Principal Software Development Engineer

Principal Software Development Engineer Salary in Michigan

$52.7K

$137.7K

$201.3K

$140,271

/year

$67.44

/hour

Principal Software Development Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$160,936

Michigan

Michigan

$140,271

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    How much does a Principal Software Development Engineer make in Michigan?

    As of Aug 18, 2026, the average annual pay for a Principal Software Development Engineer in Michigan is $140,271 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $67.44 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,697/week or $11,689/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $201,338 and as low as $52,732, the majority of Principal Software Development Engineer salaries currently range between $117,700 (25th percentile) to $157,800 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $178,677 annually in Michigan. The average pay range for a Principal Software Development Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 40100), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    Michigan ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Principal Software Development Engineer salaries.

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

    Find your next high paying job as a Principal Software Development Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Principal Software Development Engineer Jobs in Michigan

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Principal Software Development Engineer job is above the average in Michigan in Michigan. Topping the list is Lansing, , with Detroit, and Farmington, close behind in the second and third positions. Farmington, beats the average in Michigan by $18,092 (12.9%), and Lansing, furthers that trend with another $22,962 (16.4%) above the $140,271 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for Michigan, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Principal Software Development Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 6% between Lansing, and Auburn Hills, , 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 Software Development Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Lansing

    $163,233

    $78.48

    Detroit

    $159,023

    $76.45

    Farmington

    $158,363

    $76.14

    Farmington Hills

    $158,363

    $76.14

    Ann Arbor

    $157,449

    $75.70

    Flint

    $156,551

    $75.26

    Grand Rapids

    $154,566

    $74.31

    Holland

    $153,439

    $73.77

    Portage

    $152,677

    $73.40

    Auburn Hills

    $152,310

    $73.23

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Principal Software Development Engineer Jobs in Michigan

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Principal Software Development Engineer job category in Michigan, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $140271 state average for Principal Software Development Engineer jobs.

    Nevertheless Aws Architect, Aws Software Development Engineer, or Cyber Software Engineer may still be interesting positions to explore.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Aws Architect

    $127,013

    $61.06

    Aws Software Development Engineer

    $116,793

    $56.15

    Cyber Software Engineer

    $112,333

    $54.01

    Senior Avionics Engineer

    $97,012

    $46.64

    Vhdl Programmer

    $71,675

    $34.46

    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 Software Development Engineer salary in Michigan as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $117,700 to $178,677 annually, with the Michigan average at $140,271 per year or $67.44 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in Michigan for Principal Software Development Engineer jobs, with Lansing leading at $163,233 annually.