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Principal technologist salary
Average principal technologist salary
$124,965
Average Principal Technologist Salary
The average salary for a Principal Technologist in the United States is approximately $124,965 annually, translating to around $60 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry of employment.
Where Can You Earn More?
Principal Technologists in states like California, New York, and Washington often earn higher salaries due to the concentration of tech companies and demand for skilled professionals. For instance, the highest-paying states report salaries exceeding $140,000 per year.
Job Opportunities
Industries such as information technology, telecommunications, and healthcare are prominent employers of Principal Technologists. Additionally, roles in emerging fields, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, continue to expand, presenting new opportunities for career growth.
As the demand for technological innovation grows, now is a great time to explore job openings in this dynamic field. The combination of competitive salaries and opportunities for advancement makes a career as a Principal Technologist both rewarding and secure.
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Where can a Principal Technologist earn more?
Principal technologist salary estimates from across the web
Average principal technologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for principal technologists are Oregon, California, and Washington. The lowest average principal technologist salary states are Vermont, Tennessee, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal technologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $145,176 | $69.80 |
| 2 | Oregon | $155,697 | $74.85 |
| 3 | Arizona | $129,198 | $62.11 |
| 4 | Alabama | $132,444 | $63.67 |
| 5 | Nevada | $130,253 | $62.62 |
| 6 | Texas | $124,828 | $60.01 |
| 7 | Kansas | $121,771 | $58.54 |
| 8 | Utah | $136,955 | $65.84 |
| 9 | Florida | $118,551 | $57.00 |
| 10 | Idaho | $116,760 | $56.13 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $119,549 | $57.48 |
| 12 | California | $148,801 | $71.54 |
| 13 | Michigan | $122,651 | $58.97 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $117,620 | $56.55 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $122,324 | $58.81 |
| 16 | New York | $123,241 | $59.25 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $118,921 | $57.17 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $112,843 | $54.25 |
| 19 | Indiana | $114,104 | $54.86 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $113,775 | $54.70 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $117,168 | $56.33 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $118,878 | $57.15 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $132,406 | $63.66 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $113,638 | $54.63 |
| 25 | Virginia | $113,708 | $54.67 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $112,421 | $54.05 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $109,417 | $52.60 |
| 28 | Illinois | $112,467 | $54.07 |
| 29 | Maryland | $119,636 | $57.52 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $109,914 | $52.84 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $111,095 | $53.41 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $121,445 | $58.39 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $109,995 | $52.88 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $105,412 | $50.68 |
| 35 | Delaware | $113,454 | $54.55 |
| 36 | Iowa | $111,469 | $53.59 |
| 37 | Montana | $107,936 | $51.89 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $109,475 | $52.63 |
| 39 | Minnesota | $111,353 | $53.54 |
| 40 | Georgia | $108,513 | $52.17 |
| 41 | Vermont | $104,626 | $50.30 |
| 42 | Ohio | $108,926 | $52.37 |
| 43 | Alaska | $110,423 | $53.09 |
| 44 | Colorado | $107,874 | $51.86 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $107,543 | $51.70 |
| 46 | Missouri | $109,042 | $52.42 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $103,455 | $49.74 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $97,482 | $46.87 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $101,243 | $48.67 |
| 50 | Maine | $96,474 | $46.38 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $97,703 | $46.97 |
Highest paying cities for principal technologists
The highest-paying cities for principal technologists are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Phoenix, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $156,264 | $75.13 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $146,804 | $70.58 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $129,346 | $62.19 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $126,166 | $60.66 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $123,515 | $59.38 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $121,422 | $58.38 |
| 7 | Middletown, NJ | $119,090 | $57.25 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $118,740 | $57.09 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $118,183 | $56.82 |
| 10 | Jacksonville, FL | $115,563 | $55.56 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $113,994 | $54.80 |
| 12 | Arlington, VA | $113,928 | $54.77 |
| 13 | Newark, DE | $113,404 | $54.52 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $112,632 | $54.15 |
| 15 | Saint Paul, MN | $111,473 | $53.59 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $110,363 | $53.06 |
| 17 | Merrimack, NH | $109,634 | $52.71 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $109,018 | $52.41 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $108,228 | $52.03 |
| 20 | Broomfield, CO | $107,842 | $51.85 |
Principal technologist salary details
A principal technologist's salary ranges from $95,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $163,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal technologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $163,000 | $13,583 | $78 |
| 75th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| Average | $124,965 | $10,414 | $60 |
| 25th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| 10th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
Highest paying principal technologist jobs
The highest paying types of principal technologists are vice president of information technology, vice president, technology, and information technology director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Manager | $90,790 | $7,566 | $43.65 | 136,883 |
| Engagement Manager | $112,413 | $9,368 | $54.04 | 166,237 |
| Data Manager | $108,359 | $9,030 | $52.10 | 147,574 |
| Systems Manager | $107,156 | $8,930 | $51.52 | 145,551 |
| Solutions Manager | $122,023 | $10,169 | $58.66 | 142,636 |
| Delivery Manager | $113,280 | $9,440 | $54.46 | 172,434 |
Top companies hiring principal technologists now:
Which companies pay principal technologists the most?
