What are the main factors that influence a Senior Software Qa 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 Senior Software Qa Engineer's salary?

A Senior Software Qa Engineer's salary grows with experience: starting around $90,502 for beginners, reaching about $93,796 at mid-level, and approach $97,178 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Senior Software Qa Engineer?

Senior Software Qa Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Senior Software Qa Engineer roles are District of Columbia $102,539, California $102,150, Massachusetts $100,789. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Senior Software Qa Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Senior Software Qa Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Software QA Director: $191,180; Software QA Engineer VI: $176,500; Software QA Senior Manager: $166,390; Software QA Engineer V: $153,600; Network Software QA Engineer: $151,139.

How do different companies affect a Senior Software Qa Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Senior Software Qa 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.

Senior Software Qa Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Senior Software Qa Engineer make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior Software Qa Engineer in the United States is $92,611 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.

However, a Senior Software Qa Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $106,291
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $83,678 to $99,772
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $75,544

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI Onboarding

Recruit with AI

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Senior Software Qa Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$99,772	$8,314	$1,919	$48
Average	$92,611	$7,718	$1,781	$45
25th Percentile	$83,678	$6,973	$1,609	$40

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Senior Software Qa Engineer Job Openings in the United States

Senior Software Engineer Manufacturing Applications

SAAB - STOCKWELL, IN

Senior Software Engineer Manufacturing Applications

SAAB - DELPHI, IN

Senior Software Engineer Manufacturing Applications

SAAB - ROSSVILLE, IN

Senior Software Engineer Manufacturing Applications

SAAB - CHALMERS, IN

Search More Senior Software Qa Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Senior Software Qa Engineer Salaries

A Senior Software Qa 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 Senior Software Qa Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Senior Software Qa 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): $90,502
Early Career (1-2 years): $90,750
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,796
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $96,953
Expert (over 8 years): $97,178

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$90,502
Intermediate Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$90,750
Senior Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$93,796
Specialist Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$96,953
Expert Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$97,178

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Senior Software Qa 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 Senior Software Qa Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $102,539.
California: $102,150.
Massachusetts: $100,789.

District of Columbia $102,539 California $102,150 Massachusetts $100,789 Washington $100,419 New Jersey $100,381 Alaska $100,252 Connecticut $98,974 New York $98,455

Hawaii $96,797 Rhode Island $96,019 Maryland $95,492 Minnesota $94,769 Colorado $94,491 Illinois $94,399 Oregon $94,047 Delaware $93,788

New Hampshire $93,625 Virginia $93,260 Pennsylvania $92,195 Nevada $91,658 North Dakota $91,482 Michigan $91,204 Wisconsin $91,102 Vermont $90,898

Texas $90,333 Maine $90,296 Arizona $90,241 Ohio $90,176 Georgia $89,324 Indiana $88,898 Wyoming $88,814 Utah $88,685

Iowa $88,629 Kansas $88,185 Louisiana $88,055 North Carolina $88,009 Missouri $87,990 Florida $87,629 Montana $87,434 Nebraska $87,249

Kentucky $87,147 South Carolina $86,777 Tennessee $86,545 Idaho $86,453 New Mexico $85,777 Oklahoma $85,629 Alabama $85,082 South Dakota $84,165

Arkansas $83,665 West Virginia $83,397 Mississippi $82,591

Top Paying Cities for Senior Software Qa 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: $116,811
San Francisco: $115,662
Oakland: $113,097

