As of July 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Test Engineer IV in the United States is $65, which translates to an annual salary of about $135,341.
However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:
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A Test Engineer 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.
Experience is a primary driver of a Test Engineer 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:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Test Engineer II | 2-4 years | $79,969 |
| Test Engineer III | 4-7 years | $112,138 |
| Test Engineer IV | 7+ years | $135,341 |
| Test Engineer V | 7-10 years | $147,665 |
| Test Engineering Supervisor | 10+ years | $106,155 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Test Engineer IVs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Demanded Skills for the Role:
| Skills | Demand Percentage |
|---|---|
| Analysis | 8.77% |
| Computer Science | 2.27% |
| Software Development | 1.7% |
| Skill | Salary | Salary % Increase |
|---|---|---|
|
Hard Working
|
$152,935 |
13%
|
|
Test Strategy
|
$151,582 |
12%
|
|
Test Engineering
|
$150,229 |
11%
|
|
Linux
|
$148,875 |
10%
|
|
Program Management
|
$148,875 |
10%
|
|
Python
|
$147,522 |
9%
|
Test Engineer IV salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $151,378. While startup companies pay approximate $128,020.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $128,020 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $135,402 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $146,184 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $151,378 |
For Test Engineer IV roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Test Engineer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Test Engineer IV as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | $169,176 | $81.0 | 25% |
| Energy & Utilities | $162,409 | $78.0 | 20% |
| Financial Services | $155,642 | $75.0 | 15% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $155,642 | $75.0 | 15% |
| Aerospace & Defense | $148,875 | $72.0 | 10% |
Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Test Engineer IVs enter the field with a Associate'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 Test Engineer IV with a Associate's Degree is between $126,737 and $131,954).
Test Engineer IV Salaries by Degree Level
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 3.6% |
| High School | 3.6% |
| Associates | 7.3% |
| Bachelors | 58.8% |
| Masters | 28.5% |
| Doctorate | 1.8% |
Understanding how a Test Engineer 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 July 01, 2026Salaries for a Test Engineer IV can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $118,407 in 2023 to around $116,666 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Test Engineer IV salary trends, .
| Year | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
View More
|
| 2023 | $118,407 |
| 2024 | $118,259 |
| 2025 | $116,666 |
| 2026 |
View More
|
| 2027 |
View More
|
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The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Test Engineer IV roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.
Interacts with other engineering groups to define, document, analyze, perform, and interpret tests for products, systems, components, or modifications. Participates in final system integration and validation to identify functional problems. Defines internal quality control standards and the maintenance of reliability programs. Creates, documents, and analyzes complex test cases and provides feedback and recommendations for product or design changes. Ensures testing procedures are in compliance with any required industry specific standards. Develops and implements improvements to overall testing and quality programs. May coordinate with vendors or suppliers to modify or develop testing for components or other parts. Requires a bachelor's degree of Engineering. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. A specialist on complex technical and business matters. Work is highly independent. May assume a team lead role for the work group. Typically requires 7+ years of related experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Computer Science: Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
Software Development: 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.
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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