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Quality Assurance Specialist IV Salary in the United States

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

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Assurance Specialist IV in the United States is $125,902 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $136,862
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $116,127 to $131,639
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $107,227

Key Factors That Influence Quality Assurance Specialist IV Salaries

A Quality Assurance Specialist IV'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 IV Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Quality Assurance Specialist IV'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 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
  • Quality Assurance Manager (10+ years): $128,401
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
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
Quality Assurance Manager10+ years$128,401

Top Paying Cities for Quality Assurance Specialist IV

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: $158,800
  • San Francisco: $157,061
  • Oakland: $153,752

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.47% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Packaging (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.43% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.47%
Packaging 2.21%
Continuous Improvement 1.43%

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 IV's salary.

  • Organizational Communications: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Quality Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Standard Operating Procedures: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Organizational Communications $134,715
7%
Quality Management $130,938
4%
Standard Operating Procedures $130,938
4%

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

Quality Assurance Specialist IV salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $140,940. While startup companies pay approximate $119,232.

Quality Assurance Specialist IV Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $119,232
Growth Stage 51~500 $126,102
Established 501~5000 $136,103
Enterprise 5000+ $140,940

Quality Assurance Specialist IV Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Quality Assurance Specialist IV roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 153% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 55% above the average. In contrast, Quality Assurance Specialist positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Quality Assurance Specialist IV as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Quality Assurance Specialist IV

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$195,148$94.055%
Pharmaceuticals$182,558$88.045%
Financial Services$176,263$85.040%
Biotechnology$163,673$79.030%
Internet$148,564$71.018%

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

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Quality Assurance Specialist IV 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 IV with a Bachelor's Degree is between $123,752 and $130,425.

Quality Assurance Specialist IV Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Quality Assurance Specialist IV
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 8.0%
Associates 4.4%
Bachelors 52.0%
Masters 33.8%
Doctorate 1.3%

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

Understanding how a Quality Assurance Specialist IV'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
$116,127
Average $125,902/year
$131,639
$9,677
Average $10,492/month
$10,970
$2,233
Average $2,421/week
$2,532
$56
Average $61/hour
$63
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $131,639 $10,970 $2,532 $63
Average $125,902 $10,492 $2,421 $61
25th Percentile $116,127 $9,677 $2,233 $56

Quality Assurance Specialist IV Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Quality Assurance Specialist IV, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Quality Assurance Specialist V role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $152,383 - a projected growth of 21% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Quality Assurance Specialist IV

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

Common company salaries for Quality Assurance Specialist IV

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

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FAQ about Quality Assurance Specialist IV

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

A Quality Assurance Specialist IV'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 IV earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Quality Assurance Specialist IV is $158,800.

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

The highest pay for Quality Assurance Specialist IV is $136,862.

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

The lowest pay for Quality Assurance Specialist IV is $107,227.

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

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. Work is highly independent. May assume a team lead role for the work group. A specialist on complex technical and business matters. Typically requires 7+ years of related experience.

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

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Quality Assurance Specialist IV roles, with salaries approximately 55% 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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