San Jose, CA $116,811

San Francisco, CA $115,662

Oakland, CA $113,097

New York, NY $107,327

Queens Village, NY $106,633

Paramus, NJ $105,892

Passaic, NJ $105,799

Bergenfield, NJ $105,707

Stamford, CT $105,568

Huntington, NY $105,475

Newark, NJ $104,873

Bridgeport, CT $104,688

New Brunswick, NJ $104,382

Vallejo, CA $104,188

Middlesex, NJ $104,132

Somerset, NJ $104,049

Petaluma, CA $103,836

Santa Cruz, CA $103,475

Boston, MA $103,289

Monterey, CA $102,826

Fairbanks, AK $102,762

Los Angeles, CA $102,586

Washington, DC $102,539

Seattle, WA $102,373

Santa Rosa, CA $102,354

Juneau, AK $102,086

Orange, CA $101,780

Anchorage, AK $101,613

Anaheim, CA $101,548

Santa Ana, CA $101,409

Nassau, NY $101,354

Long Beach, CA $101,317

Danbury, CT $101,289

Santa Maria, CA $100,974

Everett, WA $100,956

Bremerton, WA $100,502

Trenton, NJ $100,326

Sacramento, CA $100,289

San Diego, CA $100,243

Brockton, MA $100,206

Tacoma, WA $100,168

Santa Barbara, CA $100,039

Lowell, MA $99,668

New Suffolk, NY $99,631

Nashua, NH $99,520

Lompoc, CA $99,372

Ventura, CA $99,279

Stockton, CA $99,252

New Haven, CT $99,066

Atlantic City, NJ $98,826

Hartford, CT $98,622

Modesto, CA $98,576

Poughkeepsie, NY $98,372

New Britain, CT $98,326

Olympia, WA $98,196

Kennewick, WA $98,196

New London, CT $98,177

Norwich, CT $98,150

Lawrence, MA $98,103

Bakersfield, CA $97,844

Riverside, CA $97,714

New Bedford, MA $97,714

Richland, WA $97,622

Portsmouth, NH $97,548

Vineland, NJ $97,529

San Bernardino, CA $97,455

Boulder, CO $97,196

Worcester, MA $97,122

Portland, OR $97,038

Saint Paul, MN $96,927

Minneapolis, MN $96,927

Philadelphia, PA $96,797

Honolulu, HI $96,307

Springfield, MA $95,982

Providence, RI $95,973

Chicago, IL $95,705

Bellingham, WA $95,593

Baltimore, MD $95,492

Chico, CA $95,260

Wilmington, DE $95,103

Pittsfield, MA $95,010

Manchester, NH $94,834

Spokane, WA $94,427

Denver, CO $94,417

Albany, NY $93,982

Troy, NY $93,945

Schenectady, NY $93,751

Burlington, VT $93,547

Portland, ME $93,223

Salem, OR $93,149

Yakima, WA $93,130

Ann Arbor, MI $93,102

Rochester, MN $92,843

Fresno, CA $92,797

Reno, NV $92,797

Milwaukee, WI $92,713

Detroit, MI $92,621

Allentown, PA $92,593

Carson City, NV $92,584

Houston, TX $92,445

Colorado Springs, CO $92,435

Syracuse, NY $92,389

Eugene, OR $92,213

Bismarck, ND $92,102

Gary, IN $92,102

Galveston, TX $92,102

Springfield, OR $92,028

Medford, OR $91,806

Fort Collins, CO $91,769

Austin, TX $91,695

Mesa, AZ $91,500

Phoenix, AZ $91,482

Dallas, TX $91,454

Reading, PA $91,398

Saint Cloud, MN $91,361

Concord, NH $91,278

Madison, WI $91,241

Utica, NY $90,991

Raleigh, NC $90,917

Las Vegas, NV $90,907

Rochester, NY $90,843

Des Moines, IA $90,833

Atlanta, GA $90,685

Battle Creek, MI $90,657

Salt Lake City, UT $90,630

Lancaster, PA $90,491

Champaign, IL $90,472

Harrisburg, PA $90,361

Durham, NC $90,278

Kansas City, MO $90,268

Kansas City, KS $90,250

Fort Worth, TX $90,241

Boca Raton, FL $90,204

Cleveland, OH $90,194

Columbus, OH $90,176

Pittsburgh, PA $90,166

Richmond, VA $90,129

Indianapolis, IN $90,111

Cincinnati, OH $89,990

Petersburg, VA $89,852

Billings, MT $89,648

Lansing, MI $89,648

Huntsville, AL $89,648

Lebanon, PA $89,639

Dayton, OH $89,629

Pueblo, CO $89,629

Appleton, WI $89,602

