Job title
Principal Software Engineer H-1B Salaries
7,066 certified H-1B filings · FY2016–FY2026 · median base $150k.
Median base
$150k
Middle 50%
$128k–$179k
Filings
7,066
Top sponsor
Walmart Associates
Pay distribution
Base salary distribution
Whiskers reach P10–P90; the box is the P25–P75 interquartile range; the heavy line is the median. Base salary only.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 177 | $167k |
| FY2025 | 836 | $167k |
| FY2024 | 761 | $159k |
| FY2023 | 760 | $160k |
| FY2022 | 857 | $158k |
| FY2021 | 665 | $150k |
| FY2020 | 630 | $145k |
| FY2019 | 686 | $138k |
| FY2018 | 618 | $135k |
| FY2017 | 575 | $129k |
| FY2016 | 501 | $130k |
Top H-1B sponsors of Principal Software Engineer
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Software Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Software Engineer is $150k (FY2026), from 7,066 filings. The middle 50% earn between $128k and $179k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Software Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Software Engineer are Walmart Associates, Microsoft, Cadence Design Systems.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Software Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Software Engineer roles are San Francisco, CA, Santa Clara, CA, San Jose, CA.
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