Key Factors That Influence Contract QA Tester Salaries
A Contract QA Tester'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 Contract QA Tester Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Contract QA Tester'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): $66,824
Early Career (1-2 years): $67,014
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $69,564
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $73,164
Expert (over 8 years): $73,421
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Contract QA Tester
$66,824
Intermediate Level Contract QA Tester
$67,014
Senior Level Contract QA Tester
$69,564
Specialist Level Contract QA Tester
$73,164
Expert Level Contract QA Tester
$73,421
$66,8240 yr
$67,014< 2 yrs
$69,5642-4 yrs
$73,1645-8 yrs
$73,421> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Contract QA Tester 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 Contract QA Testers.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $78,445.
California: $78,147.
Massachusetts: $77,106.
District of Columbia$78,445
California$78,147
Massachusetts$77,106
Washington$76,823
New Jersey$76,794
Alaska$76,695
Connecticut$75,717
New York$75,321
Hawaii$74,052
Rhode Island$73,457
Maryland$73,053
Minnesota$72,501
Colorado$72,288
Illinois$72,217
Oregon$71,948
Delaware$71,750
New Hampshire$71,625
Virginia$71,346
Pennsylvania$70,531
Nevada$70,120
North Dakota$69,986
Michigan$69,773
Wisconsin$69,695
Vermont$69,539
Texas$69,107
Maine$69,079
Arizona$69,036
Ohio$68,987
Georgia$68,335
Indiana$68,009
Wyoming$67,945
Utah$67,846
Iowa$67,803
Kansas$67,463
Louisiana$67,364
North Carolina$67,329
Missouri$67,314
Florida$67,038
Montana$66,889
Nebraska$66,748
Kentucky$66,670
South Carolina$66,386
Tennessee$66,209
Idaho$66,138
New Mexico$65,621
Oklahoma$65,508
Alabama$65,090
South Dakota$64,388
Arkansas$64,006
West Virginia$63,800
Mississippi$63,184
Top Paying Cities for Contract QA Testers
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: $89,363
San Francisco: $88,385
Oakland: $86,522
San Jose, CA$89,363
San Francisco, CA$88,385
Oakland, CA$86,522
New York, NY$81,576
Paramus, NJ$80,584
Queens Village, NY$80,580
Passaic, NJ$80,513
Bergenfield, NJ$80,507
Stamford, CT$80,351
Huntington, NY$80,322
Newark, NJ$79,798
Bridgeport, CT$79,649
Vallejo, CA$79,508
New Brunswick, NJ$79,479
Petaluma, CA$79,437
Middlesex, NJ$79,302
Somerset, NJ$79,253
Santa Cruz, CA$79,161
Boston, MA$78,728
Monterey, CA$78,480
Seattle, WA$78,317
Santa Rosa, CA$78,303
Los Angeles, CA$78,282
Juneau, AK$78,098
Washington, DC$78,020
Orange, CA$77,768
Santa Ana, CA$77,581
Long Beach, CA$77,510
Anaheim, CA$77,496
Anchorage, AK$77,460
Santa Maria, CA$77,248
Everett, WA$77,233
Danbury, CT$76,984
Bremerton, WA$76,886
Tacoma, WA$76,631
New Suffolk, NY$76,630
Sacramento, CA$76,610
Santa Barbara, CA$76,532
Trenton, NJ$76,454
San Diego, CA$76,454
Brockton, MA$76,376
Fairbanks, AK$76,203
Lompoc, CA$76,022
Lowell, MA$75,965
Ventura, CA$75,951
Nashua, NH$75,937
Stockton, CA$75,930
Modesto, CA$75,413
Poughkeepsie, NY$75,257
Olympia, WA$75,122
Kennewick, WA$75,122
New Haven, CT$75,094
Lawrence, MA$74,839
Hartford, CT$74,768
Riverside, CA$74,754
New Bedford, MA$74,683
Richland, WA$74,683
Bakersfield, CA$74,584
San Bernardino, CA$74,555
New Britain, CT$74,548
Atlantic City, NJ$74,548
New London, CT$74,520
Norwich, CT$74,499
Portsmouth, NH$74,484
Boulder, CO$74,334
Portland, OR$74,237
Worcester, MA$74,229
Minneapolis, MN$74,010
Philadelphia, PA$73,911
Honolulu, HI$73,677
Saint Paul, MN$73,643
Vineland, NJ$73,627
Providence, RI$73,422
Chicago, IL$73,216
Bellingham, WA$73,131
Springfield, MA$73,075
Baltimore, MD$73,053
Chico, CA$72,876
Pittsfield, MA$72,685
Manchester, NH$72,550
Spokane, WA$72,239
Denver, CO$72,231
Albany, NY$71,898
Troy, NY$71,870
Nassau, NY$71,794
