Median salary
$148,050
per year · annualized USD
Typical range
$142.5k – $177.8k
25th–75th percentile
Disclosing pay
90.8%
168 of 185 roles
Live roles
185
open right now
Salary trend
median · annualized USDSalary distribution
annualized USD · disclosed rolesHighest-paying jobs
Senior Principal PLL IC Design Engineer - TeraWave
Principal Modem PHY IP Design Verification Engineer - Terawave
Principal PLL IC Design Engineer - TeraWave
Principal Modem PHY IP Design Engineer - Terawave
Principal Comms System and Modem Engineer- Terawave
Principal Software Engineer – TeraWave RF and Optical Systems
Principal Emulation & Prototyping Engineer
Principal mmWave Design Engineer (Power Amplifiers) - TeraWave
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Northrop Grumman
|
$142,500 | 130 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$323,009 | 9 |
STR
|
$244,000 | 4 |
Cubic Corporation
|
$206,500 | 4 |
| AD Analog Devices | $192,270 | 4 |
Caterpillar
|
$150,750 | 3 |
ASML
|
$190,475 | 2 |
Neurocrine Biosciences
|
$181,325 | 2 |
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How much do Principal Engineer roles in San Diego pay?
The median salary for Principal Engineer roles in San Diego is $148,050 per year. Most pay falls between $142,500 (25th percentile) and $177,800 (75th percentile), with the broader 10th–90th percentile band running from $114,700 to $206,500.
These figures are computed live from 185 active Principal Engineer roles in San Diego on JobsRadar, of which 168 (90.8%) publish a salary range. Pay is normalized to annualized USD so roles can be compared on equal terms; the highest-paying roles listed above show their original posted currency. Numbers refresh every few hours as new roles are posted and older ones close.
Employers currently hiring well-paid Principal Engineer roles in San Diego include Blue Origin.
Salary transparency varies by employer and region, so the disclosing share above reflects only roles that publish pay — not every open position. Use it as a directional benchmark rather than an exact offer.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Principal Engineer salary in San Diego?
- The median is $148,050 per year, with most pay between $142,500 and $177,800 (25th–75th percentile), based on 168 live listings that disclose pay on JobsRadar.
- What is the Principal Engineer salary range in San Diego?
- Pay ranges from about $114,700 to $206,500 per year (10th–90th percentile) around a median of $148,050. Figures are annualized USD from live listings, refreshed every few hours.