Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary in the United States
How much does a Quality Assurance Engineer I make in the United States?
As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Assurance Engineer I in the United States is $75,693 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.
However, a Quality Assurance Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,311
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $69,133 to $81,251
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): $75,693
Quality Assurance Engineer II (2-4 years): $89,086
Quality Assurance Engineer III (4-7 years): $100,762
Quality Assurance Engineer IV (7+ years): $125,305
Quality Assurance Engineer V (7-10 years): $150,349
Job Role
Years of Experience
Average Salary
Quality Assurance Engineer I
0-2 years
$75,693
Quality Assurance Engineer II
2-4 years
$89,086
Quality Assurance Engineer III
4-7 years
$100,762
Quality Assurance Engineer IV
7+ years
$125,305
Quality Assurance Engineer V
7-10 years
$150,349
$75,693Quality A...
$89,086Quality A...
$100,762Quality A...
$125,305Quality A...
$150,349Quality A...
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Quality Assurance Engineer I 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 Quality Assurance Engineer Is.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $95,472
San Francisco: $94,426
Oakland: $92,436
San Jose, CA$95,472
San Francisco, CA$94,426
Oakland, CA$92,436
New York, NY$87,152
Paramus, NJ$86,092
Queens Village, NY$86,089
Passaic, NJ$86,017
Bergenfield, NJ$86,010
Stamford, CT$85,843
Huntington, NY$85,812
Newark, NJ$85,253
Bridgeport, CT$85,093
Vallejo, CA$84,943
New Brunswick, NJ$84,912
Petaluma, CA$84,867
Middlesex, NJ$84,723
Somerset, NJ$84,670
Santa Cruz, CA$84,572
Boston, MA$84,110
Monterey, CA$83,844
Seattle, WA$83,671
Santa Rosa, CA$83,656
Los Angeles, CA$83,633
Juneau, AK$83,436
Washington, DC$83,353
Orange, CA$83,084
Santa Ana, CA$82,884
Long Beach, CA$82,808
Anaheim, CA$82,793
Anchorage, AK$82,755
Santa Maria, CA$82,528
Everett, WA$82,513
Danbury, CT$82,246
Bremerton, WA$82,142
Tacoma, WA$81,870
New Suffolk, NY$81,868
Sacramento, CA$81,847
Santa Barbara, CA$81,764
Trenton, NJ$81,680
San Diego, CA$81,680
Brockton, MA$81,597
Fairbanks, AK$81,412
Lompoc, CA$81,219
Lowell, MA$81,157
Ventura, CA$81,143
Nashua, NH$81,128
Stockton, CA$81,120
Modesto, CA$80,568
Poughkeepsie, NY$80,401
Olympia, WA$80,257
Kennewick, WA$80,257
New Haven, CT$80,227
Lawrence, MA$79,955
Hartford, CT$79,879
Riverside, CA$79,864
New Bedford, MA$79,788
Richland, WA$79,788
Bakersfield, CA$79,682
San Bernardino, CA$79,652
New Britain, CT$79,644
Atlantic City, NJ$79,644
New London, CT$79,614
Norwich, CT$79,591
Portsmouth, NH$79,576
Boulder, CO$79,416
Portland, OR$79,311
Worcester, MA$79,304
Minneapolis, MN$79,069
Philadelphia, PA$78,963
Honolulu, HI$78,713
Saint Paul, MN$78,677
Vineland, NJ$78,660
Providence, RI$78,441
Chicago, IL$78,221
Bellingham, WA$78,130
Springfield, MA$78,070
Baltimore, MD$78,047
Chico, CA$77,858
Pittsfield, MA$77,653
Manchester, NH$77,510
Spokane, WA$77,177
Denver, CO$77,169
Albany, NY$76,813
Troy, NY$76,783
Nassau, NY$76,702
Schenectady, NY$76,624
Wilmington, DE$76,563
Burlington, VT$76,457
Salem, OR$76,427
Portland, ME$76,193
Yakima, WA$76,117
Rochester, MN$75,882
Reno, NV$75,844
Fresno, CA$75,844
Milwaukee, WI$75,776
Detroit, MI$75,701
Ann Arbor, MI$75,688
Allentown, PA$75,678
Colorado Springs, CO$75,549
Syracuse, NY$75,511
Carson City, NV$75,511
Houston, TX$75,405
Eugene, OR$75,368
Gary, IN$75,277
