |
| 10 | Roblox | $137,316 | $66.02 |
| 11 | Ampere | $135,397 | $65.09 |
| 12 | Constant Contact | $135,153 | $64.98 |
| 13 | Yahoo | $133,560 | $64.21 |
| 14 | Fox News | $133,176 | $64.03 |
| 15 | Dell | $131,670 | $63.30 |
| 16 | Zillow Group | $130,081 | $62.54 |
| 17 | Target | $129,402 | $62.21 |
| 18 | CyberCoders | $129,281 | $62.15 |
| 19 | OCC | $126,430 | $60.78 |
| 20 | Edwards Lifesciences | $126,301 | $60.72 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal network engineer salary trends
The average principal network engineer salary has risen by $20,455 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal network engineer earned $91,639 annually, but today, they earn $112,094 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for principal network engineers over the last decade.
Compare principal network engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal network engineer salary over time
Compare principal network engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal network engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $112,000 | $53.89 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $108,000 | $52.12 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $106,000 | $50.94 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $105,000 | $50.35 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $103,000 | $49.48 | +2.4% |
Recently added principal network engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle | Principal Network Reliability Engineer-Circuit OPS (Optical) | Denver, CO | 06/29/2025 | $79,100 |
| Zuckerberg San Francisco General | Amended: Principal Network Engineer-Department of Technology (1044) | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $159,692 |
| SAIC (Science Applications Int | SR Principal Network Engineer | San Diego, CA | 06/28/2025 | $160,001 |
| Northrop Grumman | SR. Principal Network Engineer (AHT) | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/27/2025 | $113,500 |
| MESO Scale Diagnostics, LLC | Principal Network Engineer | Rockville, MD | 06/25/2025 | $98,800 |
| Northrop Grumman | Principal Network Engineer (Active Secret Clearance) | Tampa, FL | 06/24/2025 | $86,600 |
| Commonspirit Health | Principal Network Engineer | Englewood, CO | 06/20/2025 | $107,814 |
| at&T | Principal Network Cybersecurity | Charlotte, NC | 06/19/2025 | $158,200 |
| Northrop Grumman | SR Principal Network Engineer | Fairfax, VA | 06/19/2025 | $124,900 |
| Eliassen Group | Principal Cloud Network Engineer | Washington, DC | 06/19/2025 | $177,395 |
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