The salary trajectory of a Principal Software Engineer ranges between locations and employers. The salary starts at $152,803 per year (estimate) and goes up to $473,796 per year (estimate) for the highest level of seniority.
The estimated average salary for a Principal Software Engineer at Meta is $286,194 per year or $138 per hour, but some professionals have reported earning up to roughly $454,376 per year (90th percentile). The typical pay range is between $227,645 (25th percentile) and $367,022 (75th percentile) annually. This is based on 9 salaries submitted by Meta Principal Software Engineer professionals on Glassdoor, as of Jun 2026.
Principal Software Engineer professionals typically earn between $109 and $176 per hour.
Principal Software Engineer professionals typically earn between $18,970 and $30,585 monthly.
SWE Intern with an estimated total pay of $77K - $131K/yr
SDE-intern with an estimated total pay of $87K - $130K/yr
Software Intern with an estimated total pay of $121K - $198K/yr