What are the main factors that influence a QA Engineer I'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 Engineer I's salary?

A QA Engineer I's salary grows with experience: starting around $74,169 for beginners, reaching about $76,047 at mid-level, and approach $76,457 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a QA Engineer I?

QA Engineer I salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for QA Engineer I roles are District of Columbia $83,111, California $82,796, Massachusetts $81,692. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of QA Engineer roles make?

Salaries for QA Engineer level roles vary by specialization: QA Engineer IV: $128,789; QA Engineer III: $102,579; QA Automation Engineer: $87,752; QA Regression Engineer: $80,663; QA Product Engineer: $79,375.

How do different companies affect a QA Engineer I's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for QA Engineer I 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 Engineer I Salary in the United States

How much does a QA Engineer I make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a QA Engineer I in the United States is $75,064 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $85,706
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,736 to $80,635
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $62,973

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QA Engineer I Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$80,635	$6,720	$1,551	$39
Average	$75,064	$6,255	$1,444	$36
25th Percentile	$68,736	$5,728	$1,322	$33

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Check out QA Engineer I Job Openings in the United States

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Key Factors That Influence QA Engineer I Salaries

A QA Engineer I'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 Engineer I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a QA Engineer I'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): $74,169
Early Career (1-2 years): $74,819
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $76,047
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $76,293
Expert (over 8 years): $76,457

Levels	Salary
Entry Level QA Engineer I	$74,169
Intermediate Level QA Engineer I	$74,819
Senior Level QA Engineer I	$76,047
Specialist Level QA Engineer I	$76,293
Expert Level QA Engineer I	$76,457

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What Am I Worth?

How Do QA Engineer I 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 Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $83,111.
California: $82,796.
Massachusetts: $81,692.

District of Columbia $83,111

California $82,796

Massachusetts $81,692

Washington $81,392

New Jersey $81,362

Alaska $81,257

Connecticut $80,221

New York $79,801

Hawaii $78,457

Rhode Island $77,827

Maryland $77,399

Minnesota $76,813

Colorado $76,588

Illinois $76,513

Oregon $76,228

Delaware $76,018

New Hampshire $75,886

Virginia $75,590

Pennsylvania $74,727

Nevada $74,291

North Dakota $74,149

Michigan $73,923

Wisconsin $73,841

Vermont $73,676

Texas $73,218

Maine $73,188

Arizona $73,143

Ohio $73,090

Georgia $72,400

Indiana $72,054

Wyoming $71,987

Utah $71,882

Iowa $71,837

Kansas $71,476

Louisiana $71,371

North Carolina $71,334

Missouri $71,319

Florida $71,026

Montana $70,868

Nebraska $70,718

Kentucky $70,636

South Carolina $70,335

Tennessee $70,148

Idaho $70,073

New Mexico $69,525

Oklahoma $69,404

Alabama $68,962

South Dakota $68,218

Arkansas $67,813

West Virginia $67,595

Mississippi $66,942

Top Paying Cities for QA Engineer Is

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: $94,679
San Francisco: $93,748
Oakland: $91,669

