Salaries//Boston, MA//Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer salary in Boston, MA

Average Base Salary in Boston, MA

$171,112
$20,355
Additional Cash Compensation
$191,467
Total Compensation
Median: 169,559
Min: $100K
Max: $280K

How Much Does a Principal Software Engineer Make in Boston, MA?

The average salary for a Principal Software Engineer in Boston, MA is $171,112. The average additional cash compensation for a Principal Software Engineer in Boston, MA is $20,355. The average total compensation for a Principal Software Engineer in Boston, MA is $191,467. Principal Software Engineer salaries are based on responses gathered by Built In from anonymous Principal Software Engineer employees in Boston, MA.

Principal Software Engineer
Aerospace Engineer
AI Engineer
Android Developer
App Developer
Application Engineer
Automation Engineer
AWS Developer
Back End Developer
Blockchain Developer
Business Intelligence Developer
CIO (Chief Information Officer)
Cloud Engineer
Cloud Security Engineer
CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
Cybersecurity Engineer
Data Architect
Data Engineer
Data Engineering Manager
Database Administrator
Database Developer
Design Engineer
DevOps Engineer
Director of Software Engineering
Engineering Manager
Front End Developer
Full Stack Developer
Game Developer
Hardware Engineer
Implementation Specialist
iOS Developer
IT Engineer
Java Developer
Javascript Developer
Junior Software Developer
Junior Software Engineer
Junior Web Developer
Lead Software Engineer
Machine Learning Engineer
Network Engineer
Power BI Developer
Principal Software Engineer
Python Developer
QA Analyst
QA Engineer
QA Manager
Quant Developer
React Developer
Robotics Engineer
RPA Developer
Sales Engineer
Salesforce Developer
Security Engineer
Senior Data Engineer
Senior Software Developer
Senior Software Engineer
Senior Systems Engineer
Site Reliability Engineer
Software Developer
Software Engineer
Software Test Engineer
SQL Developer
Systems Engineer
Tableau Developer
Test Engineer
Vice President of Engineering
Web Developer
Wordpress Developer
Account ExecutiveAccount ManagerAccountantAerospace EngineerAI EngineerAnalytics ManagerAndroid DeveloperApp DeveloperApplication EngineerArt DirectorAssociate Product ManagerAutomation EngineerAWS DeveloperBack End DeveloperBig Data EngineerBlockchain DeveloperBrand ManagerBudget AnalystBusiness AnalystBusiness Development ManagerBusiness Development RepresentativeBusiness Intelligence AnalystBusiness Intelligence DeveloperBusiness Intelligence DeveloperBusiness Intelligence ManagerCCO (Chief Creative Officer)CFO (Chief Financial Officer)Chief Information OfficerChief People OfficerCIO (Chief Information Officer)Client Success ManagerCloud EngineerCloud Security EngineerCMO (Chief Marketing Officer)Community ManagerContent ManagerContent Marketing ManagerContent StrategistControllerCOO (Chief Operating Officer)CopywriterCPO (Chief Product Officer)Creative Chief OfficerCreative DirectorCRO (Chief Revenue Officer)CTO (Chief Technology Officer)Customer Support ManagerCustomer Support RepCybersecurity EngineerData AnalystData ArchitectData EngineerData Engineering ManagerData ScientistDatabase AdministratorDatabase DeveloperDesign DirectorDesign EngineerDesktop SupportDevOps EngineerDigital Marketing ManagerDirector of AnalyticsDirector of Customer SuccessDirector of MarketingDirector of OperationsDirector of Product ManagementDirector of Product MarketingDirector of Software EngineeringEditorEmail Marketing ManagerEngineering ManagerEvent PlannerFinance DirectorFinancial AnalystFront End DeveloperFull Stack DeveloperGame DesignerGame DeveloperGraphic DesignerHardware EngineerHR CoordinatorHR DirectorHR ManagerHR SpecialistImplementation ManagerImplementation SpecialistInside Sales ManagerInside Sales RepresentativeInstructional DesigneriOS DeveloperIT EngineerJava DeveloperJavascript DeveloperJunior Business AnalystJunior Data AnalystJunior Data ScientistJunior Software DeveloperJunior Software EngineerJunior Web DeveloperLead Software EngineerMachine Learning EngineerMarket Research AnalystMarketing AnalystMarketing AssistantMarketing AssociateMarketing CoordinatorMarketing ManagerMarketing Operations ManagerMarketing Project ManagerMarketing SpecialistNetwork EngineerOffice ManagerOperations AssociateOperations ManagerPower BI DeveloperPrincipal Software EngineerProduct AnalystProduct DesignerProduct ManagerProduct Marketing ManagerProduct OwnerProject CoordinatorProject ManagerPublic Relations ManagerPublic Relations SpecialistPython DeveloperQA AnalystQA EngineerQA ManagerQuant DeveloperReact DeveloperRecruiterRobotics EngineerRPA DeveloperSales AssociateSales CoordinatorSales Development RepresentativeSales DirectorSales EngineerSales ManagerSales Operations AnalystSales Operations ManagerSalesforce DeveloperScrum MasterSecurity EngineerSenior AccountantSenior Business AnalystSenior Data AnalystSenior Data EngineerSenior Data ScientistSenior Financial AnalystSenior Graphic DesignerSenior Marketing ManagerSenior Product DesignerSenior Product ManagerSenior Product Marketing ManagerSenior Project ManagerSenior RecruiterSenior Software DeveloperSenior Software EngineerSenior Systems EngineerSenior Technical WriterSenior UI DesignerSenior UX DesignerSEO ManagerSEO SpecialistSite Reliability EngineerSocial Media ManagerSoftware DeveloperSoftware EngineerSoftware Sales RepresentativeSoftware Test EngineerSQL DeveloperSystems EngineerTableau DeveloperTech Sales RepresentativeTechnical Product ManagerTechnical Project ManagerTechnical RecruiterTechnical SupportTechnical WriterTest EngineerUI DesignerUX DesignerUX ResearcherVice President of CareVice President of EngineeringVice President of FinanceVice President of Human ResourcesVice President of MarketingVice President of OperationsVice President of PeopleVice President of ProductVice President of SalesVice President of Talent AcquisitionVisual DesignerWeb DesignerWeb DeveloperWordpress Developer

