What are the main factors that influence a QA Automation Architect's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A QA Automation Architect's salary?

A QA Automation Architect's salary grows with experience: a Systems Architect III (4-7 years)earns $117,249, a Systems Architect IV (7+ years)earns $138,026, a QA Automation Architect (7-10 years)earns $165,465, a Systems Architecture Supervisor (10+ years)earns $133,469, a Systems Architecture Manager (10+ years)earns $150,238,

What are the highest paying states for a QA Automation Architect?

QA Automation Architect salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for QA Automation Architect roles are District of Columbia $183,955, California $183,257, Massachusetts $180,815. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of QA Automation Architect roles make?

Salaries for QA Automation Architect level roles vary by specialization: Qa Automation Lead: $140,393; QA Automation Manager: $135,522; Automation Architect: $135,391; Lead QA Automation Engineer: $103,046; Senior QA Automation Engineer: $102,813.

How do different companies affect a QA Automation Architect's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for QA Automation Architect roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

QA Automation Architect Salary in the United States

How much does a QA Automation Architect make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a QA Automation Architect in the United States is $166,144 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $80.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $183,779
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $155,401 to $175,375
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $145,620

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

Smart Recruiting

Recruit with AI

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

QA Automation Architect Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$175,375	$14,615	$3,373	$84
Average	$166,144	$13,845	$3,195	$80
25th Percentile	$155,401	$12,950	$2,988	$75

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out QA Automation Architect Job Openings in the United States

Automation Architect

TechDigital Group - Mason, OH

JavaScript QA Automation Engineer

Innowise Group - New Bremen, OH

Senior QA Automation Engineer

Computech Corporation - Columbus, OH

Automation QA lead

Valtech - New Bremen, OH

Search More QA Automation Architect Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence QA Automation Architect Salaries

A QA Automation Architect'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 QA Automation Architect Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a QA Automation Architect'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): $117,249
Early Career (1-2 years): $138,026
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $165,465
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $133,469
Expert (over 8 years): $150,238

Levels	Salary
Systems A... Level QA Automation Architect	$117,249
Systems A... Level QA Automation Architect	$138,026
QA Automa... Level QA Automation Architect	$165,465
Systems A... Level QA Automation Architect	$133,469
Systems A... Level QA Automation Architect	$150,238

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do QA Automation Architect Salaries Vary from State to State?

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 QA Automation Architects. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $183,955.
California: $183,257.
Massachusetts: $180,815.

District of Columbia $183,955 California $183,257 Massachusetts $180,815 Washington $180,150 New Jersey $180,083 Alaska $179,851 Connecticut $177,558 New York $176,628

Hawaii $173,654 Rhode Island $172,258 Maryland $171,311 Minnesota $170,015 Colorado $169,517 Illinois $169,351 Oregon $168,719 Delaware $168,254

New Hampshire $167,962 Virginia $167,307 Pennsylvania $165,396 Nevada $164,433 North Dakota $164,117 Michigan $163,619 Wisconsin $163,436 Vermont $163,070

Texas $162,057 Maine $161,990 Arizona $161,891 Ohio $161,774 Georgia $160,246 Indiana $159,482 Wyoming $159,332 Utah $159,099

Iowa $159,000 Kansas $158,202 Louisiana $157,970 North Carolina $157,887 Missouri $157,853 Florida $157,205 Montana $156,857 Nebraska $156,524

Kentucky $156,342 South Carolina $155,677 Tennessee $155,262 Idaho $155,095 New Mexico $153,883 Oklahoma $153,617 Alabama $152,636 South Dakota $150,992

Arkansas $150,094 West Virginia $149,613 Mississippi $148,167

Top Paying Cities for QA Automation Architects

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: $209,557
San Francisco: $207,497
Oakland: $202,895

