Project Test Lead Salary in the United States

How much does a Project Test Lead make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Project Test Lead in the United States is $115,296 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $55.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $126,816
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $106,036 to $121,326
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $97,605
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View as table View as graph 25% $106,036 10% $97,605 90% $126,816 75% $121,326 $115,296 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Project Test Lead Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $121,326 $10,111 $2,333 $58
Average $115,296 $9,608 $2,217 $55
25th Percentile $106,036 $8,836 $2,039 $51
Check out Project Test Lead Job Openings in the United States
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L3Harris Technologies - Payne, OH

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ManTech International - Wpafb, OH

Flight Test Engineer

Odyssey Information Services - Dayton, OH

Software Engineer Manufacturing Test

HireTalent - Staffing & Recruiting Firm - Mayfield Heights, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Project Test Lead Salaries

A Project 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 Project Test Lead Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Project 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): $74,511
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $95,630
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $115,939
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $133,886
  • Expert (over 8 years): $156,566
Levels Salary
Software ... Level Project Test Lead$74,511
Software ... Level Project Test Lead$95,630
Project T... Level Project Test Lead$115,939
Software ... Level Project Test Lead$133,886
Software ... Level Project Test Lead$156,566
$74,511 0 yr
$95,630 < 2 yrs
$115,939 2-4 yrs
$133,886 5-8 yrs
$156,566 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

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

  • District of Columbia: $127,656.
  • California: $127,171.
  • Massachusetts: $125,477.

Top Paying Cities for Project 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: $145,423
  • San Francisco: $143,831
  • Oakland: $140,799

What Skills Can Increase a Project Test Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.96% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Test Scripts (Mentioned in 3.27% Job Postings): A test script in software testing is a set of instructions that will be performed on the system under test to test that the system functions as expected. There are various means for executing test scripts. Manual testing. These are more commonly called test cases. Automated testing. Short program written in a programming language used to test part of the functionality of a software system. Test scripts written as a short program can either be written using a special automated functional GUI test tool (such as HP QuickTest Professional, Borland SilkTest, IBM TPNS and Rational Robot) or in a well-known programming language (such as C++, C#, Tcl, Expect, Java, PHP, Perl, Powershell, Python, or Ruby). As documented in IEEE, ISO and IEC. Extensively parameterized short programs a.k.a. Data-driven testing Reusable steps created in a table a.k.a. keyword-driven or table-driven testing.
  • Manual Testing (Mentioned in 2.25% Job Postings): Manual Testing is a type of software testing in which test cases are executed manually by a tester without using any automated tools. It refers to a test process in which a QA manually tests the software application in order to identify bugs.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.96%
Test Scripts 3.27%
Manual Testing 2.25%
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 Project Test Lead's salary.
  • Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Prioritization: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Products and Services
 $119,908
4%
Innovation
 $118,755
3%
Prioritization
 $118,755
3%
Teamwork
 $117,602
2%
Leadership
 $117,602
2%
Integrity
 $116,449
1%
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How Education impacts a Project Test Lead's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Project 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 a Project Test Lead with a Bachelor's Degree is between $106,639 and $111,757).

Project Test Lead Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Project Test Lead
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 7.7%
Associates 4.8%
Bachelors 55.8%
Masters 30.0%
Doctorate 0.6%
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Project Test Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Project 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 June 01, 2026
$106,036
Average $115,296/year
$121,326
$8,836
Average $9,608/month
$10,111
$2,039
Average $2,217/week
$2,333
$51
Average $55/hour
$58
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $121,326 $10,111 $2,333 $58
Average $115,296 $9,608 $2,217 $55
25th Percentile $106,036 $8,836 $2,039 $51

Salaries of jobs related to Project Test Lead

Salary Trends for Project Test Lead

Salaries for a Project Test Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $110,221 in 2023 to around $109,829 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Project Test Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Project Test Lead Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$110,221
2024
$110,533
2025
$109,829
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $110,221
2024 $110,533
2025 $109,829
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Project Test Lead

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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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