What are the main factors that influence a Test Automation Architect's salary?

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

How does experience change A Test Automation Architect's salary?

A Test Automation Architect's salary grows with experience: a Systems Architect III (4-7 years)earns $120,262, a Systems Architect IV (7+ years)earns $141,553, a Test Automation Architect (7-10 years)earns $169,680, a Systems Architecture Supervisor (10+ years)earns $136,875, a Systems Architecture Manager (10+ years)earns $154,076,

What are the highest paying states for a Test Automation Architect?

Test Automation Architect salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Test Automation Architect roles are District of Columbia $186,926, California $186,217, Massachusetts $183,736. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Test Automation Architect roles make?

Salaries for Test Automation Architect level roles vary by specialization: QA Automation Architect: $166,129; Automation Architect: $135,393; Test Automation Manager: $131,002; Automation Test Engineer: $121,831; Test Automation Specialist: $114,290.

How do different companies affect a Test Automation Architect's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Test Automation Architect 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.

Test Automation Architect Salary in the United States

How much does a Test Automation Architect make in the United States?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for a Test Automation Architect in the United States is $168,828 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $81.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $185,649
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $156,558 to $177,633
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $145,387

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Test Automation Architect Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$177,633	$14,803	$3,416	$85
Average	$168,828	$14,069	$3,247	$81
25th Percentile	$156,558	$13,047	$3,011	$75

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Key Factors That Influence Test Automation Architect Salaries

A Test Automation Architect'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 Test Automation Architect Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Test Automation Architect'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): $120,262
Early Career (1-2 years): $141,553
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $169,680
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $136,875
Expert (over 8 years): $154,076

Levels	Salary
Systems A... Level Test Automation Architect	$120,262
Systems A... Level Test Automation Architect	$141,553
Test Auto... Level Test Automation Architect	$169,680
Systems A... Level Test Automation Architect	$136,875
Systems A... Level Test Automation Architect	$154,076

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Test Automation Architect 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 Test Automation Architects. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $186,926.
California: $186,217.
Massachusetts: $183,736.

District of Columbia $186,926 California $186,217 Massachusetts $183,736 Washington $183,060 New Jersey $182,993 Alaska $182,756 Connecticut $180,426 New York $179,481

Hawaii $176,459 Rhode Island $175,041 Maryland $174,079 Minnesota $172,762 Colorado $172,255 Illinois $172,086 Oregon $171,445 Delaware $170,972

New Hampshire $170,675 Virginia $170,010 Pennsylvania $168,068 Nevada $167,089 North Dakota $166,768 Michigan $166,262 Wisconsin $166,076 Vermont $165,705

Texas $164,675 Maine $164,607 Arizona $164,506 Ohio $164,388 Georgia $162,835 Indiana $162,058 Wyoming $161,906 Utah $161,670

Iowa $161,568 Kansas $160,758 Louisiana $160,522 North Carolina $160,437 Missouri $160,403 Florida $159,745 Montana $159,391 Nebraska $159,053

Kentucky $158,867 South Carolina $158,192 Tennessee $157,770 Idaho $157,601 New Mexico $156,368 Oklahoma $156,098 Alabama $155,102 South Dakota $153,431

Arkansas $152,519 West Virginia $152,030 Mississippi $150,561

Top Paying Cities for Test Automation Architects

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: $212,943
San Francisco: $210,849
Oakland: $206,173

