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Principal quality engineer salary
Average principal quality engineer salary
$103,677
Understanding Principal Quality Engineer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Principal Quality Engineer stands at $103,677 per year. Compensation can vary based on experience, education, and the specific sector within which one operates. For instance, those in the automotive or technology industries may command higher salaries due to the complexity and demand of their roles.
To understand salary variations better, it's essential to consider geographic location. States such as California and Texas tend to offer higher salaries compared to national averages. For example, the highest paying states for Principal Quality Engineers include:
- California
- Texas
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Washington
These states often feature robust job markets and high demand for quality engineering professionals. Additionally, expanding your skills and certifications can further enhance earning potential. Continuous professional development, including gaining experience in specialized technologies or management roles, can lead to significant salary increases over time.
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Where can a Principal Quality Engineer earn more?
Principal quality engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average principal quality engineer salary by state
The average principal quality engineer salary in New Jersey, California, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average principal quality engineer salary states are Nebraska, Kansas, and Vermont.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal quality engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $124,129 | $59.68 |
| 2 | Washington | $119,463 | $57.43 |
| 3 | Arizona | $117,540 | $56.51 |
| 4 | California | $121,443 | $58.39 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $118,149 | $56.80 |
| 6 | Montana | $110,116 | $52.94 |
| 7 | Nevada | $114,001 | $54.81 |
| 8 | Idaho | $108,047 | $51.95 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $114,344 | $54.97 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $104,467 | $50.22 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $108,120 | $51.98 |
| 12 | Michigan | $107,286 | $51.58 |
| 13 | Ohio | $107,683 | $51.77 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $111,720 | $53.71 |
| 15 | Texas | $107,105 | $51.49 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $103,725 | $49.87 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $96,669 | $46.48 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $106,299 | $51.11 |
| 19 | Missouri | $103,543 | $49.78 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $98,033 | $47.13 |
| 21 | Oregon | $97,210 | $46.74 |
| 22 | Virginia | $98,864 | $47.53 |
| 23 | Colorado | $97,757 | $47.00 |
| 24 | Delaware | $96,764 | $46.52 |
| 25 | Maryland | $96,370 | $46.33 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $95,272 | $45.80 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $96,956 | $46.61 |
| 28 | Georgia | $97,100 | $46.68 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $102,444 | $49.25 |
| 30 | Maine | $96,953 | $46.61 |
| 31 | Illinois | $93,708 | $45.05 |
| 32 | New York | $95,547 | $45.94 |
| 33 | Florida | $93,287 | $44.85 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $95,119 | $45.73 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $96,224 | $46.26 |
| 36 | Indiana | $89,537 | $43.05 |
| 37 | Vermont | $87,285 | $41.96 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $92,222 | $44.34 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $89,998 | $43.27 |
| 40 | Alabama | $90,496 | $43.51 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $89,284 | $42.92 |
| 42 | Alaska | $96,742 | $46.51 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $94,427 | $45.40 |
| 44 | Iowa | $92,575 | $44.51 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $89,885 | $43.21 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $91,177 | $43.84 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $85,942 | $41.32 |
| 48 | Kansas | $88,623 | $42.61 |
| 49 | Utah | $87,116 | $41.88 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $92,832 | $44.63 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $82,202 | $39.52 |
Highest paying cities for principal quality engineers
The highest-paying cities for principal quality engineers are Redwood City, CA, Phoenix, AZ, and Needham, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $130,896 | $62.93 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $117,719 | $56.60 |
| 3 | Needham, MA | $111,799 | $53.75 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $107,647 | $51.75 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $107,218 | $51.55 |
| 6 | Fridley, MN | $104,577 | $50.28 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $102,448 | $49.25 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,334 | $47.28 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $97,968 | $47.10 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $97,367 | $46.81 |
| 11 | Portland, ME | $97,208 | $46.73 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $96,995 | $46.63 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $96,980 | $46.63 |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $96,537 | $46.41 |
| 15 | Nashua, NH | $95,433 | $45.88 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $93,888 | $45.14 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $89,429 | $42.99 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $86,714 | $41.69 |
Principal quality engineer salary details
A principal quality engineer's salary ranges from $80,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $133,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal quality engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $133,000 | $11,083 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| Average | $103,677 | $8,640 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
Highest paying principal quality engineer jobs
The highest paying types of principal quality engineers are manager, quality engineer, project lead engineer, and reliability engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Control Supervisor | $63,930 | $5,327 | $30.74 | 110,617 |
| Quality Assurance Supervisor | $66,145 | $5,512 | $31.80 | 82,301 |
| Quality Supervisor | $60,486 | $5,041 | $29.08 | 61,400 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Quality Assurance Manager | $99,894 | $8,324 | $48.03 | 62,293 |
| Quality Lead | $90,301 | $7,525 | $43.41 | 62,018 |
Top companies hiring principal quality engineers now:
Which companies pay principal quality engineers the most?
