upper level job

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salary in the United States

How much does a Quality Assurance Specialist II make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Assurance Specialist II in the United States is $83,378 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,280
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,934 to $92,225
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $67,246

Key Factors That Influence Quality Assurance Specialist II Salaries

A Quality Assurance Specialist II'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 Specialist II Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Quality Assurance Specialist II'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 Specialist I (0-2 years): $68,590
  • Quality Assurance Specialist II (2-4 years): $83,378
  • Quality Assurance Specialist III (4-7 years): $100,915
  • Quality Assurance Specialist IV (7+ years): $125,902
  • Quality Assurance Specialist V (7-10 years): $152,383
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Quality Assurance Specialist I0-2 years$68,590
Quality Assurance Specialist II2-4 years$83,378
Quality Assurance Specialist III4-7 years$100,915
Quality Assurance Specialist IV7+ years$125,902
Quality Assurance Specialist V7-10 years$152,383

Top Paying Cities for Quality Assurance Specialist II

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: $105,165
  • San Francisco: $104,013
  • Oakland: $101,821

What Skills Can Increase a Quality Assurance Specialist II's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.23% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Quality Control (Mentioned in 2.37% Job Postings): Developing and implementing a set of procedures intended to maintain the quality of a product and reduce any risks or errors.
  • Internal Audit (Mentioned in 1.83% Job Postings): Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value to and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal auditing achieves this by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. Professionals called internal auditors are employed by organizations to perform the internal auditing activity. The scope of internal auditing within an organization is broad and may involve topics such as an organization's governance, risk management and management controls over: efficiency/effectiveness of operations (including safeguarding of assets), the reliability of financial and management reporting, and compliance with laws and regulations. Internal auditing may also involve conducting proactive fraud audits to identify potentially fraudulent acts; participating in fraud investigations under the direction of fraud investigation professionals, and conducting post investigation fraud audits to identify control breakdowns and establish financial loss.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.23%
Quality Control 2.37%
Internal Audit 1.83%

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 Specialist II's salary.

  • Change Control: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Agile: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Change Control $87,547
5%
Agile $86,713
4%
Project Management $86,713
4%

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Quality Assurance Specialist II salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $93,337. While startup companies pay approximate $78,961.

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $78,961
Growth Stage 51~500 $83,510
Established 501~5000 $90,133
Enterprise 5000+ $93,337

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Quality Assurance Specialist II roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Quality Assurance Specialist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Quality Assurance Specialist II as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Quality Assurance Specialist II

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$104,222$50.025%
Energy & Utilities$100,054$48.020%
Financial Services$95,885$46.015%
Insurance$93,383$45.012%
Business Services$91,716$44.010%

How Education impacts an Quality Assurance Specialist II's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Quality Assurance Specialist II enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Quality Assurance Specialist II with a Bachelor's Degree is between $80,412 and $85,009.

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Quality Assurance Specialist II
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 15.6%
Associates 7.6%
Bachelors 54.7%
Masters 21.3%
Doctorate 0.4%

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Quality Assurance Specialist II'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
$74,934
Average $83,378/year
$92,225
$6,245
Average $6,948/month
$7,685
$1,441
Average $1,603/week
$1,774
$36
Average $40/hour
$44
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $92,225 $7,685 $1,774 $44
Average $83,378 $6,948 $1,603 $40
25th Percentile $74,934 $6,245 $1,441 $36

Quality Assurance Specialist II Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Quality Assurance Specialist II, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Quality Assurance Specialist III role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $100,915 - a projected growth of 21% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Quality Assurance Specialist II

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Quality Assurance Specialist II

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

Find Your Next Quality Assurance Specialist II Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Quality Assurance Specialist II job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Quality Assurance Specialist II

1. Where can a Quality Assurance Specialist II earn the most?

A Quality Assurance Specialist II'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 Specialist II earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Quality Assurance Specialist II is $105,165.

2. What is the highest pay for Quality Assurance Specialist II?

The highest pay for Quality Assurance Specialist II is $100,280.

3. What is the lowest pay for Quality Assurance Specialist II?

The lowest pay for Quality Assurance Specialist II is $67,246.

4. What are the responsibilities of Quality Assurance Specialist II?

Implements company and regulatory quality standards for product manufacturing. Knowledgeable of industry and governmental quality regulations. Audits and reviews quality data according to existing procedures. Documents results in required format. Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. Gaining exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Typically requires 2-4 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Quality Assurance Specialist II?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Quality Assurance Specialist II roles, with salaries approximately 25% 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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job