Side-by-side distribution
Embedded Engineer
$157,250
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 46%
- Live roles
- 1,081
Principal Engineer
$168,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47.8%
- Live roles
- 6,468
Highest-paying jobs
Architect/Staff Embedded Software Engineer
Principal Software Engineer - Embedded Platform Software Development
Principal Software Engineer - Embedded (RIS)
Principal Software Engineer, Embedded (RIS)
Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Senior Embedded Engineer - Command Connector
Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Embedded Software Engineer, Power, Level 5
Embedded SW Engineer
Principal BIOS Embedded Software Engineer
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Software Engineer
Staff / Principal Data Engineer
Principal Engineer, Agentic AI Systems
Principal Research Engineer, Model Training & Post-Training
Distinguished Engineer - Servicing Tech
Principal Sales Systems Engineer
Principal Security Engineer, Infrastructure Security
Principal Software Engineer, Infrastructure Security
Senior Principal Software Engineer, Ads Quality
Principal Field Application Engineer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Northrop Grumman
|
$142,500 | 61 |
Anduril Industries
|
$222,000 | 26 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$181,117 | 17 |
SpaceX
|
$145,000 | 15 |
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 13 |
|
Verkada
|
$220,000 | 12 |
Motorola Solutions
|
$121,750 | 11 |
Silvus Technologies
|
$170,000 | 10 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$129,500 | 1,024 |
Elastic
|
$123,105 | 60 |
|
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
|
$260,500 | 49 |
Roblox
|
$320,145 | 47 |
| AL Astera Labs | $209,000 | 41 |
|
Leidos
|
$184,325 | 39 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$219,831 | 38 |
Draper
|
$170,000 | 38 |
Embedded Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| London | $279,940 | 3 |
| Toronto | $191,700 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $186,250 | 18 |
| Seattle | $182,209 | 26 |
| Denver | $181,117 | 11 |
| Boston | $180,650 | 6 |
| New York | $178,800 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 34 |
| Austin | $137,919 | 7 |
Principal Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $266,000 | 100 |
| Seattle | $245,417 | 98 |
| New York | $231,025 | 128 |
| Los Angeles | $230,750 | 50 |
| Atlanta | $228,000 | 23 |
| Boston | $222,000 | 76 |
| Denver | $203,549 | 43 |
| Chicago | $200,850 | 39 |
| Austin | $200,000 | 45 |
| Berlin | $159,275 | 3 |
Embedded Engineer vs Principal Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Embedded Engineer is $157,250 per year (typically $127,500–$194,125), versus $168,500 for Principal Engineer ($130,299–$216,263). That puts Principal Engineer about 7% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Embedded Engineer and Principal Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.