Principal salary in United States

The average salary for a Principal is $141,513 per year in the United States. This figure is based on 5.9k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months, last updated on September 7, 2026.

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Principal salaries typically range between a low of $86,642 and a high of $231,132 per year, depending on experience, location, and the hiring company.

Some of the highest-paying cities for Principal include Claremont, CA at $184,730 per year, New York, NY at $182,637 per year, and San Francisco, CA at $178,324 per year.

Based on recent job postings on Indeed, some of the top-paying companies for Principal include Canon Recruiting Group ($364,000 per year) and ASK Staffing ($364,000 per year).