Automation Test Lead Salary in the United States

How much does an Automation Test Lead make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for an Automation Test Lead in the United States is $104,512 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $50.

However, an Automation Test Lead's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $118,796
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $93,439 to $111,989
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $83,357
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $93,439 10% $83,357 90% $118,796 75% $111,989 $104,512 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Automation Test Lead Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $111,989 $9,332 $2,154 $54
Average $104,512 $8,709 $2,010 $50
25th Percentile $93,439 $7,787 $1,797 $45
Check out Automation Test Lead Job Openings in the United States
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Coca Cola - Lockbourne, OH

Test Analyst Journeyman

Bering Straits Native Corporation - Beaver Creek, OH

Sr Nondestructive Test Technician

Curtiss-Wright - Cleveland, OH

Quality Inspection Final Test II

Vertiv Group Corp. - Ironton, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Automation Test Lead Salaries

An Automation Test Lead'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 Automation Test Lead Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Automation Test Lead'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): $134,186
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $146,475
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $105,281
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $125,589
  • Expert (over 8 years): $155,474
Levels Salary
Test Engi... Level Automation Test Lead$134,186
Test Engi... Level Automation Test Lead$146,475
Automatio... Level Automation Test Lead$105,281
Test Engi... Level Automation Test Lead$125,589
Test Engi... Level Automation Test Lead$155,474
$134,186 0 yr
$146,475 < 2 yrs
$105,281 2-4 yrs
$125,589 5-8 yrs
$155,474 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Automation Test Lead 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 Automation Test Leads. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $115,716.
  • California: $115,277.
  • Massachusetts: $113,740.

Top Paying Cities for Automation Test Leads

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: $131,821
  • San Francisco: $130,525
  • Oakland: $127,630

What Skills Can Increase an Automation Test Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 6.11% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Test Planning (Mentioned in 2.37% Job Postings): Test planning is an essential activity of testing, regardless of the project lifecycle approach.
  • Software Testing (Mentioned in 1.87% 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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 6.11%
Test Planning 2.37%
Software Testing 1.87%
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 Automation Test Lead's salary.
  • Verification and Validation: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Digital Transformation: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Requirements Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Verification and Validation
 $114,963
10%
Digital Transformation
 $109,738
5%
Requirements Analysis
 $109,738
5%
Functional Testing
 $109,738
5%
Test Management
 $108,692
4%
Python
 $108,692
4%
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How Education impacts an Automation Test Lead's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Automation Test Leads 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 an Automation Test Lead with a Bachelor's Degree is between $110,073 and $114,439).

Automation Test Lead Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Automation Test Lead
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 10.4%
High School 54.2%
Associates 10.4%
Bachelors 54.2%
Masters 35.4%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Automation Test Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Automation Test Lead'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on April 01, 2026
$93,439
Average $104,512/year
$111,989
$7,787
Average $8,709/month
$9,332
$1,797
Average $2,010/week
$2,154
$45
Average $50/hour
$54
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $111,989 $9,332 $2,154 $54
Average $104,512 $8,709 $2,010 $50
25th Percentile $93,439 $7,787 $1,797 $45

Salaries of jobs related to Automation Test Lead

Salary Trends for Automation Test Lead

Salaries for an Automation Test Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $99,067 in 2023 to around $99,460 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Automation Test Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Automation Test Lead Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$99,067
2024
$99,921
2025
$99,460
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $99,067
2024 $99,921
2025 $99,460
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Automation Test Lead

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Disability
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Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Automation Test Lead

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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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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