Salary AI Book a Demo

Senior Manager, Test Engineering Salary in the United States

How much does a Senior Manager, Test Engineering make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior Manager, Test Engineering in the United States is $157,295 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $76.

However, a Senior Manager, Test Engineering's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $183,846
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $146,679 to $171,193
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $137,014
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Senior Manager, Test Engineering Salaries

A Senior Manager, Test Engineering'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 Senior Manager, Test Engineering Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Senior Manager, Test Engineering'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): $134,912
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $147,149
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $105,797
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $126,211
  • Expert (over 8 years): $156,273
Levels Salary
Test Engi... Level Senior Manager, Test Engineering$134,912
Test Engi... Level Senior Manager, Test Engineering$147,149
Test Engi... Level Senior Manager, Test Engineering$105,797
Test Engi... Level Senior Manager, Test Engineering$126,211
Senior Ma... Level Senior Manager, Test Engineering$156,273
View as Graph

How Do Senior Manager, Test Engineering 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 Senior Manager, Test Engineerings. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $174,157.
  • California: $173,496.
  • Massachusetts: $171,184.

Top Paying Cities for Senior Manager, Test Engineerings

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: $198,396
  • San Francisco: $196,224
  • Oakland: $192,089

What Skills Can Increase a Senior Manager, Test Engineering's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 7.48% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Electrical Engineering (Mentioned in 1.66% Job Postings): Electrical engineering is a technical discipline concerned with the study, design and application of equipment, devices and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identified activity in the latter half of the 19th century after commercialization of the electric telegraph, the telephone, and electrical power generation, distribution and use. Electrical engineering is now divided into a wide range of fields including, computer engineering, power engineering, telecommunications, radio-frequency engineering, signal processing, instrumentation, and electronics. Many of these disciplines overlap with other engineering branches, spanning a huge number of specializations including hardware engineering, power electronics, electromagnetics and waves, microwave engineering, nanotechnology, electrochemistry, renewable energies, mechatronics, and electrical materials science. See glossary of electrical and electronics engineering.
  • Test Automation (Mentioned in 1.38% Job Postings): Leveraging automation tools to maintain test data, execute tests, and analyze test results to improve software quality.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 7.48%
Electrical Engineering 1.66%
Test Automation 1.38%
See More Skills

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 Senior Manager, Test Engineering's salary.

  • Semiconductors: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Program Management: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Semiconductors $171,452
9%
Program Management $171,452
9%
Products and Services $169,879
8%
Get Latest Data

Senior Manager, Test Engineering Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Senior Manager, Test Engineering roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Senior Manager, Test Engineering positions in Biotechnology or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Senior Manager, Test Engineering as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Senior Manager, Test Engineering

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$188,754$91.020%

How Education impacts a Senior Manager, Test Engineering's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Senior Manager, Test Engineerings 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 Senior Manager, Test Engineering with a Bachelor's Degree is between $160,986 and $168,104).

Senior Manager, Test Engineering Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Senior Manager, Test Engineering
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 2.2%
Associates 6.6%
Bachelors 49.5%
Masters 38.5%
Doctorate 2.2%
View as Graph

Senior Manager, Test Engineering Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Senior Manager, Test Engineering'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 September 01, 2026
$146,679
Average $157,295/year
$171,193
$12,223
Average $13,108/month
$14,266
$2,821
Average $3,025/week
$3,292
$71
Average $76/hour
$82
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $171,193 $14,266 $3,292 $82
Average $157,295 $13,108 $3,025 $76
25th Percentile $146,679 $12,223 $2,821 $71

Most common benefits for Senior Manager, Test Engineering

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

Common company salaries for Senior Manager, Test Engineering

Here are companies hiring for Senior Manager, Test Engineering and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Senior Manager, Test Engineering Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Senior Manager, Test Engineering job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

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

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

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

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Senior Manager, Test Engineering

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Senior Manager, Test Engineering?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Senior Manager, Test Engineering roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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