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 $99,009 for beginners, reaching about $102,612 at mid-level, and approach $106,313 for experts.

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

Senior Software Qa Engineer salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in California for Senior Software Qa Engineer roles are San Jose $116,811, San Francisco $115,662, Oakland $113,097.

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.

What specialized skills increase a Senior Software Qa Engineer's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Innovation (up to 3% premium), Collaboration (up to 2% premium), Debugging (up to 2% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Senior Software Qa Engineer Salary in Carson, CA

How much does a Senior Software Qa Engineer make in Carson, CA?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior Software Qa Engineer in Carson, CA is $101,317 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $49.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $116,282
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $91,543 to $109,150
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $82,645

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Senior Software Qa Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$109,150	$9,096	$2,099	$52
Average	$101,317	$8,443	$1,948	$49
25th Percentile	$91,543	$7,629	$1,760	$44

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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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, skills 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): $99,009
Early Career (1-2 years): $99,281
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $102,612
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $106,066
Expert (over 8 years): $106,313

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$99,009
Intermediate Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$99,281
Senior Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$102,612
Specialist Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$106,066
Expert Level Senior Software Qa Engineer	$106,313

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What Am I Worth?

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	$104,356	3%
Collaboration	$103,343	2%
Debugging	$103,343	2%
Programming	$103,343	2%
Process Improvement	$103,343	2%
Quality Management	$103,343	2%

Get Latest Data

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

$91,543

Average $101,317/year

$109,150

$7,629

Average $8,443/month

$9,096

$1,760

Average $1,948/week

$2,099

$44

Average $49/hour

$52

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$109,150	$9,096	$2,099	$52
Average	$101,317	$8,443	$1,948	$49
25th Percentile	$91,543	$7,629	$1,760	$44

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