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Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager in the United States is $160,516 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $77.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $181,439
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $149,920 to $171,468
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $140,273
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View as table View as graph 25% $149,920 10% $140,273 90% $181,439 75% $171,468 $160,516 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $171,468 $14,289 $3,297 $82
Average $160,516 $13,376 $3,087 $77
25th Percentile $149,920 $12,493 $2,883 $72
Check out Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Job Openings in the United States
Account Engineering Assistant

FM - Bratenahl, OH

Head of Engineering

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Head of Engineering

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Head of Engineering

Confidential - Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salaries

A Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager'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 Engineering Senior Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager'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 V (7-10 years): $150,351
  • Quality Assurance Engineering Supervisor (10+ years): $112,624
  • Quality Assurance Engineering Manager (10+ years): $131,652
  • Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager (10+ years): $160,516
  • Quality Assurance Engineering Director (10+ years): $195,921
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Quality Assurance Engineer V7-10 years$150,351
Quality Assurance Engineering Supervisor10+ years$112,624
Quality Assurance Engineering Manager10+ years$131,652
Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager10+ years$160,516
Quality Assurance Engineering Director10+ years$195,921
$150,351 Quality A...
$112,624 Quality A...
$131,652 Quality A...
$160,516 Quality A...
$195,921 Quality A...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Managers

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: $202,459
  • San Francisco: $200,242
  • Oakland: $196,022

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.62% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • SDLC (Mentioned in 3.85% Job Postings): The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a structured process that enables the production of high-quality, low-cost software, in the shortest possible production time.
  • Corporate Services (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): Corporate Services are defined as organisation-wide functions that deliver business support services, based on specialised knowledge, best practice and technology to serve internal customers in the delivery of departmental objectives.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.62%
SDLC 3.85%
Corporate Services 1.92%
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 Engineering Senior Manager's salary.
  • Engineering Management: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Kanban: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Java: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Engineering Management
 $194,224
21%
Kanban
 $178,173
11%
Java
 $176,568
10%
iOS
 $176,568
10%
Azure
 $174,962
9%
Risk Management
 $174,962
9%
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Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $179,536. While startup companies pay approximate $151,834.

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$151,834
Growth Stage51~500$160,588
Established501~5000$173,376
Enterprise5000+$179,536

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 86% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 60% above the average. In contrast, Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$256,826$123.060%
Financial Services$224,722$108.040%
Pharmaceuticals$216,697$104.035%
Internet$208,671$100.030%
Biotechnology$200,645$96.025%

How Education impacts a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Managers 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 Engineering Senior Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $162,727 and $169,773).

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 4.2%
High School 4.2%
Associates 3.2%
Bachelors 44.2%
Masters 46.3%
Doctorate 2.1%
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Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager'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 July 01, 2026
$149,920
Average $160,516/year
$171,468
$12,493
Average $13,376/month
$14,289
$2,883
Average $3,087/week
$3,297
$72
Average $77/hour
$82
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $171,468 $14,289 $3,297 $82
Average $160,516 $13,376 $3,087 $77
25th Percentile $149,920 $12,493 $2,883 $72

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager
Quality Assurance Engineering Director

For a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Quality Assurance Engineering Director role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $195,921 - a projected growth of 22% over your current level.

Salaries of jobs related to Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager

Salary Trends for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager

Salaries for a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $149,185 in 2023 to around $146,634 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$149,185
2024
$147,929
2025
$146,634
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
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2023 $149,185
2024 $147,929
2025 $146,634
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager

Here are companies hiring for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager

1. Where can a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager earn the most?

A Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager'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 Engineering Senior Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager is $202,459.

2. What is the highest pay for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager?

The highest pay for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager is $181,439.

3. What is the lowest pay for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager?

The lowest pay for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager is $140,273.

4. What are the responsibilities of Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager?

Manages inspections of raw materials, equipment, processes, and finished products. Contributes to the development of quality standards and protocols for quality assurance testing models. Assists in the design and implementation of policies and procedures for testing and evaluating the precision and accuracy of products and/or equipment. Ensures projects are completed on time and within budget. Acts as advisor to quality assurance engineering team regarding projects, tasks, and operations. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a director. Typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in larger groups of moderate complexity. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of responsibility. May give input into developing the budget. Typically requires 3+ years of managerial experience. Capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Quality Assurance Engineering Senior Manager roles, with salaries approximately 60% 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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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