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Salary Insights

Principal Software Engineer Salary by gender

The average Principal Software Engineer salary for women is $169,307 and the average Principal Software Engineer salary for men is $174,491.

Principal Software Engineer Salary by Years of Experience

The average salary for a Principal Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience is $181,036.

Principal Software Engineer Salary ranges

The most common Principal Software Engineer salary in Boston, MA is between $170k - $180k.

Average Dev + Engineer salaries in Boston, MA

Job TitleAverage SalarySalary Range
QA Analyst$70,857
Min: $45K
Max: $103K
Blockchain Developer$75,000
Min: $75K
Max: $75K
Implementation Specialist$78,363
Min: $60K
Max: $140K
Application Engineer$84,000
Min: $84K
Max: $84K
Junior Software Engineer$94,944
Min: $70K
Max: $126K
Full Stack Developer$96,667
Min: $90K
Max: $110K
QA Engineer$102,657
Min: $70K
Max: $180K
Automation Engineer$107,579
Min: $75K
Max: $180K
Salesforce Developer$108,882
Min: $76K
Max: $177K
Front End Developer$109,487
Min: $70K
Max: $223K
Junior Software Developer$110,000
Min: $110K
Max: $110K
iOS Developer$110,546
Min: $77K
Max: $179K
Software Test Engineer$118,308
Min: $68K
Max: $175K
Sales Engineer$119,608
Min: $64K
Max: $175K
Test Engineer$120,000
Min: $120K
Max: $120K
Data Engineer$122,015
Min: $73K
Max: $180K
Robotics Engineer$123,125
Min: $93K
Max: $170K
Android Developer$123,729
Min: $88K
Max: $163K
Game Developer$124,000
Min: $124K
Max: $124K
IT Engineer$125,000
Min: $125K
Max: $125K
Security Engineer$127,926
Min: $65K
Max: $180K
DevOps Engineer$130,270
Min: $100K
Max: $207K
Software Engineer$135,130
Min: $80K
Max: $260K
QA Manager$139,333
Min: $108K
Max: $165K
Hardware Engineer$139,864
Min: $95K
Max: $175K
Senior Software Engineer$140,691
Min: $90K
Max: $290K
Cloud Engineer$141,000
Min: $105K
Max: $170K
Systems Engineer$142,736
Min: $80K
Max: $185K
Cybersecurity Engineer$143,700
Min: $144K
Max: $144K
Site Reliability Engineer$145,400
Min: $120K
Max: $184K
Database Administrator$145,666
Min: $115K
Max: $180K
Senior Software Developer$146,667
Min: $140K
Max: $150K
AI Engineer$146,667
Min: $80K
Max: $180K
Aerospace Engineer$148,000
Min: $146K
Max: $150K
Design Engineer$150,500
Min: $151K
Max: $151K
Senior Data Engineer$152,333
Min: $130K
Max: $210K
Data Architect$153,143
Min: $89K
Max: $225K
Engineering Manager$158,468
Min: $82K
Max: $284K
Data Engineering Manager$159,286
Min: $113K
Max: $200K
Lead Software Engineer$159,863
Min: $80K
Max: $200K
Machine Learning Engineer$164,700
Min: $110K
Max: $225K
Principal Software Engineer$171,112
Min: $100K
Max: $280K
Back End Developer$188,333
Min: $150K
Max: $225K
Director of Software Engineering$190,056
Min: $140K
Max: $308K
CTO (Chief Technology Officer)$190,413
Min: $90K
Max: $260K
CIO (Chief Information Officer)$212,833
Min: $200K
Max: $225K
Vice President of Engineering$218,971
Min: $170K
Max: $330K