San Jose, CA $209,557

San Francisco, CA $207,497

Oakland, CA $202,895

New York, NY $192,544

Queens Village, NY $191,298

Paramus, NJ $189,969

Passaic, NJ $189,803

Bergenfield, NJ $189,637

Stamford, CT $189,388

Huntington, NY $189,221

Newark, NJ $188,141

Bridgeport, CT $187,809

New Brunswick, NJ $187,261

Vallejo, CA $186,912

Middlesex, NJ $186,812

Somerset, NJ $186,663

Petaluma, CA $186,281

Santa Cruz, CA $185,633

Boston, MA $185,300

Monterey, CA $184,470

Fairbanks, AK $184,353

Los Angeles, CA $184,038

Washington, DC $183,955

Seattle, WA $183,656

Santa Rosa, CA $183,622

Juneau, AK $183,141

Orange, CA $182,592

Anchorage, AK $182,293

Anaheim, CA $182,177

Santa Ana, CA $181,928

Nassau, NY $181,828

Long Beach, CA $181,762

Danbury, CT $181,712

Santa Maria, CA $181,147

Everett, WA $181,114

Bremerton, WA $180,299

Trenton, NJ $179,984

Sacramento, CA $179,917

San Diego, CA $179,834

Brockton, MA $179,768

Tacoma, WA $179,701

Santa Barbara, CA $179,469

Lowell, MA $178,804

New Suffolk, NY $178,738

Nashua, NH $178,538

Lompoc, CA $178,273

Ventura, CA $178,106

Stockton, CA $178,057

New Haven, CT $177,724

Atlantic City, NJ $177,292

Hartford, CT $176,927

Modesto, CA $176,844

Poughkeepsie, NY $176,478

New Britain, CT $176,395

Olympia, WA $176,162

Kennewick, WA $176,162

New London, CT $176,129

Norwich, CT $176,079

Lawrence, MA $175,996

Bakersfield, CA $175,531

Riverside, CA $175,299

New Bedford, MA $175,299

Richland, WA $175,132

Portsmouth, NH $174,999

Vineland, NJ $174,966

San Bernardino, CA $174,833

Boulder, CO $174,368

Worcester, MA $174,235

Portland, OR $174,086

Saint Paul, MN $173,886

Minneapolis, MN $173,886

Philadelphia, PA $173,654

Honolulu, HI $172,773

Springfield, MA $172,192

Providence, RI $172,175

Chicago, IL $171,693

Bellingham, WA $171,494

Baltimore, MD $171,311

Chico, CA $170,896

Wilmington, DE $170,613

Pittsfield, MA $170,447

Manchester, NH $170,131

Spokane, WA $169,400

Denver, CO $169,384

Albany, NY $168,603

Troy, NY $168,536

Schenectady, NY $168,188

Burlington, VT $167,822

Portland, ME $167,241

Salem, OR $167,108

Yakima, WA $167,074

Ann Arbor, MI $167,025

Rochester, MN $166,559

Fresno, CA $166,476

Reno, NV $166,476

Milwaukee, WI $166,327

Detroit, MI $166,161

Allentown, PA $166,111

Carson City, NV $166,094

Houston, TX $165,845

Colorado Springs, CO $165,828

Syracuse, NY $165,745

Eugene, OR $165,430

Bismarck, ND $165,230

Gary, IN $165,230

Galveston, TX $165,230

Springfield, OR $165,097

Medford, OR $164,699

Fort Collins, CO $164,632

Austin, TX $164,499

Mesa, AZ $164,150

Phoenix, AZ $164,117

Dallas, TX $164,067

Reading, PA $163,968

Saint Cloud, MN $163,901

Concord, NH $163,752

Madison, WI $163,685

Utica, NY $163,236

Raleigh, NC $163,104

Las Vegas, NV $163,087

Rochester, NY $162,971

Des Moines, IA $162,954

Atlanta, GA $162,688

Battle Creek, MI $162,638

Salt Lake City, UT $162,589

Lancaster, PA $162,339

Champaign, IL $162,306

Harrisburg, PA $162,107

Durham, NC $161,957

Kansas City, MO $161,941

Kansas City, KS $161,907

Fort Worth, TX $161,891

Boca Raton, FL $161,824

Cleveland, OH $161,808

Columbus, OH $161,774

Pittsburgh, PA $161,758

Richmond, VA $161,691

Indianapolis, IN $161,658

Cincinnati, OH $161,442

Petersburg, VA $161,193

Billings, MT $160,827

Lansing, MI $160,827

Huntsville, AL $160,827

Lebanon, PA $160,811

Dayton, OH $160,794

Pueblo, CO $160,794

Appleton, WI $160,744

