Hourly Wage for Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer make hourly?

As of August 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer in the United States is $48, which translates to an annual salary of about $100,773.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $56 per hour
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $45 to $53 per hour
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $41 per hour

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2026 Compensation Trend

AI-Powered Talent

Smart Recruiting

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$109,433	$9,119	$2,104	$53
Average	$100,773	$8,398	$1,938	$48
25th Percentile	$93,193	$7,766	$1,792	$45

Get accurate pay by adjusting the below factors.

Change Search Criteria

Check out Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Job Openings in the United States

Sr Quality Assurance Engineer

Corporate One FCU - Columbus, OH

Sr Quality Engineer

Blue Star Partners LLC - Columbus, OH

Senior Quality Engineer

McKesson - Columbus, OH

Physician Emergency Medicine Ohio Permanent Emergency Medicine Physician near Columbus Ohio Job

MD Staff, LLC - Columbus, OH

Search More Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salaries

A Senior Quality Assurance Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry Quality Assurance Engineer (0-2 years): $75,687
Intermediate Quality Assurance Engineer (2-4 years): $89,082
Senior Quality Assurance Engineer (4-7 years): $100,757
QA/Validation Engineer IV (7+ years): $125,315
Expert/Consultant Level Quality Assurance Engineer (7-10 years): $150,352

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Entry Quality Assurance Engineer	0-2 years	$75,687
Intermediate Quality Assurance Engineer	2-4 years	$89,082
Senior Quality Assurance Engineer	4-7 years	$100,757
QA/Validation Engineer IV	7+ years	$125,315
Expert/Consultant Level Quality Assurance Engineer	7-10 years	$150,352

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Senior Quality Assurance Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $111,573.
California: $111,153.
Massachusetts: $109,673.

District of Columbia $111,573 California $111,153 Massachusetts $109,673 Washington $109,273 New Jersey $109,233 Alaska $109,083 Connecticut $107,693 New York $107,133

Hawaii $105,333 Rhode Island $104,483 Maryland $103,913 Minnesota $103,123 Colorado $102,823 Illinois $102,723 Oregon $102,333 Delaware $102,053

New Hampshire $101,873 Virginia $101,483 Pennsylvania $100,323 Nevada $99,733 North Dakota $99,543 Michigan $99,243 Wisconsin $99,133 Vermont $98,913

Texas $98,293 Maine $98,253 Arizona $98,193 Ohio $98,123 Georgia $97,203 Indiana $96,733 Wyoming $96,643 Utah $96,503

Iowa $96,443 Kansas $95,963 Louisiana $95,813 North Carolina $95,763 Missouri $95,743 Florida $95,353 Montana $95,143 Nebraska $94,943

Kentucky $94,833 South Carolina $94,423 Tennessee $94,173 Idaho $94,073 New Mexico $93,343 Oklahoma $93,173 Alabama $92,583 South Dakota $91,583

Arkansas $91,043 West Virginia $90,753 Mississippi $89,873

Top Paying Cities for Senior Quality Assurance Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $127,103
San Francisco: $125,713
Oakland: $123,063