Schenectady, NY$71,721
Wilmington, DE$71,665
Burlington, VT$71,565
Salem, OR$71,537
Portland, ME$71,318
Yakima, WA$71,247
Rochester, MN$71,027
Reno, NV$70,992
Fresno, CA$70,992
Milwaukee, WI$70,928
Detroit, MI$70,857
Ann Arbor, MI$70,845
Allentown, PA$70,836
Colorado Springs, CO$70,715
Syracuse, NY$70,680
Carson City, NV$70,680
Houston, TX$70,581
Eugene, OR$70,545
Gary, IN$70,460
Springfield, OR$70,404
Bismarck, ND$70,389
Galveston, TX$70,340
Medford, OR$70,234
Fort Collins, CO$70,205
Concord, NH$70,170
Austin, TX$70,148
Mesa, AZ$70,000
Reading, PA$69,993
Phoenix, AZ$69,986
Dallas, TX$69,964
Saint Cloud, MN$69,896
Madison, WI$69,801
Utica, NY$69,610
Rochester, NY$69,497
Des Moines, IA$69,490
Raleigh, NC$69,482
Atlanta, GA$69,376
Battle Creek, MI$69,355
Salt Lake City, UT$69,334
Lancaster, PA$69,227
Harrisburg, PA$69,128
Kansas City, MO$69,057
Champaign, IL$69,043
Kansas City, KS$69,043
Fort Worth, TX$69,036
Columbus, OH$69,024
Boca Raton, FL$69,008
Pittsburgh, PA$68,979
Richmond, VA$68,951
Indianapolis, IN$68,937
Cleveland, OH$68,930
Las Vegas, NV$68,845
Cincinnati, OH$68,845
Petersburg, VA$68,739
Huntsville, AL$68,632
Lansing, MI$68,585
Lebanon, PA$68,576
Pueblo, CO$68,569
Appleton, WI$68,547
Buffalo, NY$68,519
Dayton, OH$68,498
Racine, WI$68,484
Charlotte, NC$68,476
Saint Louis, MO$68,455
York, PA$68,413
Elkhart, IN$68,413
Gastonia, NC$68,399
Billings, MT$68,382
Beaumont, TX$68,363
Lorain, OH$68,349
Benton Harbor, MI$68,335
Toledo, OH$68,321
Binghamton, NY$68,285
Rock Hill, SC$68,278
Rockford, IL$68,243
Springfield, IL$68,214
Elyria, OH$68,207
Fargo, ND$68,207
Flagstaff, AZ$68,158
Fort Lauderdale, FL$68,115
Duluth, MN$68,073
Miami, FL$68,073
Cheyenne, WY$68,023
Grand Forks, ND$68,023
Bangor, ME$67,867
Cedar Rapids, IA$67,789
Durham, NC$67,759
Louisville, KY$67,754
Grand Rapids, MI$67,740
Hialeah, FL$67,733
Casper, WY$67,633
Scranton, PA$67,548
New Orleans, LA$67,527
Virginia Beach, VA$67,520
Akron, OH$67,485
Peoria, IL$67,392
Sarasota, FL$67,378
Nashville, TN$67,329
Omaha, NE$67,329
Green Bay, WI$67,329
Baton Rouge, LA$67,293
Charleston, SC$67,279
Jamestown, NY$67,244
Davenport, IA$67,244
Tucson, AZ$67,208
Saint Petersburg, FL$67,166
Tampa, FL$67,152
Evansville, IN$67,109
Port Arthur, TX$67,109
Bradenton, FL$67,081
Santa Fe, NM$66,953
Orlando, FL$66,826
Clearwater, FL$66,804
Canton, OH$66,656
La Crosse, WI$66,656
Albuquerque, NM$66,613
Newport News, VA$66,606
High Point, NC$66,585
Ogden, UT$66,556
Corpus Christi, TX$66,500
Norfolk, VA$66,457
Laramie, WY$66,457
Rock Island, IL$66,415
Saginaw, MI$66,401
Jacksonville, FL$66,393
Salisbury, NC$66,379
Boise, ID$66,365
Moline, IL$66,330
Fort Myers, FL$66,308
Memphis, TN$66,294
Tulsa, OK$66,259
Waterloo, IA$66,216
Spartanburg, SC$66,145
Lincoln, NE$66,110
Fort Wayne, IN$66,096
Provo, UT$66,089
Cedar Falls, IA$66,004
San Antonio, TX$65,975
Greensboro, NC$65,947
South Bend, IN$65,940
Savannah, GA$65,862
Muskegon, MI$65,834
Birmingham, AL$65,827
Winston Salem, NC$65,792
Lake Charles, LA$65,621
Anderson, IN$65,607
Lexington, KY$65,586
Augusta, GA$65,564
Greenville, SC$65,564
Lima, OH$65,508
Wichita, KS$65,501
Tuscaloosa, AL$65,501
Columbia, SC$65,437
Springfield, OH$65,423
Asheville, NC$65,309
Bloomington, IN$65,260
Knoxville, TN$65,005
Shreveport, LA$64,998
Wilmington, NC$64,906
Roanoke, VA$64,906
Topeka, KS$64,778
Frankfort, KY$64,770
Oklahoma City, OK$64,721
Chillicothe, OH$64,693
Longview, TX$64,686
Melbourne, FL$64,679
Sioux Falls, SD$64,566
Mobile, AL$64,558
Terre Haute, IN$64,530
Altoona, PA$64,488
Amarillo, TX$64,438
Killeen, TX$64,417
Fayetteville, AR$64,360
Chattanooga, TN$64,339
Sioux City, IA$64,275
Idaho Falls, ID$64,261
Lynchburg, VA$64,204
Gainesville, FL$64,112
Portsmouth, OH$64,077
Little Rock, AR$64,062
Lafayette, LA$64,034
Youngstown, OH$64,034