Springfield, OR$75,216
Bismarck, ND$75,201
Galveston, TX$75,148
Medford, OR$75,034
Fort Collins, CO$75,004
Concord, NH$74,966
Austin, TX$74,944
Mesa, AZ$74,785
Reading, PA$74,777
Phoenix, AZ$74,770
Dallas, TX$74,747
Saint Cloud, MN$74,674
Madison, WI$74,573
Utica, NY$74,368
Rochester, NY$74,247
Des Moines, IA$74,240
Raleigh, NC$74,232
Atlanta, GA$74,119
Battle Creek, MI$74,096
Salt Lake City, UT$74,073
Lancaster, PA$73,960
Harrisburg, PA$73,854
Kansas City, MO$73,778
Champaign, IL$73,763
Kansas City, KS$73,763
Fort Worth, TX$73,755
Columbus, OH$73,742
Boca Raton, FL$73,725
Pittsburgh, PA$73,695
Richmond, VA$73,664
Indianapolis, IN$73,649
Cleveland, OH$73,642
Las Vegas, NV$73,551
Cincinnati, OH$73,551
Petersburg, VA$73,437
Huntsville, AL$73,324
Lansing, MI$73,273
Lebanon, PA$73,263
Pueblo, CO$73,256
Appleton, WI$73,233
Buffalo, NY$73,203
Dayton, OH$73,180
Racine, WI$73,165
Charlotte, NC$73,157
Saint Louis, MO$73,135
York, PA$73,089
Elkhart, IN$73,089
Gastonia, NC$73,075
Billings, MT$73,057
Beaumont, TX$73,036
Lorain, OH$73,021
Benton Harbor, MI$73,006
Toledo, OH$72,991
Binghamton, NY$72,953
Rock Hill, SC$72,945
Rockford, IL$72,907
Springfield, IL$72,877
Elyria, OH$72,870
Fargo, ND$72,870
Flagstaff, AZ$72,817
Fort Lauderdale, FL$72,771
Duluth, MN$72,726
Miami, FL$72,726
Cheyenne, WY$72,673
Grand Forks, ND$72,673
Bangor, ME$72,506
Cedar Rapids, IA$72,423
Durham, NC$72,391
Louisville, KY$72,385
Grand Rapids, MI$72,370
Hialeah, FL$72,363
Casper, WY$72,257
Scranton, PA$72,166
New Orleans, LA$72,143
Virginia Beach, VA$72,135
Akron, OH$72,098
Peoria, IL$71,999
Sarasota, FL$71,984
Nashville, TN$71,931
Omaha, NE$71,931
Green Bay, WI$71,931
Baton Rouge, LA$71,893
Charleston, SC$71,878
Jamestown, NY$71,840
Davenport, IA$71,840
Tucson, AZ$71,802
Saint Petersburg, FL$71,757
Tampa, FL$71,742
Evansville, IN$71,696
Port Arthur, TX$71,696
Bradenton, FL$71,666
Santa Fe, NM$71,530
Orlando, FL$71,394
Clearwater, FL$71,371
Canton, OH$71,212
La Crosse, WI$71,212
Albuquerque, NM$71,167
Newport News, VA$71,159
High Point, NC$71,136
Ogden, UT$71,106
Corpus Christi, TX$71,045
Norfolk, VA$71,000
Laramie, WY$71,000
Rock Island, IL$70,955
Saginaw, MI$70,939
Jacksonville, FL$70,932
Salisbury, NC$70,917
Boise, ID$70,902
Moline, IL$70,864
Fort Myers, FL$70,841
Memphis, TN$70,826
Tulsa, OK$70,788
Waterloo, IA$70,743
Spartanburg, SC$70,667
Lincoln, NE$70,629
Fort Wayne, IN$70,614
Provo, UT$70,606
Cedar Falls, IA$70,516
San Antonio, TX$70,485
Greensboro, NC$70,455
South Bend, IN$70,447
Savannah, GA$70,364
Muskegon, MI$70,334
Birmingham, AL$70,326
Winston Salem, NC$70,289
Lake Charles, LA$70,107
Anderson, IN$70,092
Lexington, KY$70,069
Augusta, GA$70,046
Greenville, SC$70,046
Lima, OH$69,986
Wichita, KS$69,978
Tuscaloosa, AL$69,978
Columbia, SC$69,910
Springfield, OH$69,895
Asheville, NC$69,774
Bloomington, IN$69,721
Knoxville, TN$69,448
Shreveport, LA$69,441
Wilmington, NC$69,342
Roanoke, VA$69,342
Topeka, KS$69,206
Frankfort, KY$69,198
Oklahoma City, OK$69,146
Chillicothe, OH$69,115
Longview, TX$69,108
Melbourne, FL$69,100
Sioux Falls, SD$68,979
Mobile, AL$68,971
Terre Haute, IN$68,941
Altoona, PA$68,896
Amarillo, TX$68,843
Killeen, TX$68,820
Fayetteville, AR$68,760
Chattanooga, TN$68,737
Sioux City, IA$68,669
Idaho Falls, ID$68,654
Lynchburg, VA$68,593
Gainesville, FL$68,495
Portsmouth, OH$68,457
Little Rock, AR$68,442
Lafayette, LA$68,411
Youngstown, OH$68,411
Daytona Beach, FL$68,366
Clarksville, TN$68,358
Pensacola, FL$68,351
Temple, TX$68,345
Hopkinsville, KY$68,124
Erie, PA$68,109
Florence, SC$68,078
Charleston, WV$67,957
