What are the main factors that influence a QA Lead Engineer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a QA Lead Engineer's salary?

A QA Lead Engineer's salary grows with experience: starting around $117,272 for beginners, reaching about $118,675 at mid-level, and approach $124,975 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a QA Lead Engineer?

QA Lead Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for QA Lead Engineer roles are District of Columbia $134,504, California $133,994, Massachusetts $132,208. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of QA Lead Engineer roles make?

Salaries for QA Lead Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Qa Automation Lead: $140,381; Software QA Engineer IV: $131,500; Lead QA Analyst: $127,483; Software Qa Lead: $126,321; QA/Validation Engineer IV: $125,300.

How do different companies affect a QA Lead Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for QA Lead Engineer roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

QA Lead Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a QA Lead Engineer make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a QA Lead Engineer in the United States is $121,481 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $58.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $134,279
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $111,379 to $128,180
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $102,182

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QA Lead Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$128,180	$10,682	$2,465	$62
Average	$121,481	$10,123	$2,336	$58
25th Percentile	$111,379	$9,282	$2,142	$54

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Key Factors That Influence QA Lead Engineer Salaries

A QA Lead 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects QA Lead Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a QA Lead 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): $117,272
Early Career (1-2 years): $117,973
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $118,675
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $121,200
Expert (over 8 years): $124,975

Levels	Salary
Entry Level QA Lead Engineer	$117,272
Intermediate Level QA Lead Engineer	$117,973
Senior Level QA Lead Engineer	$118,675
Specialist Level QA Lead Engineer	$121,200
Expert Level QA Lead Engineer	$124,975

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What Am I Worth?

How Do QA Lead 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 QA Lead Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $134,504.
California: $133,994.
Massachusetts: $132,208.

District of Columbia $134,504

California $133,994

Massachusetts $132,208

Washington $131,722

New Jersey $131,673

Alaska $131,503

Connecticut $129,827

New York $129,146

Hawaii $126,972

Rhode Island $125,952

Maryland $125,259

Minnesota $124,312

Colorado $123,947

Illinois $123,826

Oregon $123,364

Delaware $123,024

New Hampshire $122,810

Virginia $122,331

Pennsylvania $120,934

Nevada $120,230

North Dakota $119,999

Michigan $119,634

Wisconsin $119,501

Vermont $119,234

Texas $118,493

Maine $118,444

Arizona $118,371

Ohio $118,286

Georgia $117,168

Indiana $116,610

Wyoming $116,500

Utah $116,330

Iowa $116,257

Kansas $115,674

Louisiana $115,504

North Carolina $115,443

Missouri $115,419

Florida $114,945

Montana $114,690

Nebraska $114,447

Kentucky $114,314

South Carolina $113,828

Tennessee $113,524

Idaho $113,403

New Mexico $112,516

Oklahoma $112,321

Alabama $111,605

South Dakota $110,402

Arkansas $109,746

West Virginia $109,394

Mississippi $108,337

Top Paying Cities for QA Lead 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: $153,224
San Francisco: $151,718
Oakland: $148,353

