As of November 01, 2025, the average salary for a Software QA Engineer III in Palomar Mountain, CA is $122,600 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $59.
However, a Software QA Engineer III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
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Software QA Engineer III Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $129,100 | $10,758 | $2,483 | $62 |
| Average | $122,600 | $10,217 | $2,358 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $113,400 | $9,450 | $2,181 | $55 |
Highbury Defense Group - San Diego, CA
Cyberstrike Group - point, CA
Voyager Space Holdings - Folsom, CA
Lockheed Martin - Sunnyvale, CA
A Software QA Engineer III'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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Software QA Engineer III'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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Software QA Engineer III | $118,457 |
| Intermediate Level Software QA Engineer III | $119,148 |
| Senior Level Software QA Engineer III | $120,529 |
| Specialist Level Software QA Engineer III | $122,602 |
| Expert Level Software QA Engineer III | $125,132 |
What Am I Worth?
Salaries can also vary between different cities, even within the same state. 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 California cities:
Demanded Skills for the Role:
| Skills | Demand Percentage |
|---|---|
| Analysis | 2.96% |
| Test Scripts | 3.27% |
| Manual Testing | 2.25% |
| Skill | Salary | Salary % Increase |
|---|---|---|
|
Products and Services
|
$127,504 |
4%
|
|
Innovation
|
$126,278 |
3%
|
|
Prioritization
|
$126,278 |
3%
|
|
Teamwork
|
$125,052 |
2%
|
|
Leadership
|
$125,052 |
2%
|
|
Integrity
|
$123,826 |
1%
|
Understanding how a Software QA Engineer III'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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $129,100 | $10,758 | $2,483 | $62 |
| Average | $122,600 | $10,217 | $2,358 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $113,400 | $9,450 | $2,181 | $55 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Software QA Engineer III job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
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