Principal technologist salaries at Airbnb and Pure Storage are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal technologist salary at companies like Nike and TripActions are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airbnb | $185,024 | $88.95 |
| 2 | Pure Storage | $163,673 | $78.69 |
| 3 | Nike | $160,633 | $77.23 |
| 4 | TripActions | $157,142 | $75.55 |
| 5 | Amazon | $152,004 | $73.08 |
| 6 | Yahoo | $151,935 | $73.05 |
| 7 | Slalom | $150,517 | $72.36 |
| 8 | Riot Games | $150,221 | $72.22 |
| 9 | ZS | $149,766 | $72.00 |
| 10 | The Walt Disney Company | $149,416 | $71.83 |
| 11 | Cox Automotive | $149,226 | $71.74 |
| 12 | BP America Inc | $148,236 | $71.27 |
| 13 | Atlassian | $147,808 | $71.06 |
| 14 | F5 | $147,313 | $70.82 |
| 15 | Microsoft | $146,630 | $70.50 |
| 16 | Thoughtworks | $146,587 | $70.47 |
| 17 | Walmart | $144,891 | $69.66 |
| 18 | Genentech | $144,313 | $69.38 |
| 19 | Take-Two Interactive Software | $141,924 | $68.23 |
| 20 | Calypso Technology | $140,371 | $67.49 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal Technologist salary by industry
The average principal technologist salary varies across industries:
- The average principal technologist salary in the telecommunication industry is $128,882, the highest of any industry.
- The average principal technologist salary in the finance industry is $126,255.
- Principal technologists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $119,773, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for principal technologists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunication | $128,882 | $61.96 |
| 2 | Technology | $126,255 | $60.70 |
| 3 | Energy | $125,617 | $60.39 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $120,345 | $57.86 |
| 5 | Health Care | $119,773 | $57.58 |
High paying principal technologist jobs
Principal technologist salary trends
The average principal technologist salary has risen by $27,399 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal technologist earned $97,566 annually, but today, they earn $124,965 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for principal technologists over the last decade.
Compare principal technologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal technologist salary over time
Compare principal technologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal technologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $125,000 | $60.08 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $121,000 | $58.18 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $118,000 | $56.65 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $55.34 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $112,000 | $53.98 | +3.1% |
Recently added principal technologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Biologist/Regulatory Specialist, Power and Renewables | Walnut Creek, CA | 06/30/2025 | $106,480 |
| Ntrs | Principal, IT Risk and Controls | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $114,700 |
| Qualtrics | Principal Technical Success Manager-Goods & Services | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $120,000 |
| Energy Recovery, Inc. | Principal Technologist/Engineer, Product Design | San Leandro, CA | 06/29/2025 | $183,000 |
| Palo Alto Networks | Principal IT Engineer (CPQ) | Santa Clara, CA | 06/28/2025 | $167,000 |
| Workday | Principal Technical Integration Consultant(Hcm) | Denver, CO | 06/28/2025 | $140,400 |
| Cognizant | Consulting Principal-Communication Media and Technology-Global Consulting | Denver, CO | 06/27/2025 | $165,000 |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions | Consulting Principal-Communication Media and Technology-Global Consulting | Seattle, WA | 06/27/2025 | $165,000 |
| Erm | Principal Technical Consultant, Ecologist | Ewing, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $122,612 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Principal System Technical Lead | Austin, TX | 06/25/2025 | $188,000 |
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