Lead QA Analyst Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead QA Analyst make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead QA Analyst in the United States is $127,581 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

However, a Lead QA Analyst's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $151,970
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $115,774 to $140,347
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,024
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $115,774 10% $105,024 90% $151,970 75% $140,347 $127,581 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead QA Analyst Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $140,347 $11,696 $2,699 $67
Average $127,581 $10,632 $2,453 $61
25th Percentile $115,774 $9,648 $2,226 $56
Check out Lead QA Analyst Job Openings in the United States
QA Chapter Lead

Impact.com - Columbus, OH

Lead Financial Analyst

Manifest Solutions - Columbus, OH

Lead Financial Analyst (Contract)

Blue Star Partners LLC - Columbus, OH

Search More Lead QA Analyst Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Lead QA Analyst Salaries

A Lead QA Analyst'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 Lead QA Analyst Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead QA Analyst'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $124,177
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $150,295
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $126,642
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $160,365
  • Expert (over 8 years): $195,501
Levels Salary
Quality A... Level Lead QA Analyst$124,177
Quality A... Level Lead QA Analyst$150,295
Lead QA A... Level Lead QA Analyst$126,642
Quality A... Level Lead QA Analyst$160,365
Quality A... Level Lead QA Analyst$195,501
$124,177 0 yr
$150,295 < 2 yrs
$126,642 2-4 yrs
$160,365 5-8 yrs
$195,501 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Lead QA Analysts

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: $160,918
  • San Francisco: $159,156
  • Oakland: $155,802

What Skills Can Increase a Lead QA Analyst's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.92% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Quality Management System (Mentioned in 2.61% Job Postings): Enforcing a set of policies and procedures in coordinating and directing an organization to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Root Cause Analysis (Mentioned in 1.28% Job Postings): In science and engineering, root cause analysis (RCA) is a method of problem solving used for identifying the root causes of faults or problems. It is widely used in IT operations, telecommunications, industrial process control, accident analysis (e.g., in aviation, rail transport, or nuclear plants), medicine (for medical diagnosis), healthcare industry (e.g., for epidemiology), etc. RCA can be decomposed into four steps: Identify and describe clearly the problem. Establish a timeline from the normal situation up to the time the problem occurred. Distinguish between the root cause and other causal factors (e.g., using event correlation). Establish a causal graph between the root cause and the problem.RCA generally serves as input to a remediation process whereby corrective actions are taken to prevent the problem from reoccurring. The name of this process varies from one application domain to another.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.92%
Quality Management System 2.61%
Root Cause Analysis 1.28%
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 Lead QA Analyst's salary.
  • Oncology: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Oncology
$142,891
12%
Collaboration
$132,684
4%
Innovation
$132,684
4%
KPI
$131,408
3%
Quality Management System
$131,408
3%
Decision Making
$131,408
3%
Get Latest Data

Lead QA Analyst Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lead QA Analyst roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Telecom and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Lead QA Analyst positions in Transportation or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lead QA Analyst as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Lead QA Analyst

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Telecom$191,372$92.050%

How Education impacts a Lead QA Analyst's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead QA Analysts 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 Lead QA Analyst with a Bachelor's Degree is between $122,625 and $130,534).

Lead QA Analyst Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead QA Analyst
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 12.1%
Associates 8.9%
Bachelors 52.6%
Masters 24.2%
Doctorate 1.7%
view as graph

Lead QA Analyst Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead QA Analyst'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

Salary Trends for Lead QA Analyst

Salaries for a Lead QA Analyst can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $108,622 in 2023 to around $108,676 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead QA Analyst salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead QA Analyst Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$108,622
2024
$109,198
2025
$108,676
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $108,622
2024 $109,198
2025 $108,676
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Lead QA Analyst

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

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Lead QA Analyst

Here are companies hiring for Lead QA Analyst and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Lead QA Analyst Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Lead QA Analyst job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • eviCore healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    eviCore healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Provides timely expert medical review for requests to evaluate the medical necessity of services that do not meet utilization review criteria while located... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Alto Health Care Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    RN

    Alto Health Care Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Position Overview. We are currently seeking experienced and compassionate Registered Nurses (RNs) to join our network of healthcare professionals. As a Reg... more

    4 Days Ago

  • AMN Healthcare, Inc.

    Columbus, OH

    AMN Healthcare, Inc. | Columbus, OH

    Job Description & Requirements Gastroenterology Physician StartDate: ASAP Available Shifts: 32 Days of Paid Time Off A nationally recognized organization c... more

    4 Days Ago

  • XPO

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    XPO | Columbus, OH

    XPO is Hiring Driver Teams. XPO Teams. As an XPO Team, you’ll run dedicated routes between XPO facilities in. new sleeper. trucks equipped with microwaves ... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Schneider

    Columbus, OH

    Schneider | Columbus, OH

    CDL-A - Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Average pay. $1,200-$1,450 weekly. Home time. Daily. Experience. Al... more

    6 Days Ago

  • GO Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    GO Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Locums - A well respected group has a Trauma Surgery APP opportunity available in Columbus, Ohio. Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. 1/1/... more

    8 Days Ago

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

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

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

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

FAQ about Lead QA Analyst

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lead QA Analyst?

The Telecom industry offers the highest average compensation for Lead QA Analyst roles, with salaries approximately 50% 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