Principal Java Developer

Principal Java Developer Salary

$99.5K

$140K

$180K

$140,833

/year

$67.71

/hour

Principal Java Developer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$140,833

Columbus

Ohio

$136,030

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    How much does a Principal Java Developer make?

    As of May 28, 2026, the average annual pay for a Principal Java Developer in the United States is $140,833 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $67.71 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,708/week or $11,736/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $180,000 and as low as $99,500, the majority of Principal Java Developer salaries currently range between $107,500 (25th percentile) to $170,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $180,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Principal Java Developer varies greatly (by as much as 62500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Principal Java Developer in your area makes on average $136,030 per year, or $4,803 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $140,833. Ohio ranks number 41 out of 50 states nationwide for Principal Java Developer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Principal Java Developer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Principal Java Developer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Principal Java Developer Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Principal Java Developer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Chapel Hill, NC, , with Nome, AK, and Burleigh County, ND, close behind in the second and third positions. Burleigh County, ND, beats the national average by $31,883 (22.6%), and Chapel Hill, NC, furthers that trend with another $34,501 (24.5%) above the $140,833 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Principal Java Developer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Chapel Hill, NC, and Livermore, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Principal Java Developer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Chapel Hill, NC

    $175,334

    $84.30

    Nome, AK

    $174,702

    $83.99

    Burleigh County, ND

    $172,716

    $83.04

    Berkeley, CA

    $172,441

    $82.90

    Redwood City, CA

    $172,429

    $82.90

    Sitka, AK

    $169,658

    $81.57

    San Francisco, CA

    $165,925

    $79.77

    Santa Clara, CA

    $165,399

    $79.52

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $165,289

    $79.47

    Livermore, CA

    $165,195

    $79.42

    What are Top 0 Best Paying Related Principal Java Developer Jobs in the U.S.

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Principal Java Developer job category, we found that related job jobs have average salaries similar than Principal Java Developer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Principal Java Developer salary across the United States as of May 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $140,833 per year or $67.71 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.