Sales · Level E3 · Salary
Principal Sales Engineer salary
Typical on-target earnings (US national)
$245,000–$315,000
Base
$188,000
Variable @ target
$70,000
Equity (annual)
—
Technical strategy ownership; RSUs enter package at large vendors. ~$170k+ base anchor; top vendors' SE median OTE $320-335k.
Indicative, sourced — not a guarantee. Everstage/KORE1 2026 SE guide; principal band ~$170k base at large vendor
Pay by metro — nominal vs cost-adjusted
“Real” adjusts for cost of living, so a high headline number in an expensive metro can be worth less in practice. Ranked by real pay.
| Metro | Nominal | Real (cost-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| Remote (US national) | $270,000 | $270,000 |
| Atlanta | $264,600 | $270,000 |
| Austin | $270,000 | $264,706 |
| Chicago | $270,000 | $250,000 |
| Seattle | $291,600 | $243,000 |
| Denver | $264,600 | $240,545 |
| Boston | $270,000 | $200,000 |
| Los Angeles | $270,000 | $186,207 |
| New York City | $283,500 | $182,903 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $283,500 | $157,500 |