Buffalo, NY $160,678

Racine, WI $160,595

Charlotte, NC $160,578

Saint Louis, MO $160,528

Springfield, IL $160,462

Elkhart, IN $160,429

York, PA $160,429

Gastonia, NC $160,412

Benton Harbor, MI $160,412

Beaumont, TX $160,312

Lorain, OH $160,279

Toledo, OH $160,213

Binghamton, NY $160,130

Rock Hill, SC $160,113

Rockford, IL $160,030

Fargo, ND $159,947

Elyria, OH $159,947

Flagstaff, AZ $159,831

Fort Lauderdale, FL $159,731

Miami, FL $159,631

Duluth, MN $159,365

Bangor, ME $159,149

Cedar Rapids, IA $158,967

Louisville, KY $158,884

Grand Rapids, MI $158,850

Hialeah, FL $158,834

Casper, WY $158,601

Scranton, PA $158,402

New Orleans, LA $158,352

Virginia Beach, VA $158,335

Akron, OH $158,252

Peoria, IL $158,036

Sarasota, FL $158,003

Green Bay, WI $157,887

Baton Rouge, LA $157,804

Charleston, SC $157,770

Nashville, TN $157,720

Jamestown, NY $157,687

Davenport, IA $157,687

Tucson, AZ $157,604

Cheyenne, WY $157,554

Saint Petersburg, FL $157,505

Tampa, FL $157,471

Omaha, NE $157,438

Port Arthur, TX $157,372

Evansville, IN $157,372

Bradenton, FL $157,305

Santa Fe, NM $157,006

Orlando, FL $156,840

Clearwater, FL $156,657

Canton, OH $156,308

La Crosse, WI $156,308

Grand Forks, ND $156,258

Albuquerque, NM $156,209

Tulsa, OK $156,209

Newport News, VA $156,192

High Point, NC $156,142

Ogden, UT $156,076

Corpus Christi, TX $155,943

Laramie, WY $155,843

Norfolk, VA $155,843

Rock Island, IL $155,743

Saginaw, MI $155,710

Jacksonville, FL $155,694

Salisbury, NC $155,660

Memphis, TN $155,627

Moline, IL $155,544

Fort Myers, FL $155,494

Waterloo, IA $155,278

Spartanburg, SC $155,112

Lincoln, NE $155,029

Fort Wayne, IN $154,996

Birmingham, AL $154,813

Cedar Falls, IA $154,780

Provo, UT $154,763

Springfield, OH $154,747

San Antonio, TX $154,713

Greensboro, NC $154,647

South Bend, IN $154,630

Winston Salem, NC $154,614

Boise, ID $154,564

Savannah, GA $154,447

Muskegon, MI $154,148

Lima, OH $153,949

Lake Charles, LA $153,883

Anderson, IN $153,849

Lexington, KY $153,800

Augusta, GA $153,750

Greenville, SC $153,750

Wichita, KS $153,600

Tuscaloosa, AL $153,600

Columbia, SC $153,451

Bloomington, IN $153,035

Roanoke, VA $152,936

Asheville, NC $152,720

Knoxville, TN $152,437

Shreveport, LA $152,421

Wilmington, NC $152,205

Frankfort, KY $151,889

Oklahoma City, OK $151,773

Chillicothe, OH $151,706

Longview, TX $151,689

Topeka, KS $151,640

Mobile, AL $151,390

Terre Haute, IN $151,324

Erie, PA $151,307

Altoona, PA $151,224

Melbourne, FL $151,174

Amarillo, TX $151,108

Killeen, TX $151,058

Fayetteville, AR $150,925

Sioux Falls, SD $150,809

Chattanooga, TN $150,709

Idaho Falls, ID $150,693

Gainesville, FL $150,344

Portsmouth, OH $150,261

Little Rock, AR $150,227

Lynchburg, VA $150,227

Lafayette, LA $150,161

Youngstown, OH $150,161

Temple, TX $150,094

Daytona Beach, FL $150,061

Clarksville, TN $150,045

Pensacola, FL $150,028

Hopkinsville, KY $149,530

Charleston, WV $149,513

Florence, SC $149,430

Sioux City, IA $149,330

Macon, GA $148,848

Tallahassee, FL $148,832

Fayetteville, NC $148,799

Waco, TX $148,765

Wichita Falls, TX $148,765

Pine Bluff, AR $148,699

Vincennes, IN $148,383

Lubbock, TX $148,317

Great Falls, MT $148,217

Alamogordo, NM $148,200

Abilene, TX $148,068

Rapid City, SD $147,852

Monroe, LA $147,852

Albany, GA $147,752

Huntington, WV $147,735

Jackson, MS $147,719

Greenville, MS $147,702