San Jose, CA $127,103

San Francisco, CA $125,713

Oakland, CA $123,063

New York, NY $116,033

Paramus, NJ $114,623

Queens Village, NY $114,613

Passaic, NJ $114,513

Bergenfield, NJ $114,513

Stamford, CT $114,283

Huntington, NY $114,243

Newark, NJ $113,503

Bridgeport, CT $113,293

Vallejo, CA $113,083

New Brunswick, NJ $113,043

Petaluma, CA $112,983

Middlesex, NJ $112,793

Somerset, NJ $112,723

Santa Cruz, CA $112,593

Boston, MA $111,983

Monterey, CA $111,623

Seattle, WA $111,393

Santa Rosa, CA $111,373

Los Angeles, CA $111,343

Juneau, AK $111,083

Washington, DC $110,973

Orange, CA $110,613

Santa Ana, CA $110,343

Long Beach, CA $110,243

Anaheim, CA $110,223

Anchorage, AK $110,173

Santa Maria, CA $109,873

Everett, WA $109,853

Danbury, CT $109,503

Bremerton, WA $109,363

Tacoma, WA $108,993

New Suffolk, NY $108,993

Sacramento, CA $108,963

Santa Barbara, CA $108,853

Trenton, NJ $108,743

San Diego, CA $108,743

Brockton, MA $108,633

Fairbanks, AK $108,383

Lompoc, CA $108,133

Lowell, MA $108,053

Ventura, CA $108,033

Nashua, NH $108,013

Stockton, CA $108,003

Modesto, CA $107,263

Poughkeepsie, NY $107,043

Olympia, WA $106,853

Kennewick, WA $106,853

New Haven, CT $106,813

Lawrence, MA $106,443

Hartford, CT $106,343

Riverside, CA $106,323

New Bedford, MA $106,223

Richland, WA $106,223

Bakersfield, CA $106,083

San Bernardino, CA $106,043

New Britain, CT $106,033

Atlantic City, NJ $106,033

New London, CT $105,993

Norwich, CT $105,963

Portsmouth, NH $105,943

Boulder, CO $105,733

Portland, OR $105,593

Worcester, MA $105,583

Minneapolis, MN $105,273

Philadelphia, PA $105,123

Honolulu, HI $104,793

Saint Paul, MN $104,743

Vineland, NJ $104,723

Providence, RI $104,433

Chicago, IL $104,143

Bellingham, WA $104,023

Springfield, MA $103,943

Baltimore, MD $103,913

Chico, CA $103,653

Pittsfield, MA $103,383

Manchester, NH $103,193

Spokane, WA $102,753

Denver, CO $102,743

Albany, NY $102,263

Troy, NY $102,223

Nassau, NY $102,123

Schenectady, NY $102,013

Wilmington, DE $101,933

Burlington, VT $101,793

Salem, OR $101,753

Portland, ME $101,443

Yakima, WA $101,343

Rochester, MN $101,023

Reno, NV $100,973

Fresno, CA $100,973

Milwaukee, WI $100,883

Detroit, MI $100,783

Ann Arbor, MI $100,763

Allentown, PA $100,753

Colorado Springs, CO $100,583

Syracuse, NY $100,533

Carson City, NV $100,533

Houston, TX $100,393

Eugene, OR $100,343

Gary, IN $100,223

Springfield, OR $100,143

Bismarck, ND $100,123

Galveston, TX $100,053

Medford, OR $99,903

Fort Collins, CO $99,863

Concord, NH $99,803

Austin, TX $99,773

Mesa, AZ $99,563

Reading, PA $99,553

Phoenix, AZ $99,543

Dallas, TX $99,513

Saint Cloud, MN $99,423

Madison, WI $99,283

Utica, NY $99,013

Rochester, NY $98,853

Des Moines, IA $98,843

Raleigh, NC $98,833

Atlanta, GA $98,683

Battle Creek, MI $98,653

Salt Lake City, UT $98,623

Lancaster, PA $98,463

Harrisburg, PA $98,323

Kansas City, MO $98,223

Champaign, IL $98,203

Kansas City, KS $98,203

Fort Worth, TX $98,193

Columbus, OH $98,183

Boca Raton, FL $98,153

Pittsburgh, PA $98,113

Richmond, VA $98,073

Indianapolis, IN $98,053

Cleveland, OH $98,043

Las Vegas, NV $97,923

Cincinnati, OH $97,923

Petersburg, VA $97,773

Huntsville, AL $97,623

Lansing, MI $97,553

Lebanon, PA $97,543

Pueblo, CO $97,533

Appleton, WI $97,503

Buffalo, NY $97,463

Dayton, OH $97,433

Racine, WI $97,413

Charlotte, NC $97,403

Saint Louis, MO $97,373

York, PA $97,313

Elkhart, IN $97,313

Gastonia, NC $97,293

Billings, MT $97,263

Beaumont, TX $97,243

Lorain, OH $97,223

Benton Harbor, MI $97,203

Toledo, OH $97,173

Binghamton, NY $97,123

Rock Hill, SC $97,113

Rockford, IL $97,063

Springfield, IL $97,023

Elyria, OH $97,013

Fargo, ND $97,013

Flagstaff, AZ $96,943

Fort Lauderdale, FL $96,883

Duluth, MN $96,823

Miami, FL $96,823

Cheyenne, WY $96,753

Grand Forks, ND $96,753

Bangor, ME $96,533

Cedar Rapids, IA $96,423

Durham, NC $96,383

Louisville, KY $96,373