Daytona Beach, FL$63,992
Clarksville, TN$63,985
Pensacola, FL$63,977
Temple, TX$63,973
Hopkinsville, KY$63,765
Erie, PA$63,751
Florence, SC$63,722
Charleston, WV$63,609
Great Falls, MT$63,574
Macon, GA$63,474
Tallahassee, FL$63,467
Fayetteville, NC$63,453
Waco, TX$63,439
Helena, MT$63,389
Pine Bluff, AR$63,362
Vincennes, IN$63,276
Lubbock, TX$63,248
Alamogordo, NM$63,205
Twin Falls, ID$63,141
Rapid City, SD$63,120
Jackson, MS$62,993
Huntington, WV$62,988
Greenville, MS$62,986
Parkersburg, WV$62,913
Montgomery, AL$62,901
Wichita Falls, TX$62,830
Springfield, MO$62,830
Biloxi, MS$62,794
Monroe, LA$62,723
Johnstown, PA$62,674
Sumter, SC$62,645
Columbus, GA$62,638
Pascagoula, MS$62,504
Abilene, TX$62,504
Kingsport, TN$62,320
Albany, GA$62,320
Gulfport, MS$62,298
Alexandria, LA$62,065
Fort Smith, AR$61,887
El Paso, TX$61,696
Las Cruces, NM$61,377
Harlingen, TX$61,197
Pocatello, ID$61,186
Florence, AL$61,094
Brownsville, TX$61,080
Mcallen, TX$60,931
Dothan, AL$60,832
Columbus, MS$60,411
Altus, OK$60,081
Lawton, OK$59,946
Pierre, SD$59,691
What Skills Can Increase a Contract QA Tester's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 6.53% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Billing (Mentioned in 3.15% Job Postings): Billing refers to the aspect of banking, whereby someone is charged accurately for what item they purchased.
Sales Support (Mentioned in 1.35% Job Postings): The tasks, roles, and technology that exist within our organization to help our sales force close deals.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Customer Service
6.53%
Billing
3.15%
Sales Support
1.35%
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 Contract QA Tester's salary.
Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Continuous Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Risk Management
$82,894
17%
Continuous Improvement
$80,769
14%
Analysis
$78,643
11%
Revenue Recognition
$78,643
11%
Underwriting
$78,643
11%
Contract Management
$78,643
11%
Get Latest Data
Contract QA Tester Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Contract QA Tester roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 23% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Biotechnology
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 11% above the average.
In contrast, Contract QA Tester positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Contract QA Tester as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Contract QA Tester
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$78,643
$38.0
11%
Biotechnology
$77,935
$37.0
10%
Insurance
$76,518
$37.0
8%
Aerospace & Defense
$74,392
$36.0
5%
Energy & Utilities
$74,392
$36.0
5%
How Education impacts a Contract QA Tester's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Contract QA Testers 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 Contract QA Tester with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$64,275
and $69,416).
Understanding how a Contract QA Tester'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.
Salaries for a Contract QA Tester can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $77,644 in 2023
to around $77,044 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Contract QA Tester salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Contract QA Tester Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$77,644
2024
$77,855
2025
$77,044
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$77,644
2024
$77,855
2025
$77,044
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Contract QA Tester
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 Contract QA Tester
Here are companies hiring for Contract QA Tester and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
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