Buffalo, NY $89,564

Racine, WI $89,518

Charlotte, NC $89,509

Saint Louis, MO $89,481

Springfield, IL $89,444

Elkhart, IN $89,426

York, PA $89,426

Gastonia, NC $89,416

Benton Harbor, MI $89,416

Beaumont, TX $89,361

Lorain, OH $89,342

Toledo, OH $89,305

Binghamton, NY $89,259

Rock Hill, SC $89,250

Rockford, IL $89,203

Fargo, ND $89,157

Elyria, OH $89,157

Flagstaff, AZ $89,092

Fort Lauderdale, FL $89,037

Miami, FL $88,981

Duluth, MN $88,833

Bangor, ME $88,712

Cedar Rapids, IA $88,611

Louisville, KY $88,564

Grand Rapids, MI $88,546

Hialeah, FL $88,536

Casper, WY $88,407

Scranton, PA $88,296

New Orleans, LA $88,268

Virginia Beach, VA $88,259

Akron, OH $88,212

Peoria, IL $88,092

Sarasota, FL $88,073

Green Bay, WI $88,009

Baton Rouge, LA $87,962

Charleston, SC $87,944

Nashville, TN $87,916

Jamestown, NY $87,897

Davenport, IA $87,897

Tucson, AZ $87,851

Cheyenne, WY $87,823

Saint Petersburg, FL $87,796

Tampa, FL $87,777

Omaha, NE $87,759

Port Arthur, TX $87,722

Evansville, IN $87,722

Bradenton, FL $87,684

Santa Fe, NM $87,518

Orlando, FL $87,425

Clearwater, FL $87,323

Canton, OH $87,129

La Crosse, WI $87,129

Grand Forks, ND $87,101

Albuquerque, NM $87,073

Tulsa, OK $87,073

Newport News, VA $87,064

High Point, NC $87,036

Ogden, UT $86,999

Corpus Christi, TX $86,925

Laramie, WY $86,869

Norfolk, VA $86,869

Rock Island, IL $86,814

Saginaw, MI $86,795

Jacksonville, FL $86,786

Salisbury, NC $86,768

Memphis, TN $86,749

Moline, IL $86,703

Fort Myers, FL $86,675

Waterloo, IA $86,555

Spartanburg, SC $86,462

Lincoln, NE $86,416

Fort Wayne, IN $86,397

Birmingham, AL $86,295

Cedar Falls, IA $86,277

Provo, UT $86,268

Springfield, OH $86,258

San Antonio, TX $86,240

Greensboro, NC $86,203

South Bend, IN $86,193

Winston Salem, NC $86,184

Boise, ID $86,156

Savannah, GA $86,092

Muskegon, MI $85,925

Lima, OH $85,814

Lake Charles, LA $85,777

Anderson, IN $85,758

Lexington, KY $85,730

Augusta, GA $85,703

Greenville, SC $85,703

Wichita, KS $85,619

Tuscaloosa, AL $85,619

Columbia, SC $85,536

Bloomington, IN $85,304

Roanoke, VA $85,249

Asheville, NC $85,128

Knoxville, TN $84,971

Shreveport, LA $84,962

Wilmington, NC $84,841

Frankfort, KY $84,665

Oklahoma City, OK $84,601

Chillicothe, OH $84,563

Longview, TX $84,554

Topeka, KS $84,526

Mobile, AL $84,388

Terre Haute, IN $84,350

Erie, PA $84,341

Altoona, PA $84,295

Melbourne, FL $84,267

Amarillo, TX $84,230

Killeen, TX $84,202

Fayetteville, AR $84,128

Sioux Falls, SD $84,063

Chattanooga, TN $84,008

Idaho Falls, ID $83,999

Gainesville, FL $83,804

Portsmouth, OH $83,758

Little Rock, AR $83,739

Lynchburg, VA $83,739

Lafayette, LA $83,702

Youngstown, OH $83,702

Temple, TX $83,665

Daytona Beach, FL $83,647

Clarksville, TN $83,637

Pensacola, FL $83,628

Hopkinsville, KY $83,350

Charleston, WV $83,341

Florence, SC $83,295

Sioux City, IA $83,239

Macon, GA $82,971

Tallahassee, FL $82,961

Fayetteville, NC $82,943

Waco, TX $82,924

Wichita Falls, TX $82,924

Pine Bluff, AR $82,887

Vincennes, IN $82,711

Lubbock, TX $82,674

Great Falls, MT $82,619

Alamogordo, NM $82,609

Abilene, TX $82,535

Rapid City, SD $82,415

Monroe, LA $82,415

Albany, GA $82,359

Huntington, WV $82,350

Jackson, MS $82,341

Greenville, MS $82,332

Parkersburg, WV $82,239

Montgomery, AL $82,220

