Updated on: Dec 24, 2025
The average Principal Engineer in Santa Clara, CA makes $144,988, 9% above the national average Principal Engineer salary of $133,599. This pay is 26% lower than the combined average salaries of other metroes San Jose, CA, Houston, TX, and San Diego, CA. The average bonus for a Principal Engineer is $17,192 which represents 14.77% of their salary, with 6% of people reporting that they receive a bonus each year.
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*Data is estimated and depends on the generous anonymous contributions of individuals