Principal quality engineer salaries at Palo Alto Networks and Abiomed are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal quality engineer salary at companies like Crestron Electronics and Citrix are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Alto Networks | $146,007 | $70.20 |
| 2 | Abiomed | $133,326 | $64.10 |
| 3 | Crestron Electronics | $130,920 | $62.94 |
| 4 | Citrix | $129,537 | $62.28 |
| 5 | Broadcom | $129,160 | $62.10 |
| 6 | TIBCO Software | $127,931 | $61.51 |
| 7 | Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC | $126,302 | $60.72 |
| 8 | Walgreens | $125,899 | $60.53 |
| 9 | CyberCoders | $124,893 | $60.04 |
| 10 | Dell | $123,717 | $59.48 |
| 11 | Edwards Lifesciences | $123,389 | $59.32 |
| 12 | Salesforce | $123,226 | $59.24 |
| 13 | AT&T | $118,644 | $57.04 |
| 14 | Skyworks Solutions | $117,533 | $56.51 |
| 15 | Herbalife Nutrition | $116,968 | $56.23 |
| 16 | MathWorks | $116,833 | $56.17 |
| 17 | Battelle | $116,285 | $55.91 |
| 18 | Mayo Clinic | $114,930 | $55.25 |
| 19 | Intralinks | $114,837 | $55.21 |
| 20 | BD | $112,641 | $54.15 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal quality engineer salary trends
The average principal quality engineer salary has risen by $13,649 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal quality engineer earned $90,028 annually, but today, they earn $103,677 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for principal quality engineers over the last decade.
Compare principal quality engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal quality engineer salary over time
Compare principal quality engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal quality engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $104,000 | $49.84 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $103,000 | $49.32 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $101,000 | $48.77 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $100,000 | $48.12 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $98,300 | $47.24 | +1.0% |
Recently added principal quality engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Generation Next | Quality Engineer Principal | Ione, CA | 06/29/2025 | $85,583 |
| Northrop Grumman | Quality Engineer or Principal Quality Engineer | Linthicum, MD | 06/28/2025 | $95,800 |
| Pierce Manufacturing | Principal Quality Engineer | Spartanburg, SC | 06/28/2025 | $82,000 |
| Ramboll | Principal, Air Quality | Portland, OR | 06/27/2025 | $165,000 |
| Johnson & Johnson | Principal Quality Engineer (Hardware/Software)-Shockwave Medical | Santa Clara, CA | 06/26/2025 | $114,000 |
| Getinge Group | Principal Engineer, Quality | Wayne, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $140,000 |
| Ramboll | Principal, Air Quality | Seattle, WA | 06/25/2025 | $165,000 |
| Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. | Principal Quality Engineer-Post Market Surveillance | Minneapolis, MN | 06/24/2025 | $125,400 |
| SLR Consulting | Principal Air Quality Engineer/Scientist | Irvine, CA | 06/20/2025 | $140,000 |
| SLR Consulting | Principal Air Quality Engineer/Scientist | Agawam Town, MA | 06/20/2025 | $125,000 |
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