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Associate SQA Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does an Associate SQA Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Associate SQA Engineer in the United States is $133,533 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, an Associate SQA Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $149,248
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $123,812 to $141,759
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $114,962
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Associate SQA Engineer Salaries

An Associate SQA Engineer'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Associate SQA Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Associate SQA Engineer'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): $95,858
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $116,210
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $134,208
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $157,002
  • Expert (over 8 years): $180,360
Levels Salary
Software ... Level Associate SQA Engineer$95,858
Software ... Level Associate SQA Engineer$116,210
Associate... Level Associate SQA Engineer$134,208
Software ... Level Associate SQA Engineer$157,002
Software ... Level Associate SQA Engineer$180,360
View as Graph

How Do Associate SQA Engineer 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 Associate SQA Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $147,848.
  • California: $147,287.
  • Massachusetts: $145,324.

Top Paying Cities for Associate SQA Engineers

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: $168,425
  • San Francisco: $166,581
  • Oakland: $163,070

What Skills Can Increase an Associate SQA Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 3.01% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Software Testing (Mentioned in 3.19% Job Postings): Software testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the software product or service under test. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to appreciate and understand the risks of software implementation. Test techniques include the process of executing a program or application with the intent of finding software bugs (errors or other defects), and verifying that the software product is fit for use. Software testing involves the execution of a software component or system component to evaluate one or more properties of interest. In general, these properties indicate the extent to which the component or system under test: meets the requirements that guided its design and development, responds correctly to all kinds of inputs, performs its functions within an acceptable time, it is sufficiently usable, can be installed and run in its intended environments, and achieves the general result its stakeholders desire.
  • Scrum (Mentioned in 2.29% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 3.01%
Software Testing 3.19%
Scrum 2.29%
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 an Associate SQA Engineer's salary.

  • Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Programming: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Products and Services $148,222
11%
Programming $141,545
6%
Integrity $138,874
4%
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Associate SQA Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Associate SQA Engineer 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 Financial Services and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Associate SQA Engineer positions in Media or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Associate SQA Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Associate SQA Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$160,240$77.020%
Energy & Utilities$153,563$74.015%
Biotechnology$149,557$72.012%
Aerospace & Defense$146,886$71.010%
Insurance$145,551$70.09%

Associate SQA Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Associate SQA Engineer'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
$123,812
Average $133,533/year
$141,759
$10,318
Average $11,128/month
$11,813
$2,381
Average $2,568/week
$2,726
$60
Average $64/hour
$68
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $141,759 $11,813 $2,726 $68
Average $133,533 $11,128 $2,568 $64
25th Percentile $123,812 $10,318 $2,381 $60

Most common benefits for Associate SQA Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Associate SQA Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Associate SQA Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Associate SQA Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Associate SQA Engineer?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Associate SQA Engineer 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.)

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