San Jose, CA $94,679

San Francisco, CA $93,748

Oakland, CA $91,669

New York, NY $86,992

Queens Village, NY $86,429

Paramus, NJ $85,829

Passaic, NJ $85,753

Bergenfield, NJ $85,678

Stamford, CT $85,566

Huntington, NY $85,491

Newark, NJ $85,003

Bridgeport, CT $84,853

New Brunswick, NJ $84,605

Vallejo, CA $84,447

Middlesex, NJ $84,402

Somerset, NJ $84,335

Petaluma, CA $84,162

Santa Cruz, CA $83,869

Boston, MA $83,719

Monterey, CA $83,344

Fairbanks, AK $83,291

Los Angeles, CA $83,149

Washington, DC $83,111

Seattle, WA $82,976

Santa Rosa, CA $82,961

Juneau, AK $82,743

Orange, CA $82,496

Anchorage, AK $82,361

Anaheim, CA $82,308

Santa Ana, CA $82,195

Nassau, NY $82,150

Long Beach, CA $82,120

Danbury, CT $82,098

Santa Maria, CA $81,843

Everett, WA $81,828

Bremerton, WA $81,460

Trenton, NJ $81,317

Sacramento, CA $81,287

San Diego, CA $81,250

Brockton, MA $81,220

Tacoma, WA $81,190

Santa Barbara, CA $81,084

Lowell, MA $80,784

New Suffolk, NY $80,754

Nashua, NH $80,664

Lompoc, CA $80,544

Ventura, CA $80,469

Stockton, CA $80,446

New Haven, CT $80,296

Atlantic City, NJ $80,101

Hartford, CT $79,936

Modesto, CA $79,898

Poughkeepsie, NY $79,733

New Britain, CT $79,696

Olympia, WA $79,591

Kennewick, WA $79,591

New London, CT $79,576

Norwich, CT $79,553

Lawrence, MA $79,516

Bakersfield, CA $79,305

Riverside, CA $79,200

New Bedford, MA $79,200

Richland, WA $79,125

Portsmouth, NH $79,065

Vineland, NJ $79,050

San Bernardino, CA $78,990

Boulder, CO $78,780

Worcester, MA $78,720

Portland, OR $78,652

Saint Paul, MN $78,562

Minneapolis, MN $78,562

Philadelphia, PA $78,457

Honolulu, HI $78,059

Springfield, MA $77,797

Providence, RI $77,789

Chicago, IL $77,571

Bellingham, WA $77,481

Baltimore, MD $77,399

Chico, CA $77,211

Wilmington, DE $77,084

Pittsfield, MA $77,008

Manchester, NH $76,866

Spokane, WA $76,536

Denver, CO $76,528

Albany, NY $76,175

Troy, NY $76,145

Schenectady, NY $75,988

Burlington, VT $75,822

Portland, ME $75,560

Salem, OR $75,500

Yakima, WA $75,485

Ann Arbor, MI $75,462

Rochester, MN $75,252

Fresno, CA $75,214

Reno, NV $75,214

Milwaukee, WI $75,147

Detroit, MI $75,072

Allentown, PA $75,049

Carson City, NV $75,042

Houston, TX $74,929

Colorado Springs, CO $74,922

Syracuse, NY $74,884

Eugene, OR $74,742

Bismarck, ND $74,651

Gary, IN $74,651

Galveston, TX $74,651

Springfield, OR $74,591

Medford, OR $74,411

Fort Collins, CO $74,381

Austin, TX $74,321

Mesa, AZ $74,164

Phoenix, AZ $74,149

Dallas, TX $74,126

Reading, PA $74,081

Saint Cloud, MN $74,051

Concord, NH $73,983

Madison, WI $73,953

Utica, NY $73,751

Raleigh, NC $73,691

Las Vegas, NV $73,683

Rochester, NY $73,631

Des Moines, IA $73,623

Atlanta, GA $73,503

Battle Creek, MI $73,480

Salt Lake City, UT $73,458

Lancaster, PA $73,345

Champaign, IL $73,330

Harrisburg, PA $73,240

Durham, NC $73,173

Kansas City, MO $73,165

Kansas City, KS $73,150

Fort Worth, TX $73,143

Boca Raton, FL $73,113

Cleveland, OH $73,105

Columbus, OH $73,090

Pittsburgh, PA $73,083

Richmond, VA $73,053

Indianapolis, IN $73,038

Cincinnati, OH $72,940

Petersburg, VA $72,827

Billings, MT $72,662

Lansing, MI $72,662

Huntsville, AL $72,662

Lebanon, PA $72,655

Dayton, OH $72,647

Pueblo, CO $72,647

Appleton, WI $72,625

Buffalo, NY $72,595

Racine, WI $72,557

Charlotte, NC $72,550

Saint Louis, MO $72,527

Springfield, IL $72,497

Elkhart, IN $72,482

York, PA $72,482

Gastonia, NC $72,475

Benton Harbor, MI $72,475

Beaumont, TX $72,430

Lorain, OH $72,415

Toledo, OH $72,385

Binghamton, NY $72,347

Rock Hill, SC $72,339

Rockford, IL $72,302

Fargo, ND $72,264

Elyria, OH $72,264

Flagstaff, AZ $72,212

Fort Lauderdale, FL $72,167

Miami, FL $72,122

Duluth, MN $72,002

Bangor, ME $71,904

Cedar Rapids, IA $71,822

Louisville, KY $71,784

Grand Rapids, MI $71,769

Hialeah, FL $71,761

Casper, WY $71,656

Scranton, PA $71,566

New Orleans, LA $71,544

Virginia Beach, VA $71,536

Akron, OH $71,499

Peoria, IL $71,401

Sarasota, FL $71,386

Green Bay, WI $71,334

Baton Rouge, LA $71,296

Charleston, SC $71,281

Nashville, TN $71,259

Jamestown, NY $71,244

Davenport, IA $71,244

Tucson, AZ $71,206

Cheyenne, WY $71,183

Saint Petersburg, FL $71,161

Tampa, FL $71,146

Omaha, NE $71,131

Port Arthur, TX $71,101

Evansville, IN $71,101

Bradenton, FL $71,071

Santa Fe, NM $70,936

Orlando, FL $70,861

Clearwater, FL $70,778

Canton, OH $70,620

La Crosse, WI $70,620

Grand Forks, ND $70,598

Albuquerque, NM $70,575

Tulsa, OK $70,575

Newport News, VA $70,568

High Point, NC $70,545

Ogden, UT $70,515

Corpus Christi, TX $70,455

Laramie, WY $70,410

Norfolk, VA $70,410

Rock Island, IL $70,365

Saginaw, MI $70,350

Jacksonville, FL $70,343

Salisbury, NC $70,328

Memphis, TN $70,313

Moline, IL $70,275

Fort Myers, FL $70,253

