Senior Software Quality Engineer Salary in the United States

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

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior Software Quality Engineer in the United States is $146,084 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $70.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $163,677
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $134,914 to $155,293
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $124,744
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View as table View as graph 25% $134,914 10% $124,744 90% $163,677 75% $155,293 $146,084 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Senior Software Quality Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $155,293 $12,941 $2,986 $75
Average $146,084 $12,174 $2,809 $70
25th Percentile $134,914 $11,243 $2,595 $65
Check out Senior Software Quality Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Senior Software Engineer

LER TechForce - Raymond, OH

Senior Software Engineer

Akkodis - Aurora, OH

Senior Software Engineer

Insight Global - Dayton, OH

Software Sr Principal Engineer L3

TOOGANN TECHNOLOGIES - Raymond, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Senior Software Quality Engineer Salaries

A Senior Software Quality 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 Quality Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Senior Software Quality 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): $103,645
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $126,933
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $146,860
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $168,817
  • Expert (over 8 years): $167,204
Levels Salary
Software ... Level Senior Software Quality Engineer$103,645
Software ... Level Senior Software Quality Engineer$126,933
Senior So... Level Senior Software Quality Engineer$146,860
Software ... Level Senior Software Quality Engineer$168,817
Software ... Level Senior Software Quality Engineer$167,204
$103,645 0 yr
$126,933 < 2 yrs
$146,860 2-4 yrs
$168,817 5-8 yrs
$167,204 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Senior Software Quality 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: $184,256
  • San Francisco: $182,238
  • Oakland: $178,398

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.83% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Open Source (Mentioned in 3.66% Job Postings): Open source is a term that originally referred to open source software (OSS). Open source software is code that is designed to be publicly accessible—anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code as they see fit
  • Programming (Mentioned in 2.62% Job Postings): Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.83%
Open Source 3.66%
Programming 2.62%
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 Quality Engineer's salary.
  • Relationship Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Solution Design: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Relationship Management
 $151,927
4%
Flexibility
 $150,467
3%
Solution Design
 $149,006
2%
Attention to Detail
 $149,006
2%
Innovation
 $149,006
2%
Insight
 $149,006
2%
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How Education impacts a Senior Software Quality Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Senior Software Quality 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 Quality Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $143,573 and $150,375).

Senior Software Quality Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Senior Software Quality Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 2.0%
Associates 1.5%
Bachelors 45.8%
Masters 44.0%
Doctorate 6.5%
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Senior Software Quality Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Senior Software Quality 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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on May 01, 2026
$134,914
Average $146,084/year
$155,293
$11,243
Average $12,174/month
$12,941
$2,595
Average $2,809/week
$2,986
$65
Average $70/hour
$75
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $155,293 $12,941 $2,986 $75
Average $146,084 $12,174 $2,809 $70
25th Percentile $134,914 $11,243 $2,595 $65

Salaries of jobs related to Senior Software Quality Engineer

Salary Trends for Senior Software Quality Engineer

Salaries for a Senior Software Quality Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $139,249 in 2023 to around $137,327 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Senior Software Quality Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Senior Software Quality Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$139,249
2024
$138,297
2025
$137,327
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $139,249
2024 $138,297
2025 $137,327
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Senior Software Quality Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Senior Software Quality 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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