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67/ 100
Tech #102 of 1000 overall
Principal Engineer
PerspectaScore 67/100 — our composite grade across wealth, freedom, stability, ROI, burnout and automation risk.
Where Principal Engineer ranks
How this career places against all 1000 careers in our database.
The nine scores
Wealth Potential95/100
Lifetime net-worth percentile vs every other career.
Freedom & Flexibility91/100
Remote work, mobility, self-employment and early-FI potential.
Job Stability50/100
Resilience to layoffs and recessions.
Career Mobility100/100
Room to climb and grow income over time.
Geographic Flexibility90/100
How easily this career relocates between states.
Degree / Training ROI74/100
Payoff relative to the time and debt to get in.
Family Friendliness48/100
Stability, benefits and lower burnout for raising a family.
Burnout Risk70/100
Emotional and physical toll of the work.
Automation Risk70/100
Exposure to being replaced by AI / automation.
Key facts
- Median salary
- $168,000
- Median take-home
- $125,290
- Top 10% salary
- $273,000
- Net worth @ 65
- $10M
- Lifetime earnings
- $14.8M
- Financial independence
- Age 40
- Education
- Bachelor's
- Typical debt
- $30,000
Best states
CaliforniaWashingtonNew YorkTexasColorado
Based on pay, demand and cost of living. Educational estimates · methodology.
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