San Jose, CA $153,224

San Francisco, CA $151,718

Oakland, CA $148,353

New York, NY $140,784

Queens Village, NY $139,873

Paramus, NJ $138,901

Passaic, NJ $138,780

Bergenfield, NJ $138,658

Stamford, CT $138,476

Huntington, NY $138,355

Newark, NJ $137,565

Bridgeport, CT $137,322

New Brunswick, NJ $136,921

Vallejo, CA $136,666

Middlesex, NJ $136,593

Somerset, NJ $136,484

Petaluma, CA $136,204

Santa Cruz, CA $135,731

Boston, MA $135,488

Monterey, CA $134,880

Fairbanks, AK $134,795

Los Angeles, CA $134,565

Washington, DC $134,504

Seattle, WA $134,285

Santa Rosa, CA $134,261

Juneau, AK $133,909

Orange, CA $133,508

Anchorage, AK $133,289

Anaheim, CA $133,204

Santa Ana, CA $133,022

Nassau, NY $132,949

Long Beach, CA $132,900

Danbury, CT $132,864

Santa Maria, CA $132,451

Everett, WA $132,426

Bremerton, WA $131,831

Trenton, NJ $131,600

Sacramento, CA $131,552

San Diego, CA $131,491

Brockton, MA $131,442

Tacoma, WA $131,394

Santa Barbara, CA $131,224

Lowell, MA $130,738

New Suffolk, NY $130,689

Nashua, NH $130,543

Lompoc, CA $130,349

Ventura, CA $130,228

Stockton, CA $130,191

New Haven, CT $129,948

Atlantic City, NJ $129,632

Hartford, CT $129,365

Modesto, CA $129,304

Poughkeepsie, NY $129,037

New Britain, CT $128,976

Olympia, WA $128,806

Kennewick, WA $128,806

New London, CT $128,782

Norwich, CT $128,746

Lawrence, MA $128,685

Bakersfield, CA $128,345

Riverside, CA $128,175

New Bedford, MA $128,175

Richland, WA $128,053

Portsmouth, NH $127,956

Vineland, NJ $127,932

San Bernardino, CA $127,834

Boulder, CO $127,494

Worcester, MA $127,397

Portland, OR $127,288

Saint Paul, MN $127,142

Minneapolis, MN $127,142

Philadelphia, PA $126,972

Honolulu, HI $126,328

Springfield, MA $125,903

Providence, RI $125,891

Chicago, IL $125,538

Bellingham, WA $125,393

Baltimore, MD $125,259

Chico, CA $124,955

Wilmington, DE $124,749

Pittsfield, MA $124,627

Manchester, NH $124,397

Spokane, WA $123,862

Denver, CO $123,850

Albany, NY $123,279

Troy, NY $123,230

Schenectady, NY $122,975

Burlington, VT $122,708

Portland, ME $122,283

Salem, OR $122,186

Yakima, WA $122,161

Ann Arbor, MI $122,125

Rochester, MN $121,785

Fresno, CA $121,724

Reno, NV $121,724

Milwaukee, WI $121,615

Detroit, MI $121,493

Allentown, PA $121,457

Carson City, NV $121,445

Houston, TX $121,262

Colorado Springs, CO $121,250

Syracuse, NY $121,189

Eugene, OR $120,959

Bismarck, ND $120,813

Gary, IN $120,813

Galveston, TX $120,813

Springfield, OR $120,716

Medford, OR $120,424

Fort Collins, CO $120,376

Austin, TX $120,278

Mesa, AZ $120,023

Phoenix, AZ $119,999

Dallas, TX $119,962

Reading, PA $119,890

Saint Cloud, MN $119,841

Concord, NH $119,732

Madison, WI $119,683

Utica, NY $119,355

Raleigh, NC $119,258

Las Vegas, NV $119,246

Rochester, NY $119,161

Des Moines, IA $119,149

Atlanta, GA $118,954

Battle Creek, MI $118,918

Salt Lake City, UT $118,881

Lancaster, PA $118,699

Champaign, IL $118,675

Harrisburg, PA $118,529

Durham, NC $118,420

Kansas City, MO $118,408

Kansas City, KS $118,383

Fort Worth, TX $118,371

Boca Raton, FL $118,322

Cleveland, OH $118,310

Columbus, OH $118,286

Pittsburgh, PA $118,274

Richmond, VA $118,225

Indianapolis, IN $118,201

Cincinnati, OH $118,043

Petersburg, VA $117,861

Billings, MT $117,594

Lansing, MI $117,594

Huntsville, AL $117,594

Lebanon, PA $117,581

Dayton, OH $117,569

Pueblo, CO $117,569

Appleton, WI $117,533

Buffalo, NY $117,484

Racine, WI $117,424

Charlotte, NC $117,411

Saint Louis, MO $117,375

Springfield, IL $117,326

Elkhart, IN $117,302

York, PA $117,302

Gastonia, NC $117,290

Benton Harbor, MI $117,290

Beaumont, TX $117,217

Lorain, OH $117,193

Toledo, OH $117,144

Binghamton, NY $117,083

Rock Hill, SC $117,071

Rockford, IL $117,010

Fargo, ND $116,950

Elyria, OH $116,950

Flagstaff, AZ $116,865

Fort Lauderdale, FL $116,792

Miami, FL $116,719

Duluth, MN $116,525

Bangor, ME $116,367

Cedar Rapids, IA $116,233

Louisville, KY $116,172

Grand Rapids, MI $116,148

Hialeah, FL $116,136

Casper, WY $115,966

Scranton, PA $115,820

New Orleans, LA $115,784

Virginia Beach, VA $115,771

Akron, OH $115,711

Peoria, IL $115,553

Sarasota, FL $115,528

Green Bay, WI $115,443

Baton Rouge, LA $115,383

Charleston, SC $115,358

Nashville, TN $115,322

Jamestown, NY $115,298

Davenport, IA $115,298

Tucson, AZ $115,237

Cheyenne, WY $115,200

Saint Petersburg, FL $115,164

Tampa, FL $115,140

Omaha, NE $115,115

Port Arthur, TX $115,067

Evansville, IN $115,067

Bradenton, FL $115,018

Santa Fe, NM $114,800

Orlando, FL $114,678

Clearwater, FL $114,544

Canton, OH $114,289

La Crosse, WI $114,289

Grand Forks, ND $114,253

Albuquerque, NM $114,216

Tulsa, OK $114,216

Newport News, VA $114,204

High Point, NC $114,168

Ogden, UT $114,119

Corpus Christi, TX $114,022

Laramie, WY $113,949

Norfolk, VA $113,949

Rock Island, IL $113,876

Saginaw, MI $113,852

Jacksonville, FL $113,840

Salisbury, NC $113,816

Memphis, TN $113,791

Moline, IL $113,731

Fort Myers, FL $113,694

Waterloo, IA $113,536

Spartanburg, SC $113,415

Lincoln, NE $113,354

Fort Wayne, IN $113,330

Birmingham, AL $113,196

Cedar Falls, IA $113,172