Grand Rapids, MI $96,353

Hialeah, FL $96,343

Casper, WY $96,203

Scranton, PA $96,083

New Orleans, LA $96,053

Virginia Beach, VA $96,043

Akron, OH $95,993

Peoria, IL $95,863

Sarasota, FL $95,833

Nashville, TN $95,763

Omaha, NE $95,763

Green Bay, WI $95,763

Baton Rouge, LA $95,713

Charleston, SC $95,693

Jamestown, NY $95,643

Davenport, IA $95,643

Tucson, AZ $95,593

Saint Petersburg, FL $95,533

Tampa, FL $95,513

Evansville, IN $95,453

Port Arthur, TX $95,453

Bradenton, FL $95,413

Santa Fe, NM $95,233

Orlando, FL $95,053

Clearwater, FL $95,023

Canton, OH $94,813

La Crosse, WI $94,813

Albuquerque, NM $94,753

Newport News, VA $94,743

High Point, NC $94,713

Ogden, UT $94,673

Corpus Christi, TX $94,593

Norfolk, VA $94,533

Laramie, WY $94,533

Rock Island, IL $94,463

Saginaw, MI $94,443

Jacksonville, FL $94,433

Salisbury, NC $94,413

Boise, ID $94,393

Moline, IL $94,343

Fort Myers, FL $94,313

Memphis, TN $94,293

Tulsa, OK $94,243

Waterloo, IA $94,183

Spartanburg, SC $94,083

Lincoln, NE $94,033

Fort Wayne, IN $94,013

Provo, UT $94,003

Cedar Falls, IA $93,883

San Antonio, TX $93,843

Greensboro, NC $93,803

South Bend, IN $93,793

Savannah, GA $93,683

Muskegon, MI $93,643

Birmingham, AL $93,633

Winston Salem, NC $93,583

Lake Charles, LA $93,343

Anderson, IN $93,323

Lexington, KY $93,293

Augusta, GA $93,263

Greenville, SC $93,263

Lima, OH $93,173

Wichita, KS $93,163

Tuscaloosa, AL $93,163

Columbia, SC $93,073

Springfield, OH $93,053

Asheville, NC $92,893

Bloomington, IN $92,823

Knoxville, TN $92,463

Shreveport, LA $92,453

Wilmington, NC $92,323

Roanoke, VA $92,323

Topeka, KS $92,143

Frankfort, KY $92,133

Oklahoma City, OK $92,063

Chillicothe, OH $92,023

Longview, TX $92,013

Melbourne, FL $92,003

Sioux Falls, SD $91,833

Mobile, AL $91,823

Terre Haute, IN $91,783

Altoona, PA $91,723

Amarillo, TX $91,653

Killeen, TX $91,623

Fayetteville, AR $91,543

Chattanooga, TN $91,513

Sioux City, IA $91,423

Idaho Falls, ID $91,403

Lynchburg, VA $91,323

Gainesville, FL $91,193

Portsmouth, OH $91,143

Little Rock, AR $91,123

Lafayette, LA $91,083

Youngstown, OH $91,083

Daytona Beach, FL $91,023

Clarksville, TN $91,013

Pensacola, FL $91,003

Temple, TX $90,993

Hopkinsville, KY $90,703

Erie, PA $90,683

Florence, SC $90,643

Charleston, WV $90,473

Great Falls, MT $90,423

Macon, GA $90,283

Tallahassee, FL $90,273

Fayetteville, NC $90,253

Waco, TX $90,233

Helena, MT $90,163

Pine Bluff, AR $90,123

Vincennes, IN $90,003

Lubbock, TX $89,963

Alamogordo, NM $89,903

Twin Falls, ID $89,813

Rapid City, SD $89,783

Jackson, MS $89,603

Greenville, MS $89,593

Huntington, WV $89,593

Parkersburg, WV $89,493

Montgomery, AL $89,473

Wichita Falls, TX $89,373

Springfield, MO $89,373

Biloxi, MS $89,323

Monroe, LA $89,223

Johnstown, PA $89,143

Sumter, SC $89,103

Columbus, GA $89,093

Pascagoula, MS $88,903

Abilene, TX $88,903

Kingsport, TN $88,643

Albany, GA $88,643

Gulfport, MS $88,613

Alexandria, LA $88,283

Fort Smith, AR $88,033

El Paso, TX $87,753

Las Cruces, NM $87,303

Harlingen, TX $87,043

Pocatello, ID $87,033

Florence, AL $86,903

Brownsville, TX $86,883

Mcallen, TX $86,673

Dothan, AL $86,523

Columbus, MS $85,933

Altus, OK $85,463

Lawton, OK $85,273

Pierre, SD $84,903

What Skills Can Increase a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Team Development (Mentioned in 3.93% Job Postings): Building and developing effective teams to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way.
Software Development (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
JavaScript (Mentioned in 1.84% Job Postings): Using JavaScript in the development and maintenance of Web-based application systems.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Team Development	3.93%
Software Development	2.98%
JavaScript	1.84%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer's salary.

