Lead QA Analyst Salary in the United States

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

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead QA Analyst in the United States is $127,483 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): $151,322
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $115,508 to $139,961
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $104,605
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View as table View as graph 25% $115,508 10% $104,605 90% $151,322 75% $139,961 $127,483 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead QA Analyst Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $139,961 $11,663 $2,692 $67
Average $127,483 $10,624 $2,452 $61
25th Percentile $115,508 $9,626 $2,221 $56
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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): $122,034
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $122,578
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $123,484
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $125,297
  • Expert (over 8 years): $129,685
Levels Salary
Entry Level Lead QA Analyst$122,034
Intermediate Level Lead QA Analyst$122,578
Senior Level Lead QA Analyst$123,484
Specialist Level Lead QA Analyst$125,297
Expert Level Lead QA Analyst$129,685
$122,034 0 yr
$122,578 < 2 yrs
$123,484 2-4 yrs
$125,297 5-8 yrs
$129,685 > 8 yrs
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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: $160,794
  • San Francisco: $159,214
  • Oakland: $155,682

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
$142,781
12%
Collaboration
$132,582
4%
Innovation
$132,582
4%
KPI
$131,307
3%
Quality Management System
$131,307
3%
Decision Making
$131,307
3%
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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%
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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 January 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)
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Common company salaries for Lead QA Analyst

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

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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.

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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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