Johnstown, PA $82,202

Springfield, MO $82,128

Biloxi, MS $82,081

Sumter, SC $81,887

Columbus, GA $81,878

Twin Falls, ID $81,822

Pascagoula, MS $81,702

Kingsport, TN $81,461

Gulfport, MS $81,433

Alexandria, LA $81,128

Fort Smith, AR $80,896

El Paso, TX $80,646

Helena, MT $80,526

Las Cruces, NM $80,229

Harlingen, TX $79,970

Pocatello, ID $79,887

Florence, AL $79,859

Brownsville, TX $79,840

Dothan, AL $79,692

Mcallen, TX $79,646

Columbus, MS $78,960

Altus, OK $78,534

Lawton, OK $78,359

Pierre, SD $78,025

What Skills Can Increase a Senior Software Qa Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 4.58% 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 2.95% 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.
Automated Testing (Mentioned in 1.83% Job Postings): Test automation is the use of software to control the execution of tests and the comparison of predicted to actual outcomes.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	4.58%
Test Scripts	2.95%
Automated Testing	1.83%

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 Senior Software Qa Engineer's salary.

Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Debugging: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Innovation	$95,390	3%
Collaboration	$94,464	2%
Debugging	$94,464	2%
Programming	$94,464	2%
Process Improvement	$94,464	2%
Quality Management	$94,464	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Senior Software Qa Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Senior Software Qa 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 Senior Software Qa Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $85,394 and $90,297).

Senior Software Qa Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Senior Software Qa Engineer

No Diploma 0.4%

High School 10.1%

Associates 8.3%

Bachelors 58.0%

Masters 22.4%

Doctorate 0.8%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.4%
High School	10.1%
Associates	8.3%
Bachelors	58.0%
Masters	22.4%
Doctorate	0.8%

view as graph

Senior Software Qa Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Senior Software Qa 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

$83,678

Average $92,611/year

$99,772

$6,973

Average $7,718/month

$8,314

$1,609

Average $1,781/week

$1,919

$40

Average $45/hour

$48

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$99,772	$8,314	$1,919	$48
Average	$92,611	$7,718	$1,781	$45
25th Percentile	$83,678	$6,973	$1,609	$40

Salaries of jobs related to Senior Software Qa Engineer

Salary Trends for Senior Software Qa Engineer

Salaries for a Senior Software Qa Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $93,203 in 2023 to around $92,339 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Senior Software Qa Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Senior Software Qa Engineer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$93,203

2024

$93,421

2025

$92,339

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$93,203
2024	$93,421
2025	$92,339
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Senior Software Qa Engineer

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

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Senior Software Qa Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Senior Software Qa Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about