Provo, UT $113,160

Springfield, OH $113,147

San Antonio, TX $113,123

Greensboro, NC $113,075

South Bend, IN $113,062

Winston Salem, NC $113,050

Boise, ID $113,014

Savannah, GA $112,929

Muskegon, MI $112,710

Lima, OH $112,564

Lake Charles, LA $112,516

Anderson, IN $112,491

Lexington, KY $112,455

Augusta, GA $112,419

Greenville, SC $112,419

Wichita, KS $112,309

Tuscaloosa, AL $112,309

Columbia, SC $112,200

Bloomington, IN $111,896

Roanoke, VA $111,823

Asheville, NC $111,665

Knoxville, TN $111,459

Shreveport, LA $111,447

Wilmington, NC $111,289

Frankfort, KY $111,058

Oklahoma City, OK $110,973

Chillicothe, OH $110,924

Longview, TX $110,912

Topeka, KS $110,876

Mobile, AL $110,693

Terre Haute, IN $110,645

Erie, PA $110,633

Altoona, PA $110,572

Melbourne, FL $110,536

Amarillo, TX $110,487

Killeen, TX $110,451

Fayetteville, AR $110,353

Sioux Falls, SD $110,268

Chattanooga, TN $110,195

Idaho Falls, ID $110,183

Gainesville, FL $109,928

Portsmouth, OH $109,867

Little Rock, AR $109,843

Lynchburg, VA $109,843

Lafayette, LA $109,795

Youngstown, OH $109,795

Temple, TX $109,746

Daytona Beach, FL $109,722

Clarksville, TN $109,709

Pensacola, FL $109,697

Hopkinsville, KY $109,333

Charleston, WV $109,321

Florence, SC $109,260

Sioux City, IA $109,187

Macon, GA $108,835

Tallahassee, FL $108,823

Fayetteville, NC $108,798

Waco, TX $108,774

Wichita Falls, TX $108,774

Pine Bluff, AR $108,725

Vincennes, IN $108,495

Lubbock, TX $108,446

Great Falls, MT $108,373

Alamogordo, NM $108,361

Abilene, TX $108,264

Rapid City, SD $108,106

Monroe, LA $108,106

Albany, GA $108,033

Huntington, WV $108,021

Jackson, MS $108,009

Greenville, MS $107,997

Parkersburg, WV $107,875

Montgomery, AL $107,851

Johnstown, PA $107,827

Springfield, MO $107,729

Biloxi, MS $107,669

Sumter, SC $107,414

Columbus, GA $107,401

Twin Falls, ID $107,328

Pascagoula, MS $107,171

Kingsport, TN $106,855

Gulfport, MS $106,818

Alexandria, LA $106,417

Fort Smith, AR $106,114

El Paso, TX $105,786

Helena, MT $105,628

Las Cruces, NM $105,239

Harlingen, TX $104,899

Pocatello, ID $104,790

Florence, AL $104,753

Brownsville, TX $104,729

Dothan, AL $104,534

Mcallen, TX $104,474

Columbus, MS $103,575

Altus, OK $103,016

Lawton, OK $102,785

Pierre, SD $102,348

What Skills Can Increase a QA Lead Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 2.72% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Scrum (Mentioned in 2.77% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
Virtualization (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): In computing, virtualization refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including virtual computer hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources. Virtualization began in the 1960s, as a method of logically dividing the system resources provided by mainframe computers between different applications. Since then, the meaning of the term has broadened.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	2.72%
Scrum	2.77%
Virtualization	2.13%

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 QA Lead Engineer's salary.

Authenticity: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
iOS: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Authenticity	$142,133	17%
iOS	$129,985	7%
Consulting	$128,770	6%
Innovation	$127,555	5%
Integrity	$126,340	4%
Virtualization	$126,340	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a QA Lead Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many QA Lead Engineers 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 QA Lead Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $123,201 and $129,316).

QA Lead Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for QA Lead Engineer

No Diploma 3.3%

High School 3.3%

Associates 5.3%

Bachelors 50.0%

Masters 40.1%

Doctorate 1.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	3.3%
High School	3.3%
Associates	5.3%
Bachelors	50.0%
Masters	40.1%
Doctorate	1.3%

view as graph

QA Lead Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a QA Lead 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 January 01, 2026

$111,379

Average $121,481/year

$128,180

$9,282

Average $10,123/month

$10,682

$2,142

Average $2,336/week

$2,465

$54

Average $58/hour

$62

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$128,180	$10,682	$2,465	$62
Average	$121,481	$10,123	$2,336	$58
25th Percentile	$111,379	$9,282	$2,142	$54

Salaries of jobs related to QA Lead Engineer

Salary Trends for QA Lead Engineer

Salaries for a QA Lead Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $117,998 in 2023 to around $117,548 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of QA Lead Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of QA Lead Engineer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$117,998

2024

$118,489

2025

$117,548

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$117,998
2024	$118,489
2025	$117,548
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for QA Lead Engineer

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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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