QA Engineer Salary
QA engineers ensure software quality by designing test plans, writing automated tests, and identifying bugs.
QA Engineer Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level qa engineers earn around $58,000 per year, while mid-career professionals earn $92,000. Senior-level qa engineers can earn $135,000 or more.
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See Investment Options →Salary Percentile Breakdown
The salary range for qa engineers varies significantly. The bottom 10% earn $55,000, while the top 10% earn $142,000.
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $55,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $90,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $142,000 |
QA Engineer Salary by State
QA Engineer salaries vary significantly by state due to cost of living, demand, and industry concentration. The highest paying state is Hawaii at $148,500, while Mississippi offers the lowest at $67,500.
| State | Median | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Hawaii | $148,500 | Details → |
| #2 California | $137,700 | Details → |
| #3 Massachusetts | $130,500 | Details → |
| #4 New York | $118,800 | Details → |
| #5 Washington | $114,300 | Details → |
| #6 Alaska | $108,900 | Details → |
| #7 New Jersey | $108,900 | Details → |
| #8 Maryland | $104,400 | Details → |
| #9 Oregon | $104,400 | Details → |
| #10 Connecticut | $103,500 | Details → |
| #11 Colorado | $101,700 | Details → |
| #12 Virginia | $100,800 | Details → |
| #13 New Hampshire | $96,300 | Details → |
| #14 Rhode Island | $95,400 | Details → |
| #15 Utah | $91,800 | Details → |
| #16 Delaware | $90,900 | Details → |
| #17 Florida | $90,000 | Details → |
| #18 Illinois | $90,000 | Details → |
| #19 Minnesota | $90,000 | Details → |
| #20 Arizona | $89,100 | Details → |
| #21 Nevada | $89,100 | Details → |
| #22 Pennsylvania | $88,200 | Details → |
| #23 Texas | $88,200 | Details → |
| #24 Vermont | $88,200 | Details → |
| #25 Georgia | $86,400 | Details → |
| #26 North Carolina | $86,400 | Details → |
| #27 Maine | $85,500 | Details → |
| #28 Idaho | $84,600 | Details → |
| #29 New Mexico | $83,700 | Details → |
| #30 Wisconsin | $82,800 | Details → |
| #31 Montana | $81,900 | Details → |
| #32 Michigan | $81,000 | Details → |
| #33 Ohio | $81,000 | Details → |
| #34 Tennessee | $80,100 | Details → |
| #35 Indiana | $79,200 | Details → |
| #36 Missouri | $79,200 | Details → |
| #37 Nebraska | $79,200 | Details → |
| #38 Louisiana | $78,300 | Details → |
| #39 South Carolina | $78,300 | Details → |
| #40 Iowa | $77,400 | Details → |
| #41 North Dakota | $77,400 | Details → |
| #42 Wyoming | $77,400 | Details → |
| #43 Kansas | $75,600 | Details → |
| #44 Kentucky | $74,700 | Details → |
| #45 South Dakota | $74,700 | Details → |
| #46 Alabama | $73,800 | Details → |
| #47 Oklahoma | $73,800 | Details → |
| #48 Arkansas | $70,200 | Details → |
| #49 West Virginia | $68,400 | Details → |
| #50 Mississippi | $67,500 | Details → |
Negotiate Your Way to Senior Pay
Data shows QA Engineers who negotiate earn 7–15% more. A single negotiation could add $45,000 over your career trajectory.
Get Negotiation Scripts — $197 →Key Responsibilities
- ● Design test plans and cases
- ● Write automated tests with Selenium/Cypress
- ● Track software defects
- ● Perform regression and performance testing
- ● Collaborate with developers on quality
Top Skills
Education Required
Bachelor's degree
Job Outlook
Much faster than average — projected 15% growth over the next decade
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