Principal Software Engineer
Principal Software Engineer Salary in Reston, VA
$62.9K - $79.1K
0% of jobs
$79.1K - $95.2K
0% of jobs
$95.2K - $111.3K
5% of jobs
$111.3K - $127.4K
8% of jobs
$139.7K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$127.4K - $143.6K
15% of jobs
$143.6K - $159.7K
18% of jobs
The median wage is $163K / yr.
$159.7K - $175.8K
18% of jobs
$185.8K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$175.8K - $191.9K
17% of jobs
$191.9K - $208.1K
11% of jobs
$208.1K - $224.2K
4% of jobs
$224.2K - $240.3K
3% of jobs
$62.9K
$164.4K
$240.3K
$167,431
/year
$80.50
/hour
Principal Software Engineer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$160,936
Reston
Virginia
$167,431
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How much does a Principal Software Engineer make in Reston, Virginia?
As of Aug 31, 2026, the average annual pay for a Principal Software Engineer in Reston is $167,431 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $80.50 an hour. This is the equivalent of $3,219/week or $13,952/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $240,323 and as low as $62,941, the majority of Principal Software Engineer salaries currently range between $140,400 (25th percentile) to $188,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $213,272 annually in Reston. The average pay range for a Principal Software Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 47900), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Principal Software 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 Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Reston
We found a few jobs that pay more than jobs in the Principal Software Engineer category in Reston, VA.
For example Principal Firmware Engineer jobs pay as much as $7,084 (4.2%) more than the average Principal Software Engineer salary of $167,431. If you're qualified, finding work as a Principal Firmware Engineer may help you make more money than that of the average Principal Software Engineer position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Principal Firmware Engineer | $174,515 | $83.90 |
Principal Engineer 1 Software Engineer | $167,431 | $80.50 |
Senior Principal Design Engineer | $162,000 | $77.88 |
Principal Validation Engineer | $153,443 | $73.77 |
Principal Application Engineer | $115,166 | $55.37 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
