U.S. Immigration Data

Priority dates, work visas, and labor market data

Principal Engineer, Software

H-1B & Green Card Salary Data and Market Analysis

Only 51 filings match this exact title. For the full picture, see the broader Senior Engineer profile (2,561 filings).
View Senior Engineer →

51

Total Filings

All time (charts below use selected years)

$159,873

Median Salary

Across filings in selected period

12

Top Employers

Hiring This Role
Salary Distribution (All Employers + Top Employer Overlays)
10th Percentile

$135,453

25th Percentile

$150,000

Median (50th)

$159,873

75th Percentile

$190,000

90th Percentile

$205,956

See all H-1B/PERM filings for this role →

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Top Employers Hiring Principal Engineer, Software
Employer Filings Median Salary Salary Range Approval Rate
T-Mobile USA, Inc. 14 $165,121 $144,200 - $200,340 100.0%
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. 9 $192,941 $164,800 - $226,158 55.6%
DISH Network LLC 4 $152,350 $148,353 - $159,440 50.0%
ZF Passive Safety Systems US Inc 2 $131,694 $112,736 - $150,651 100.0%
Harman Becker Automotive Systems Inc. 1 $131,054 $131,054 - $131,054 100.0%
American Tower Corporation 1 $138,386 $138,386 - $138,386 100.0%
Juniper Networks, Inc. 1 $233,034 $233,034 - $233,034 100.0%
Microchip Technology Inc. 1 $90,750 $90,750 - $90,750 100.0%
HILL-ROM INC 1 $151,986 $151,986 - $151,986 0.0%
BAYER U.S. LLC 1 $123,322 $123,322 - $123,322 100.0%
BENEFITFOCUS.COM, INC. 1 $150,000 $150,000 - $150,000 100.0%
CALAMP WIRELESS NETWORKS CORPORATION 1 $149,509 $149,509 - $149,509 100.0%
Salary Distribution by Experience Level
Experience Level Filings Median Salary Salary Range
Principal 37 $159,873 $90,750 - $233,034
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Geographic Distribution
Based on 37 filings in selected period (charts use selected years, not all-time total)
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Median Salary by State
Based on selected period (same 37 filings as above)
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Top Metro Areas
City State Filings Median Salary
Atlanta GA 4 $149,675
Bothell WA 4 $161,806
Santa Clara CA 3 $208,000
Bellevue WA 3 $180,353
Farmington Hills MI 2 $131,694
Englewood CO 2 $153,896
Sunnyvale CA 1 $233,034
Cary NC 1 $138,386
Indianola PA 1 $123,322
IRVINE CA 1 $149,509
Related Roles & Career Progression

These roles are variations of Principal Engineer, Software with different seniority levels.

Role Experience Level Filings Avg Salary
Principal Engineer, Software 49 $153,220
Principal Engineers, Software 2 $166,509
Filing Volume Trend
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Median Salary Trend
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Year-over-Year Statistics
Fiscal Year Filings Median Salary Approval Rate
2021 7 $150,500 100.0%
2022 4 $174,193 100.0%
2023 8 $149,755 100.0%
2024 7 $159,873 100.0%
2025 6 $192,941 0.0%
2026 5 $182,312 80.0%
Company Comparison - Principal Engineer, Software

Compare how top companies pay for this role.

Company Filings Median Salary Approval Rate
T-Mobile USA, Inc. 14 $165,121 100.0%
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. 9 $192,941 55.6%
DISH Network LLC 4 $152,350 50.0%
ZF Passive Safety Systems US Inc 2 $131,694 100.0%
Harman Becker Automotive Systems Inc. 1 $131,054 100.0%
Data Source: U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) H-1B and green card (PERM) disclosure data. Data shown for fiscal years 2021 to present. Last updated: August 31, 2026

Note on Salary Data: For data quality, we exclude salaries below $30,000 (likely data entry errors) and above $1,000,000 (lacking automated validation for ultra-high compensation packages). This may affect statistics for some executive and specialized positions.