Principal Financial Employee Salaries 2026: Average Pay & Compensation
Principal Financial employee salaries are estimated at $85,000 average pay in 2025-2026, with $78,000 median pay and $102,000 average total compensation. Compare Principal Financial employee salaries by role, level, bonus, equity, benefits, and Des Moines, IA location context before evaluating an offer.
Average Salary
$85,000
$7,083/mo
Total Compensation
$102,000
base + bonus + equity
Employees
19K
large company
Rating
3.8
★★★★☆
Direct answer
Principal Financial employee salaries 2025-2026: average pay and compensation
The average salary for Principal Financial employees is estimated at $85,000 in 2025-2026, with median pay of $78,000 and average total compensation of $102,000 when bonus, equity, and incentive pay are included. Entry-level roles start around $50,000, senior roles average $140,000, and the highest listed role benchmark is Software Engineer at $85,000.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Page reviewed May 26, 2026 · Salary data last updated May 19, 2026. Source basis: modeled Salario role-level estimates, public filings, postings, or salary trackers where cited on this page, and BLS wage baselines for context; this is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed offer or internal HR pay band.
Search intent match
Principal Financial average employee salary, compensation and role pay
These are the four compensation questions people usually compare before applying to Principal Financial: average employee salary, average compensation per employee, salary by role, and salary range by level.
| Search question | 2026 answer | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Principal Financial average employee salary 2026 | $85,000 average base salary | Compare against the Financial Services peer average of $104,538. |
| Principal Financial average compensation per employee | $102,000 average total compensation | Separate base salary from bonus and equity before comparing offers. |
| Principal Financial employee salaries by role | Software Engineer: $85,000 | Product Manager: $80,750 | Operations Manager: $68,850 | Use role-specific benchmarks instead of negotiating from the company average alone. |
| Principal Financial salary range 2025-2026 | $50,000 to $140,000 across listed entry-to-senior levels | Adjust for level, team, location, bonus cycle, and Des Moines, IA cost context. |
Company-specific pay benchmark
Principal Financial Employee Salaries by Role: 2025-2026 Snapshot
Principal Financial employee salaries average $85,000 base pay and $102,000 average total compensation in this 2025-2026 benchmark. Within Financial Services, that puts Principal Financial below the peer salary average of $104,538 by -19%. Use this snapshot to compare base salary, bonus potential, senior-level upside, and role-specific pay before accepting or negotiating an offer.
Vs. Financial Services peers
-19%
peer avg $104,538
Total comp position
-20%
peer avg $128,077
Role pay spread
$20,400
Data Analyst to Software Engineer
Senior premium
+180%
senior vs entry-level salary
| Negotiation area | Principal Financial benchmark | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $85,000 average, $78,000 median | Compare the offer against the Financial Services peer average and your exact role level. |
| Bonus target | 12% target, about $10,200 on average salary | Ask whether the target is guaranteed, discretionary, prorated, or tied to company performance. |
| Equity or incentives | 17% of estimated total comp is above base salary | Check vesting schedule, refresh grants, strike price or RSU value, and liquidity timing. |
| Location economics | Des Moines, IA headquarters, $7,083 monthly average pay | Adjust for state taxes, local taxes, rent, commute cost, hybrid policy, and relocation support. |
Principal Financial Salary by Level
Salary progression from entry-level to director positions at Principal Financial.
Entry-level employees at Principal Financial earn around $50,000, while directors can earn $264,000 or more.
Principal Financial Average Pay by Role
| Role | Base Salary | Est. Total Comp |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $85,000 | $95,200 |
| Product Manager | $80,750 | $90,440 |
| Operations Manager | $68,850 | $77,112 |
| Marketing Manager | $67,150 | $75,208 |
| Data Analyst | $64,600 | $72,352 |
Total compensation estimates include base salary and an average 12% bonus. Stock options/equity are offered but vary significantly by role and level.
Principal Financial Benefits & Perks
Principal Financial Salary Calculator
Select a role and experience level to estimate your salary at Principal Financial.
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
Estimated Salary at Principal Financial
$89,000
$7,417/month · $42.79/hr
Est. total comp with 12% bonus: $99,680
About Principal Financial
Principal Financial is a financial services company headquartered in Des Moines, IA, founded in 1879. With approximately 19,000 employees, it is a major employer in the financial services sector.
