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

What is the hourly salary range of Quality Assurance Engineer I?

As of July 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Quality Assurance Engineer I in the United States is $36, which translates to an annual salary of about $75,690.

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): $42 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33 to $39 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30 per hour
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View as table View as graph 25% $33 10% $30 90% $42 75% $39 $36 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Quality Assurance Engineer I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $81,259 $6,772 $1,563 $39
Average $75,690 $6,308 $1,456 $36
25th Percentile $69,128 $5,761 $1,329 $33
Check out Quality Assurance Engineer I Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Quality Assurance Engineer I Salaries

A Quality Assurance Engineer I'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 Quality Assurance Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Quality Assurance Engineer I'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:

  • Quality Assurance Engineer I (0-2 years): $75,690
  • Quality Assurance Engineer II (2-4 years): $89,084
  • Quality Assurance Engineer III (4-7 years): $100,759
  • Quality Assurance Engineer IV (7+ years): $125,310
  • Quality Assurance Engineer V (7-10 years): $150,351
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Quality Assurance Engineer I0-2 years$75,690
Quality Assurance Engineer II2-4 years$89,084
Quality Assurance Engineer III4-7 years$100,759
Quality Assurance Engineer IV7+ years$125,310
Quality Assurance Engineer V7-10 years$150,351
$75,690 Quality A...
$89,084 Quality A...
$100,759 Quality A...
$125,310 Quality A...
$150,351 Quality A...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Quality Assurance Engineer Is

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: $95,468
  • San Francisco: $94,423
  • Oakland: $92,433

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.09% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 2.91% 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.
  • Scrum (Mentioned in 2.02% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.09%
Software Development 2.91%
Scrum 2.02%
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 Quality Assurance Engineer I's salary.
  • Scrum: Can increase your salary by up to 31%.
  • Software Testing: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Jenkins: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Scrum
$99,154
31%
Software Testing
$92,342
22%
Jenkins
$89,314
18%
Agile
$86,287
14%
Linux
$85,530
13%
QA Automation
$84,773
12%
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Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Quality Assurance Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $84,659. While startup companies pay approximate $71,596.

Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$71,596
Growth Stage51~500$75,724
Established501~5000$81,754
Enterprise5000+$84,659

Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Quality Assurance Engineer I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Quality Assurance Engineer positions in Telecom or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Quality Assurance Engineer I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Quality Assurance Engineer I

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$90,828$44.020%
Pharmaceuticals$90,828$44.020%
Biotechnology$87,044$42.015%
Energy & Utilities$83,259$40.010%
Aerospace & Defense$79,474$38.05%

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

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Quality Assurance Engineer Is 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 Quality Assurance Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $71,485 and $75,711).

Quality Assurance Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Quality Assurance Engineer I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 8.8%
Associates 8.8%
Bachelors 59.6%
Masters 21.7%
Doctorate 0.8%
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Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Quality Assurance Engineer I'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 July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Quality Assurance Engineer I

Salaries for a Quality Assurance Engineer I can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $66,167 in 2023 to around $66,435 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Quality Assurance Engineer I salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Quality Assurance Engineer I Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$66,167
2024
$66,532
2025
$66,435
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $66,167
2024 $66,532
2025 $66,435
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Quality Assurance Engineer I

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Quality Assurance Engineer I

Here are companies hiring for Quality Assurance Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Quality Assurance Engineer I

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

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Quality Assurance Engineer I roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

2. What are the responsibilities of Quality Assurance Engineer I?

Performs inspections and sets quality assurance testing models for analysis of raw materials, materials in process, and finished products. Assists in developing quality control policies and evaluates production limitations. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Work is closely managed.

3. What are the skills of Quality Assurance Engineer I

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.

2.)

Software Development: 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.

3.)

Scrum: Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.

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.

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