Q: Which Microsoft locations have the highest salary satisfaction for Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals?

Seattle , Redmond , Mountain View

Question 1

How does the salary as  Principal Software Engineer/Manager at Microsoft compare with the base salary range for this job?

Accepted Answer

The average salary for Principal Software Engineer/Manager is $299,121 per year (estimate) in US, which is 10% lower than the average Microsoft salary of $332,402 per year (estimate) for this job.

Question 2

Are Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals at Microsoft in US satisfied with their compensation?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft employees working as  Principal Software Engineer/Manager in US have attributed a compensation and benefits rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 293 ratings. This is in line with the average of Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals at Microsoft worldwide.

Question 3

What is the salary trajectory of a  Principal Software Engineer/Manager?

Accepted Answer

The salary trajectory of a Principal Software Engineer/Manager ranges between locations and employers. The salary starts at $153,691 per year (estimate) and goes up to $477,438 per year (estimate) for the highest level of seniority.

Question 4

How much does a Principal Software Engineer/Manager make at Microsoft?

Accepted Answer

The estimated average salary for a Principal Software Engineer/Manager at Microsoft is $299,121 per year or $144 per hour, but some professionals have reported earning up to roughly $468,726 per year (90th percentile). The typical pay range is between $240,668 (25th percentile) and $381,126 (75th percentile) annually. This is based on 8 salaries submitted by Microsoft Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals on Glassdoor, as of Jul 2026.

Question 5

What is the typical salary for a Principal Software Engineer/Manager per hour?

Accepted Answer

Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals typically earn between $116 and $183 per hour.

Question 6

What is the typical salary for a Principal Software Engineer/Manager per month?

Accepted Answer

Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals typically earn between $20,056 and $31,761 monthly.

Question 7

Which Microsoft locations have the highest salary satisfaction for Principal Software Engineer/Manager professionals?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, Redmond, Mountain View

Question 8

What is the pay for job titles similar to Principal Software Engineer/Manager at Microsoft?

Accepted Answer

SDE-intern - with an estimated total pay of $52K - $86K/yr, SWE Intern - with an estimated total pay of $62K - $107K/yr, Junior Developer - with an estimated total pay of $72K - $134K/yr, SDE-2 Backend - with an estimated total pay of $75K - $141K/yr, Software Intern - with an estimated total pay of $84K - $126K/yr

Microsoft

Total salary range for Microsoft Principal Software Engineer/Manager

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Pay breakdown

$332K

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