Headquarters
Des Moines, IA
Founded
1879
Industry
Financial Services
Company Size
large
Employees
19,000
Median Salary
$78,000
Hourly Rate
$40.87/hr
Monthly Pay
$7,083
Principal Financial Estimated Workplace Ratings
Directional estimates from Salario's company dataset, not scores published by Glassdoor or another review site. Compensation and Culture are derived from the overall and work-life balance estimates. Check current employee reviews before relying on them.
3.8
★★★★☆
Overall Rating
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Methodology & Sources for Principal Financial Salary Data
How we estimate Principal Financial compensation data: The salary figures on this page are modeled planning estimates stored in Salario's static company dataset. They are not a live feed and are not aggregated from individual employee submissions to Salario. Where this page lists specific sources such as SEC filings, official job postings, or public salary trackers, those sources are named with the date they were checked. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics are linked as occupation-level baseline context, not as Principal Financial-specific data.
- Base salary benchmarks are modeled estimates by role and level. Principal Financial (founded 1879, 19K employees, headquartered in Des Moines, IA) is in the Financial Services sector.
- Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and where applicable, equity or other long-term incentives. At Principal Financial, bonuses vary by role, level, location, performance cycle, and business division.
- Level mapping normalizes role names across companies (Entry/Junior/Mid/Senior/Lead/Principal/Director) for cross-company comparison.
- Cost-of-living context is not built into these figures; use the cost of living calculator to compare Principal Financial's Des Moines, IA pay with other markets.
- Industry comparison on this page compares Principal Financial with other Financial Services companies in the same Salario dataset; BLS national occupation wages are linked below for independent context.
Authoritative compensation data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national salary baselines for Financial Services
- SEC EDGAR, Company Filings, public company executive compensation in DEF 14A proxies
- BLS Industries at a Glance, Financial Services, sector employment, wages, productivity
- BLS Employment Cost Index, quarterly compensation trend data
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level wage data by industry
- DOL Wage and Hour Division, federal wage compliance and minimum wage
Disclaimer: Principal Financial compensation figures are modeled estimates that reflect general patterns, not guaranteed offers. Actual salaries vary based on level, location, negotiation, performance, and equity vesting. For personalized career advice, consult HR professionals or executive coaches. For job offers, always negotiate based on multiple data points and your unique value.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Salary data last updated May 19, 2026 · Page reviewed May 26, 2026 · BLS links point to the latest release on bls.gov
Principal Financial Salary FAQ
What is the average salary at Principal Financial in 2026?
Salario estimates the average salary at Principal Financial at $85,000 per year in 2026. Modeled entry-level pay is around $50,000, and the senior professional benchmark is $140,000. Estimated total compensation including bonuses and equity is $102,000. These are planning estimates, not official Principal Financial pay bands.
What benefits does Principal Financial offer?
Principal Financial offers a comprehensive benefits package including Health/dental/vision, 401k match, Pension, and 2 more benefits. The company also offers stock options or equity compensation. Salario models the average bonus at approximately 12% of base salary. Confirm current benefits and bonus eligibility in the written offer.
What are the highest paying roles at Principal Financial?
The highest paying roles at Principal Financial include Software Engineer ($85,000), Product Manager ($80,750), Operations Manager ($68,850). Executive-level positions can earn up to $330,000 or more annually.
How does Principal Financial compare to other Financial Services companies?
Principal Financial has an estimated 3.8/5.0 workplace rating and $85,000 estimated average salary in Salario's company dataset. Compared to peers like Bank of New York Mellon and S&P Global, it offers competitive compensation in the Financial Services sector.
Is Principal Financial a good company to work for?
Principal Financial has an estimated 3.8/5.0 overall workplace rating and 3.6/5.0 work-life balance score in Salario's company dataset. These are directional editorial estimates, not scores published by a specific employee-review site, so check current employee reviews before deciding. The estimate sits above the midpoint of the scale. The company is headquartered in Des Moines, IA and was founded in 1879, employing 19K people worldwide.
What is the total compensation at Principal Financial?
Salario estimates total compensation at Principal Financial at $102,000 per year, which includes base salary ($85,000), bonuses (approximately 12% of base), and equity or long-term incentive grants. Senior and executive roles can see significantly higher total compensation packages.
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