Parkersburg, WV $147,536

Montgomery, AL $147,503

Johnstown, PA $147,469

Springfield, MO $147,336

Biloxi, MS $147,253

Sumter, SC $146,905

Columbus, GA $146,888

Twin Falls, ID $146,788

Pascagoula, MS $146,572

Kingsport, TN $146,140

Gulfport, MS $146,090

Alexandria, LA $145,542

Fort Smith, AR $145,127

El Paso, TX $144,678

Helena, MT $144,462

Las Cruces, NM $143,931

Harlingen, TX $143,465

Pocatello, ID $143,316

Florence, AL $143,266

Brownsville, TX $143,233

Dothan, AL $142,967

Mcallen, TX $142,884

Columbus, MS $141,654

Altus, OK $140,890

Lawton, OK $140,574

Pierre, SD $139,976

What Skills Can Increase a QA Automation Architect's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 5.34% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Software Development (Mentioned in 2.75% Job Postings): 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.
Python (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	5.34%
Software Development	2.75%
Python	1.44%

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 QA Automation Architect's salary.

Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Systems Architecture: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Partnering	$176,113	6%
Systems Architecture	$174,451	5%
Commitment	$172,790	4%
Microservices	$171,128	3%
Enterprise Architecture	$171,128	3%
AWS	$171,128	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a QA Automation Architect's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many QA Automation Architects 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 QA Automation Architect with a Bachelor's Degree is between $166,206 and $173,760).

QA Automation Architect Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for QA Automation Architect

No Diploma 2.6%

High School 11.9%

Associates 6.7%

Bachelors 49.5%

Masters 27.3%

Doctorate 2.1%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.6%
High School	11.9%
Associates	6.7%
Bachelors	49.5%
Masters	27.3%
Doctorate	2.1%

view as graph

QA Automation Architect Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a QA Automation Architect'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 April 01, 2026

$155,401

Average $166,144/year

$175,375

$12,950

Average $13,845/month

$14,615

$2,988

Average $3,195/week

$3,373

$75

Average $80/hour

$84

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$175,375	$14,615	$3,373	$84
Average	$166,144	$13,845	$3,195	$80
25th Percentile	$155,401	$12,950	$2,988	$75

Salaries of jobs related to QA Automation Architect

Salary Trends for QA Automation Architect

Salaries for a QA Automation Architect can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $166,432 in 2023 to around $165,658 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of QA Automation Architect salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of QA Automation Architect Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$166,432

2024

$166,866

2025

$165,658

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$166,432
2024	$166,866
2025	$165,658
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for QA Automation Architect

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

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next QA Automation Architect Job

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

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.

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