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Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary in Niagara, WI

How much does a Quality Assurance Engineer I make in Niagara, WI?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Assurance Engineer I in Niagara, WI is $71,603 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

However, a Quality Assurance Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,654
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,390 to $76,864
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $59,734

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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Quality Assurance Engineer I 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): $71,603
  • Quality Assurance Engineer II (2-4 years): $84,275
  • Quality Assurance Engineer III (4-7 years): $95,320
  • Quality Assurance Engineer IV (7+ years): $118,553
  • Quality Assurance Engineer V (7-10 years): $142,239
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Quality Assurance Engineer I0-2 years$71,603
Quality Assurance Engineer II2-4 years$84,275
Quality Assurance Engineer III4-7 years$95,320
Quality Assurance Engineer IV7+ years$118,553
Quality Assurance Engineer V7-10 years$142,239

Top Paying Cities for Quality Assurance Engineer I

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: $95,464
  • San Francisco: $94,419
  • Oakland: $92,429

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.
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 $93,800
31%
Software Testing $87,356
22%
Jenkins $84,491
18%

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 $80,155. While startup companies pay approximate $67,810.

Quality Assurance Engineer I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $67,810
Growth Stage 51~500 $71,717
Established 501~5000 $77,404
Enterprise 5000+ $80,155

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$90,824$44.020%
Pharmaceuticals$90,824$44.020%
Biotechnology$87,040$42.015%
Energy & Utilities$83,256$40.010%
Aerospace & Defense$79,471$38.05%

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 August 01, 2026
$65,390
Average $71,603/year
$76,864
$5,449
Average $5,967/month
$6,405
$1,258
Average $1,377/week
$1,478
$31
Average $34/hour
$37
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $76,864 $6,405 $1,478 $37
Average $71,603 $5,967 $1,377 $34
25th Percentile $65,390 $5,449 $1,258 $31

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 $84,275 - a projected growth of 18% over your current level.

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Cost of Living In Niagara, WI

Cost of Living in Niagara, WI is
1.8% Higher
than the National Average

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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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