United States
Job
Principal Software Engineer

Average Experienced Principal Software Engineer Salary in Arlington, Virginia

Pay
Job Details
Skills
Job Listings
How should I pay?Price a Job
What am I worth?Find market worth
$172,306
/ year

Avg. Base Salary (USD)
10%
$146k
MEDIAN
$172k
90%
$198k

The average salary for a Principal Software Engineer is $172,306 in 2026

Base Salary
$146k - $198k
Bonus
$14k - $27k
Profit Sharing
$0 - $7k
Total Pay
$146k - $231k
Based on 11 salary profiles (last updated Jan 12 2026)
Is Average Experienced Principal Software Engineer Salary in Arlington, Virginia your job title? Find out what you should be paid
Use our tool to get a personalized report on your market worth.What's this?
United States (change)
How it works:
1
Enter city & years of experience
2
Add pay factors like skills & education
3
Find your market worth with a report tailored to you
EXPLORE BY:
FairfaxRestonMcLeanAshburnManassasMorgantownHerndonCentrevilleAlexandriaRichmondAll
Don't see what you are looking for?
Get A Free Custom Salary Report »
Software Development.NET
Don't see what you are looking for?
Get A Free Custom Salary Report »
Software EngineerSenior Software EngineerSoftware DeveloperOperations ManagerProject Manager, (Unspecified Type / General)Sr. Software Engineer / Developer / ProgrammerMechanical EngineerWeb DeveloperData AnalystElectrical Engineer
Don't see what you are looking for?
Get A Free Custom Salary Report »

Featured Content

‹
Remote Work
New research shows how to set pay for remote employees
Gender Pay Gap
New research shows that each woman experiences the disparity of gender pay gap in different ways, depending on her position, age, race and education.
Compensation Best Practices Report
From compensation planning to variable pay to pay equity analysis, we surveyed 4,900+ organizations on how they manage compensation.
Salary Budget Survey Report
See how organizations are shifting their salary budgets this year.
Retention Report
Get strategies you can use to retain top talent and learn how impactful employee retention really is.
Variable Pay Playbook
Before you decide whether variable pay is right for your org, get a deeper understanding of the variable pay options and the cultural impact of pay choices.
›

What Do Principal Software Engineers Do?

Find your market worth – how it works:

Common Health Benefits for a Principal Software Engineer

Medical
100%
Dental
100%
Vision
100%

Gender Breakdown for Principal Software Engineers

Male
100.0%
This data is based on 3 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.
benefits-icon

FAQs About Principal Software Engineers

What is the highest pay for Principal Software Engineers in Arlington?

Our data indicates that the highest pay for a Principal Software Engineer in Arlington is $198k / year

What is the lowest pay for Principal Software Engineers in Arlington?

Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Principal Software Engineer in Arlington is $146k / year

How can Principal Software Engineers increase their salary?

Increasing your pay as a Principal Software Engineer is possible in different ways. Change of employer: Consider a career move to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills. Level of Education: Gaining advanced degrees may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions. Managing Experience: If you are a Principal Software Engineer that oversees more junior Principal Software Engineers, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.

WHAT AM I WORTH?
What your skills are worth in the job market is constantly changing.
United States (change)