Waterloo, IA $70,155

Spartanburg, SC $70,080

Lincoln, NE $70,042

Fort Wayne, IN $70,027

Birmingham, AL $69,945

Cedar Falls, IA $69,930

Provo, UT $69,922

Springfield, OH $69,915

San Antonio, TX $69,900

Greensboro, NC $69,870

South Bend, IN $69,862

Winston Salem, NC $69,855

Boise, ID $69,832

Savannah, GA $69,780

Muskegon, MI $69,645

Lima, OH $69,555

Lake Charles, LA $69,525

Anderson, IN $69,510

Lexington, KY $69,487

Augusta, GA $69,465

Greenville, SC $69,465

Wichita, KS $69,397

Tuscaloosa, AL $69,397

Columbia, SC $69,329

Bloomington, IN $69,142

Roanoke, VA $69,097

Asheville, NC $68,999

Knoxville, TN $68,871

Shreveport, LA $68,864

Wilmington, NC $68,766

Frankfort, KY $68,624

Oklahoma City, OK $68,571

Chillicothe, OH $68,541

Longview, TX $68,534

Topeka, KS $68,511

Mobile, AL $68,399

Terre Haute, IN $68,369

Erie, PA $68,361

Altoona, PA $68,324

Melbourne, FL $68,301

Amarillo, TX $68,271

Killeen, TX $68,248

Fayetteville, AR $68,188

Sioux Falls, SD $68,136

Chattanooga, TN $68,091

Idaho Falls, ID $68,083

Gainesville, FL $67,926

Portsmouth, OH $67,888

Little Rock, AR $67,873

Lynchburg, VA $67,873

Lafayette, LA $67,843

Youngstown, OH $67,843

Temple, TX $67,813

Daytona Beach, FL $67,798

Clarksville, TN $67,791

Pensacola, FL $67,783

Hopkinsville, KY $67,558

Charleston, WV $67,550

Florence, SC $67,513

Sioux City, IA $67,468

Macon, GA $67,250

Tallahassee, FL $67,243

Fayetteville, NC $67,228

Waco, TX $67,213

Wichita Falls, TX $67,213

Pine Bluff, AR $67,183

Vincennes, IN $67,040

Lubbock, TX $67,010

Great Falls, MT $66,965

Alamogordo, NM $66,957

Abilene, TX $66,897

Rapid City, SD $66,800

Monroe, LA $66,800

Albany, GA $66,755

Huntington, WV $66,747

Jackson, MS $66,740

Greenville, MS $66,732

Parkersburg, WV $66,657

Montgomery, AL $66,642

Johnstown, PA $66,627

Springfield, MO $66,567

Biloxi, MS $66,529

Sumter, SC $66,372

Columbus, GA $66,364

Twin Falls, ID $66,319

Pascagoula, MS $66,222

Kingsport, TN $66,027

Gulfport, MS $66,004

Alexandria, LA $65,756

Fort Smith, AR $65,569

El Paso, TX $65,366

Helena, MT $65,268

Las Cruces, NM $65,028

Harlingen, TX $64,818

Pocatello, ID $64,750

Florence, AL $64,728

Brownsville, TX $64,713

Dothan, AL $64,593

Mcallen, TX $64,555

Columbus, MS $64,000

Altus, OK $63,655

Lawton, OK $63,512

Pierre, SD $63,242

What Skills Can Increase a QA Engineer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 4.09% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Software Development (Mentioned in 2.91% 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.
Scrum (Mentioned in 2.02% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	4.09%
Software Development	2.91%
Scrum	2.02%

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 Engineer I's salary.

Scrum: Can increase your salary by up to 31%.
Software Testing: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
Jenkins: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Scrum	$98,334	31%
Software Testing	$91,578	22%
Jenkins	$88,576	18%
Agile	$85,573	14%
Linux	$84,823	13%
QA Automation	$84,072	12%

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How Education impacts a QA Engineer I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many QA Engineer Is 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 Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $71,485 and $75,711).

QA Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for QA Engineer I

No Diploma 0.3%

High School 8.8%

Associates 8.8%

Bachelors 59.6%

Masters 21.7%

Doctorate 0.8%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.3%
High School	8.8%
Associates	8.8%
Bachelors	59.6%
Masters	21.7%
Doctorate	0.8%

view as graph

QA Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a QA Engineer I'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

$68,736

Average $75,064/year

$80,635

$5,728

Average $6,255/month

$6,720

$1,322

Average $1,444/week

$1,551

$33

Average $36/hour

$39

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$80,635	$6,720	$1,551	$39
Average	$75,064	$6,255	$1,444	$36
25th Percentile	$68,736	$5,728	$1,322	$33

Salaries of jobs related to QA Engineer I

Salary Trends for QA Engineer I

Salaries for a QA Engineer I can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $65,248 in 2023 to around $65,511 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of QA Engineer I salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of QA Engineer I Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$65,248

2024

$65,607

2025

$65,511

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$65,248
2024	$65,607
2025	$65,511
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for QA Engineer I

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.)

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