FAQ

Q:

What is a principal software engineer?

A.
A principal software engineer leads engineering teams in developing and testing software projects, working to guarantee software projects meet quality standards and are completed on time.
Q:

How to become a principal software engineer?

A.
To become a principal software engineer, you will likely need at least 10 years of software development experience as well as a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field like computer science. Preparation for this position includes extensive coding and programming expertise, as well as management experience.
Q:

How much does a principal software engineer make?

A.

The salary range for a principal software engineer is $55K-$305K. The average salary for a Principal Software Engineer in Boston, MA is $171,112.

Career Info

Principal Software Engineer jobs in Boston, MA

Skills that affect Principal Software Engineer salaries in Boston, MA

1
Java
1% have this skill
2
.NET
1% have this skill
3
Javascript
1% have this skill
4
Python
0% have this skill
5
C#
0% have this skill
6
SQL
0% have this skill

Average Principal Software Engineer Salary by Company Size

People with the job title Principal Software Engineer make the most at companies with 1-10 employees, earning $182,500 on average.

Recent Principal Software Engineer salaries in Boston, MA

$213,261
Yearly Salary
A Sr Principal Engineer reported a yearly salary of $213,261 with +$21,326 in additional cash compensation
7+ Years of Experience
Male
501-1,000 Employees
Boston, MA
$232,457
Yearly Salary
A Sr Principal Engineer reported a yearly salary of $232,457 with +$23,245 in additional cash compensation
7+ Years of Experience
Female
501-1,000 Employees
Boston, MA
$242,822
Yearly Salary
A Sr Principal Software Architect reported a yearly salary of $242,822 with +$36,423 in additional cash compensation
7+ Years of Experience
Male
501-1,000 Employees
Boston, MA
$216,500
Yearly Salary
A Principal Software Engineer reported a yearly salary of $216,500
7+ Years of Experience
Male
1,000+ Employees
Boston, MA
$185,000
Yearly Salary
A Principal Software Engineer reported a yearly salary of $185,000 with +$18,500 in additional cash compensation
7+ Years of Experience
Prefer not to say
201-500 Employees
Boston, MA
$211,150
Yearly Salary
A Principal Software Engineer reported a yearly salary of $211,150
7+ Years of Experience
Prefer not to say
51-200 Employees
Boston, MA
$211,650
Yearly Salary
A Principal Software Engineer reported a yearly salary of $211,650
7+ Years of Experience
Male
51-200 Employees
Boston, MA
$208,000
Yearly Salary
A Principal Software Architect reported a yearly salary of $208,000
7+ Years of Experience
Male
51-200 Employees
Boston, MA
$202,000
Yearly Salary
A Principal Software Development Engineer reported a yearly salary of $202,000
7+ Years of Experience
Male
1,000+ Employees
Boston, MA
$245,000
Yearly Salary
A Staff Engineer reported a yearly salary of $245,000
7+ Years of Experience
Male
51-200 Employees
Boston, MA