Python: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Android: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Linux: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Python	$106,819	6%
Android	$105,812	5%
Linux	$105,812	5%
Debugging	$105,812	5%
Networking	$104,804	4%
Computer Science	$104,804	4%

Get Latest Data

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $112,810. While startup companies pay approximate $95,434.

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$95,434
Growth Stage	51~500	$100,933
Established	501~5000	$108,938
Enterprise	5000+	$112,810

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Senior Quality Assurance Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Senior Quality Assurance Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Senior Quality Assurance Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense	$151,160	$73.0	50%

How Education impacts a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Senior Quality Assurance Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $101,679 and $106,316).

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

No Diploma 0.6%

High School 2.8%

Associates 6.1%

Bachelors 52.6%

Masters 36.4%

Doctorate 1.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.6%
High School	2.8%
Associates	6.1%
Bachelors	52.6%
Masters	36.4%
Doctorate	1.4%

view as graph

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$93,193

Average $100,773/year

$109,433

$7,766

Average $8,398/month

$9,119

$1,792

Average $1,938/week

$2,104

$45

Average $48/hour

$53

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$109,433	$9,119	$2,104	$53
Average	$100,773	$8,398	$1,938	$48
25th Percentile	$93,193	$7,766	$1,792	$45

Salaries of jobs related to Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

Salary Trends for Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

Salaries for a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $102,459 in 2023 to around $102,924 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Senior Quality Assurance Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$102,459

2024

$103,109

2025

$102,924

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$102,459
2024	$103,109
2025	$102,924
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Senior Quality Assurance Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

eviCore healthcare

Columbus, OH

Physician Other Ohio Permanent Associate Medical Director

eviCore healthcare | Columbus, OH

Provides timely expert medical review for requests to evaluate the medical necessity of services that do not meet utilization review criteria while located... more

5 Days Ago
Continuum Medical Staffing

Columbus, OH

Physician Psychiatry

Continuum Medical Staffing | Columbus, OH

PSYCHIATRIST- CHILD/ADOLESCENT COLUMBUS OHIO We are seeking a Board-Certified Child/ Adolescent Psychiatrist for a permanent position in Columbus Ohio No V... more

6 Days Ago
MD Staff, LLC

Columbus, OH

Physician Neurology Ohio Locum Tenens Locums Physician

MD Staff, LLC | Columbus, OH

Neurologist Locum Tenens Opportunity Near Columbus, OH. We are excited to offer a rewarding locum tenens opportunity for a Board Certified or Board Eligibl... more

6 Days Ago
C.R. England

Columbus, OH

Local CDL

C.R. England | Columbus, OH

Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

18 Days Ago
Confidential

Columbus, OH

Vice President Credit Risk Strategy&Data Science

Confidential | Columbus, OH

Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

18 Days Ago
KreilKamp Trucking

Columbus, OH

Regional Truck Driver Company

KreilKamp Trucking | Columbus, OH

Regional CDL A Drivers | NEW Grads Welcome | Earn $70,000+ Annually. We're proud to be a 4th generation family truck line, started in 1935, but even proude... more

18 Days Ago

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Senior Quality Assurance Engineer?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Senior Quality Assurance Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about

Click or scroll to view lower level job