Principal Engineer H-1B Salary (2026)
LCA prevailing wages, DOL wage level, and top employer benchmarks for Principal Software Engineer H-1B petitions in 2026.
$280,000
Median LCA Wage
$240,000
25th Percentile
$350,000
75th Percentile
~4,000/yr
Annual LCA Filings
Prevailing Wage LevelLevel IV
SOC Code15-1252
Seniority LevelPrincipal
Top Employer LCA Wage Data
| Company | Level | Base Salary | Total Comp (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| L7 (Principal/Distinguished) | $253,000 | $700,000+ | |
| Meta | E7 (Principal SWE) | $247,000 | $680,000+ |
| Amazon | Distinguished Eng (L8) | $237,000 | $600,000+ |
| Microsoft | Distinguished Eng (L67+) | $230,000 | $560,000+ |
| Apple | ICT6 / Distinguished | $250,000 | $600,000+ |