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Principal Software Developer information

See Texas salary details

$88K

$131.5K

$172.8K

How much do principal software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software developer in Texas is $131,522.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $115,100.00 and $144,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Principal Software Developer vs Senior Software Engineer?

AspectPrincipal Software DeveloperSenior Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master’s in Computer Science; extensive experienceBachelor's or Master’s in Computer Science; 5+ years experience
Work EnvironmentLeads technical strategy, mentors teams, influences architectureDevelops features, writes code, mentors junior staff
Industry UsageUsed in large organizations, tech companies, and enterprise settingsCommon across startups, mid-sized, and large companies

The Principal Software Developer typically holds a higher-level role focused on technical leadership, architecture, and strategic planning, whereas the Senior Software Engineer primarily focuses on coding, feature development, and mentoring. Both roles require strong technical skills, but the Principal position involves broader responsibilities and influence within the organization.

How does a Principal Software Developer typically balance hands-on coding with leadership and mentorship responsibilities?

As a Principal Software Developer, you’ll often split your time between writing high-impact code and guiding technical direction for the team. While you remain involved in architecting and developing complex features, a significant portion of your role will also involve mentoring less-experienced developers, leading code reviews, and fostering best practices. You’ll collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to align technical solutions with business goals, and you’re expected to influence the overall engineering culture. This balance requires strong time management skills and a passion for both technical excellence and team development.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Principal Software Developers in high-demand industries or senior leadership roles can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and stock options or bonuses. Compensation varies based on company size, location, and individual performance.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Principal Software Developers and senior engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership responsibilities can earn $300,000 or more annually. High compensation often depends on factors such as industry, location, company size, and expertise in areas like cloud computing, machine learning, or distributed systems.

Can you make $500,000 as a software engineer?

Principal Software Developers and experienced software engineers in high-demand industries or senior roles can potentially earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with bonuses, stock options, or in high-cost-of-living areas. Achieving this level typically requires advanced skills, extensive experience, and often leadership responsibilities or specialized expertise in areas like cloud computing or AI.

What does a principal software developer do?

A principal software developer leads the design, development, and implementation of complex software systems, often providing technical guidance to teams. They analyze requirements, set technical standards, and ensure code quality, typically using programming languages, development tools, and version control systems. This role requires strong problem-solving skills and experience in software architecture and project management.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Software Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Software Developer, you need advanced expertise in software engineering, architecture design, and problem-solving, typically backed by a degree in computer science or a related field and extensive industry experience. Mastery of programming languages (such as Java, Python, or C#), software development frameworks, cloud platforms, and familiarity with tools like Git, Docker, and CI/CD systems is critical. Leadership, effective communication, and mentorship abilities are vital soft skills that set top performers apart in this role. These competencies ensure scalable solutions, effective project delivery, and the growth of high-performing development teams.
What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Developer jobs in Texas? For Principal Software Developer jobs in Texas, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Software Developer jobs in Texas look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Software Developer jobs in Texas are:
What cities in Texas are hiring for Principal Software Developer jobs? Cities in Texas with the most Principal Software Developer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Developer jobs in TX? For Principal Software Developer jobs in TX, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Principal Software Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Software Developer job openings in Texas as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 9% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 82% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $131,522 per year, or $63.2 per hour.
Principal Software Engineer/Developer

Principal Software Engineer/Developer

Fidelity Investments

Westlake, TX • On-site

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago

Fidelity Investments rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 266 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

17th of 148 rated financial services

Job description

Job Description:

Position Description:

Develops enhancements to support implementation across the organization and creates enhancements related to upgrades. Designs and implements Application Programming Interface (API) best practices for product areas. Uses business knowledge to translate the vision for divisional initiatives into business solutions by developing complex or multiple software applications and conducting studies of alternatives. Analyzes and recommends changes in project development policies, procedures, standards, and strategies to development experts and management.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Participates in architecture design teams.
  • Defines and implements application-level architecture.
  • Develops applications on complex projects, components, and subsystems for the division.
  • Recommends development testing tools and methodologies and reviews and validates test plans.
  • Responsible for QA readiness of software deliverables.
  • Develops comprehensive documentation for multiple applications or subsystems.
  • Establishes full project life cycle plans for complex projects across multiple platforms.
  • Responsible for meeting project goals on-time and on-budget.
  • Advises on risk assessment and risk management strategies for projects.
  • Plans and coordinates project schedules and assignments for multiple projects.
  • Acts as a primary liaison for business units to resolve various project/technology issues.
  • Provides technology solutions to daily issues and technical evaluation estimates on technology initiatives.
  • Advises senior management on technical strategy.
  • Mentors junior team members.
  • Performs independent and complex technical and functional analysis for multiple projects supporting several divisional initiatives.
  • Develops original and creative technical solutions to on-going development efforts.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Information Systems, or a closely related field (or foreign education equivalent) and five (5) years of experience as a Principal Software Engineer/Developer (or closely related occupation) designing, developing, and supporting enterprise frameworks, tools, and libraries, using Java, Node and Python programming languages.

Or, alternatively, Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Information Systems, or a closely related field (or foreign education equivalent) and three (3) years of experience as a Principal Software Engineer/Developer (or closely related occupation) designing, developing, and supporting enterprise frameworks, tools, and libraries, using Java, Node and Python programming languages.

Skills and Knowledge:

Candidate must also possess:

  • Demonstrated Expertise ("DE") developing enterprise frameworks and modules using Java, Node, and Python, by applying appropriate structural and creational design patterns in generating code to ensure flexibility, reusability, and adherence to organizational standards and guidelines across all application layers.
  • DE designing and developing complex asynchronous backend and full-stack systems in multi-cloud environment (AWS and Azure) using Spring Boot, Angular, Kafka, Oracle, and ActiveMQ Artemis.
  • DE deploying containerized services and APIs in cloud managed Kubernetes service -- AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)) following deployment strategies -- blue-green, rolling, and canary deployment across the environment.
  • DE performing Java testing methodologies using Junit, TestNG, Mockito, AssertJ, and Spock within automated test environments powered by Jenkins pipelines; validating framework functionality, performance, and metrics through observability platforms -Datadog, Splunk, Grafana and Prometheus; and using SonarQube tool to inspect code quality, CodeQL for static application security testing, and Mend for software composition analysis across Java, Node, and Python programming languages.

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Certifications:Category:Information Technology

Please be advised that Fidelity's business is governed by the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Investment Company Act of 1940, ERISA, numerous state laws governing securities, investment and retirement-related financial activities and the rules and regulations of numerous self-regulatory organizations, including FINRA, among others. Those laws and regulations may restrict Fidelity from hiring and/or associating with individuals with certain Criminal Histories.

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