Great Falls, MT$67,919
Macon, GA$67,813
Tallahassee, FL$67,806
Fayetteville, NC$67,791
Waco, TX$67,776
Helena, MT$67,723
Pine Bluff, AR$67,694
Vincennes, IN$67,601
Lubbock, TX$67,571
Alamogordo, NM$67,526
Twin Falls, ID$67,458
Rapid City, SD$67,435
Jackson, MS$67,299
Huntington, WV$67,293
Greenville, MS$67,291
Parkersburg, WV$67,214
Montgomery, AL$67,200
Wichita Falls, TX$67,125
Springfield, MO$67,125
Biloxi, MS$67,087
Monroe, LA$67,011
Johnstown, PA$66,958
Sumter, SC$66,928
Columbus, GA$66,920
Pascagoula, MS$66,776
Abilene, TX$66,776
Kingsport, TN$66,580
Albany, GA$66,580
Gulfport, MS$66,557
Alexandria, LA$66,307
Fort Smith, AR$66,118
El Paso, TX$65,913
Las Cruces, NM$65,573
Harlingen, TX$65,381
Pocatello, ID$65,368
Florence, AL$65,270
Brownsville, TX$65,255
Mcallen, TX$65,096
Dothan, AL$64,990
Columbus, MS$64,540
Altus, OK$64,188
Lawton, OK$64,044
Pierre, SD$63,771
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
$99,158
31%
Software Testing
$92,345
22%
Jenkins
$89,318
18%
Agile
$86,290
14%
Linux
$85,533
13%
QA Automation
$84,776
12%
Get Latest Data
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 $84,662.
While startup companies pay approximate $71,599.
Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$71,599
Growth Stage
51~500
$75,727
Established
501~5000
$81,757
Enterprise
5000+
$84,662
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
$90,832
$44.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$90,832
$44.0
20%
Biotechnology
$87,047
$42.0
15%
Energy & Utilities
$83,262
$40.0
10%
Aerospace & Defense
$79,478
$38.0
5%
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
No Diploma0.3%
High School8.8%
Associates8.8%
Bachelors59.6%
Masters21.7%
Doctorate0.8%
view as table
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%
view as graph
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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on June 01, 2026
$69,133
Average$75,693/year
$81,251
$5,761
Average$6,308/month
$6,771
$1,329
Average$1,456/week
$1,563
$33
Average$36/hour
$39
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$81,251
$6,771
$1,563
$39
Average
$75,693
$6,308
$1,456
$36
25th Percentile
$69,133
$5,761
$1,329
$33
Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary Growth & Career Path
For a Quality Assurance Engineer I, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Quality Assurance Engineer II role.
This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to
$89,086 - a projected growth of
18%
over your current level.
Salaries of jobs related to 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.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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FAQ about Quality Assurance Engineer I
1. Where can a Quality Assurance Engineer I earn the most?
A Quality Assurance Engineer I's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer.
According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Quality Assurance Engineer I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Quality Assurance Engineer I is $95,472.
2. What is the highest pay for Quality Assurance Engineer I?
The highest pay for Quality Assurance Engineer I is $86,311.
3. What is the lowest pay for Quality Assurance Engineer I?
The lowest pay for Quality Assurance Engineer I is $63,160.
4. 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.
5. 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.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
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