As of March 18, 2025, the average annual salary for a Principal Software Engineer in the United Kingdom is £30,685, with an hourly rate of £15, according to Salary.com Global Salary IQ data. The average salary ranges from £19,856 to £36,842, influenced by factors like location, education, experience, and more.

Global Market Data
25TH   £19,856
50TH(Median)   £30,685
75TH   £36,842
Principal Software Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
25th Percentile Principal Software Engineer Salary £19,856 United Kingdom March 18, 2025
50th Percentile Principal Software Engineer Salary £30,685 United Kingdom March 18, 2025
75th Percentile Principal Software Engineer Salary £36,842 United Kingdom March 18, 2025

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How Much Does a Principal Software Engineer Make by Hour, Week, Month, and Year?

Last Updated on March 18, 2025

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified Principal Software Engineer salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. The average annual pay for a Principal Software Engineer is about £30,685 a year, this translates to an approximate hourly rate of £15, a monthly salary of about £2,557, and a weekly pay of around £590. Click the switch button below to see more details about Principal Software Engineer hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay, and so on.

How Much Do Principal Software Engineers Earn at Different Levels in 2025?

A Principal Software Engineer's salary varies significantly based on experience level. Entry typically earn £63,500 - £68,001, while Intermediate make £64,159 - £68,550, Senior earn £65,366 - £69,647, Specialist earn £69,318 - £73,321, Expert can reach £71,123 - £75,309 or more, depending on the company and location.

Levels Salary
Entry Level Principal Software Engineer £66,574
Intermediate Level Principal Software Engineer £67,123
Senior Level Principal Software Engineer £68,220
Specialist Level Principal Software Engineer £71,960
Expert Level Principal Software Engineer £73,844
£66,574 0 yr
£67,123 < 2 yrs
£68,220 2-4 yrs
£71,960 5-8 yrs
£73,844 > 8 yrs
Entry Level 117%
Intermediate Level 119%
Senior Level 122%
Specialist Level 135%
Expert Level 141%
View as Table
View as Graph
Last Updated on March 18, 2025

What are the Highest Paying Cities in the United Kingdom for Principal Software Engineer?

The top 3 highest-paying cities in the United Kingdom for Principal Software Engineer are London, Brighton and Hove, and Manchester. In London, the average salary is £33,139 per year, while Brighton and Hove offers £30,913, and Manchester pays around £29,413 annually.

Which Job Pays More: Principal Electrical Engineer or Principal Software Engineer?

As of March 18, 2025 , a Principal Electrical Engineer makes more than a Principal Software Engineer. A Principal Electrical Engineer earns an average annual salary of £48,745. And a Principal Software Engineer earns an average annual salary of £30,685.

Job Title Salary Range in GBP
Principal Electrical Engineer
£36,661
£59,298
Principal Mechanical Engineer
£39,081
£60,016
Principal Systems Engineer
£57,473
£102,756
Software Engineer III
£40,050
£59,913

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Frequently Asked Questions about Principal Software Engineer Salaries

1. How much does a principal software engineer make in the UK?

The estimated total pay for a Principal Software Engineer is £83,237 per year, with an average salary of £73,876 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

2. What is the highest salary of software engineer in UK?

The highest salary for a Software Engineer in United Kingdom is £77,646 per year. The lowest salary for a Software Engineer in United Kingdom is £39,616 per year.

3. What is the salary of principal software engineer?

On average, Principal Software Engineer salaries ranges from ₹13.1 Lakhs to ₹53.0 Lakhs per year. Top companies and specialized roles may offer higher compensation. The average starting salary is around ₹13.1 Lakhs to ₹53.0 Lakhs per year, with the highest salary reaching ₹43.8 Lakhs to ₹120.0 Lakhs per year.

4. How much do principal systems engineers make in the UK?

UK. The median Principal Systems Engineer salary in the UK is £61,500 per year, according to job vacancies posted during the 6 months leading to 18 March 2025.

5. What is the salary of principal software engineer in Tesco?

12 - 17 years exp. 16 - 18 years exp. Principal Software Engineer salary at Tesco ranges between ₹7.5 Lakhs to ₹24.9 Lakhs per year for employees with experience between 5 years to 12 years. Salary estimates are based on 46 latest salaries received from various employees of Tesco.

6. Who is the highest paid engineer UK?

Highest Paid Engineering Jobs in UKNuclear Engineering.Data Engineering.Petroleum Engineering.Robotics Engineering.Aerospace Engineering.Biomedical Engineering.Chemical Engineering.Electrical Engineering.More items...•14 Jan 2025