San Jose, CA $212,943

San Francisco, CA $210,849

Oakland, CA $206,173

New York, NY $195,655

Queens Village, NY $194,389

Paramus, NJ $193,038

Passaic, NJ $192,869

Bergenfield, NJ $192,700

Stamford, CT $192,447

Huntington, NY $192,278

Newark, NJ $191,181

Bridgeport, CT $190,843

New Brunswick, NJ $190,286

Vallejo, CA $189,932

Middlesex, NJ $189,830

Somerset, NJ $189,678

Petaluma, CA $189,290

Santa Cruz, CA $188,632

Boston, MA $188,294

Monterey, CA $187,450

Fairbanks, AK $187,332

Los Angeles, CA $187,011

Washington, DC $186,926

Seattle, WA $186,622

Santa Rosa, CA $186,589

Juneau, AK $186,099

Orange, CA $185,542

Anchorage, AK $185,238

Anaheim, CA $185,120

Santa Ana, CA $184,867

Nassau, NY $184,765

Long Beach, CA $184,698

Danbury, CT $184,647

Santa Maria, CA $184,073

Everett, WA $184,039

Bremerton, WA $183,212

Trenton, NJ $182,891

Sacramento, CA $182,824

San Diego, CA $182,739

Brockton, MA $182,672

Tacoma, WA $182,604

Santa Barbara, CA $182,368

Lowell, MA $181,693

New Suffolk, NY $181,625

Nashua, NH $181,423

Lompoc, CA $181,152

Ventura, CA $180,984

Stockton, CA $180,933

New Haven, CT $180,595

Atlantic City, NJ $180,156

Hartford, CT $179,785

Modesto, CA $179,701

Poughkeepsie, NY $179,329

New Britain, CT $179,245

Olympia, WA $179,008

Kennewick, WA $179,008

New London, CT $178,975

Norwich, CT $178,924

Lawrence, MA $178,840

Bakersfield, CA $178,367

Riverside, CA $178,130

New Bedford, MA $178,130

Richland, WA $177,962

Portsmouth, NH $177,827

Vineland, NJ $177,793

San Bernardino, CA $177,658

Boulder, CO $177,185

Worcester, MA $177,050

Portland, OR $176,898

Saint Paul, MN $176,695

Minneapolis, MN $176,695

Philadelphia, PA $176,459

Honolulu, HI $175,564

Springfield, MA $174,973

Providence, RI $174,956

Chicago, IL $174,467

Bellingham, WA $174,264

Baltimore, MD $174,079

Chico, CA $173,656

Wilmington, DE $173,369

Pittsfield, MA $173,201

Manchester, NH $172,880

Spokane, WA $172,137

Denver, CO $172,120

Albany, NY $171,327

Troy, NY $171,259

Schenectady, NY $170,905

Burlington, VT $170,533

Portland, ME $169,942

Salem, OR $169,807

Yakima, WA $169,773

Ann Arbor, MI $169,723

Rochester, MN $169,250

Fresno, CA $169,166

Reno, NV $169,166

Milwaukee, WI $169,014

Detroit, MI $168,845

Allentown, PA $168,794

Carson City, NV $168,777

Houston, TX $168,524

Colorado Springs, CO $168,507

Syracuse, NY $168,423

Eugene, OR $168,102

Bismarck, ND $167,899

Gary, IN $167,899

Galveston, TX $167,899

Springfield, OR $167,764

Medford, OR $167,359

Fort Collins, CO $167,292

Austin, TX $167,157

Mesa, AZ $166,802

Phoenix, AZ $166,768

Dallas, TX $166,718

Reading, PA $166,616

Saint Cloud, MN $166,549

Concord, NH $166,397

Madison, WI $166,329

Utica, NY $165,874

Raleigh, NC $165,738

Las Vegas, NV $165,722

Rochester, NY $165,603

Des Moines, IA $165,587

Atlanta, GA $165,316

Battle Creek, MI $165,266

Salt Lake City, UT $165,215

Lancaster, PA $164,962

Champaign, IL $164,928

Harrisburg, PA $164,725

Durham, NC $164,574

Kansas City, MO $164,557

Kansas City, KS $164,523

Fort Worth, TX $164,506

Boca Raton, FL $164,438

Cleveland, OH $164,422

Columbus, OH $164,388

Pittsburgh, PA $164,371

Richmond, VA $164,303

Indianapolis, IN $164,270

Cincinnati, OH $164,050

Petersburg, VA $163,797

Billings, MT $163,426

Lansing, MI $163,426

Huntsville, AL $163,426

Lebanon, PA $163,409

Dayton, OH $163,392

Pueblo, CO $163,392

Appleton, WI $163,341

Buffalo, NY $163,274

Racine, WI $163,189

Charlotte, NC $163,172

Saint Louis, MO $163,122

Springfield, IL $163,054

Elkhart, IN $163,020

York, PA $163,020

Gastonia, NC $163,003

Benton Harbor, MI $163,003

Beaumont, TX $162,902

Lorain, OH $162,868

Toledo, OH $162,801

Binghamton, NY $162,716

Rock Hill, SC $162,700

Rockford, IL $162,615

Fargo, ND $162,531

Elyria, OH $162,531

Flagstaff, AZ $162,413

Fort Lauderdale, FL $162,311

Miami, FL $162,210

Duluth, MN $161,940

Bangor, ME $161,720

Cedar Rapids, IA $161,535

Louisville, KY $161,450

Grand Rapids, MI $161,416

Hialeah, FL $161,400

Casper, WY $161,163

Scranton, PA $160,961

New Orleans, LA $160,910

Virginia Beach, VA $160,893

Akron, OH $160,809

Peoria, IL $160,589

Sarasota, FL $160,555

Green Bay, WI $160,437

Baton Rouge, LA $160,353

Charleston, SC $160,319

Nashville, TN $160,268

Jamestown, NY $160,235

Davenport, IA $160,235

Tucson, AZ $160,150

Cheyenne, WY $160,100

Saint Petersburg, FL $160,049

Tampa, FL $160,015

Omaha, NE $159,981

Port Arthur, TX $159,914

Evansville, IN $159,914

Bradenton, FL $159,846

Santa Fe, NM $159,542

Orlando, FL $159,374

Clearwater, FL $159,188

Canton, OH $158,833

La Crosse, WI $158,833

Grand Forks, ND $158,783

Albuquerque, NM $158,732

Tulsa, OK $158,732

Newport News, VA $158,715

High Point, NC $158,665

Ogden, UT $158,597

Corpus Christi, TX $158,462

Laramie, WY $158,361

Norfolk, VA $158,361

Rock Island, IL $158,259

Saginaw, MI $158,226

Jacksonville, FL $158,209

Salisbury, NC $158,175

Memphis, TN $158,141

Moline, IL $158,057

Fort Myers, FL $158,006

Waterloo, IA $157,787

Spartanburg, SC $157,618

Lincoln, NE $157,533

Fort Wayne, IN $157,500

Birmingham, AL $157,314

Cedar Falls, IA $157,280

Provo, UT $157,263

Springfield, OH $157,246

San Antonio, TX $157,213

Greensboro, NC $157,145

South Bend, IN $157,128

Winston Salem, NC $157,111

Boise, ID $157,061

Savannah, GA $156,943

Muskegon, MI $156,639

Lima, OH $156,436

Lake Charles, LA $156,368

Anderson, IN $156,335

Lexington, KY $156,284

Augusta, GA $156,233

Greenville, SC $156,233

Wichita, KS $156,081

Tuscaloosa, AL $156,081

Columbia, SC $155,930

Bloomington, IN $155,507

Roanoke, VA $155,406

Asheville, NC $155,187

Knoxville, TN $154,900

Shreveport, LA $154,883

Wilmington, NC $154,663

Frankfort, KY $154,343

Oklahoma City, OK $154,224

Chillicothe, OH $154,157

Longview, TX $154,140

Topeka, KS $154,089

Mobile, AL $153,836

Terre Haute, IN $153,769

Erie, PA $153,752

Altoona, PA $153,667

Melbourne, FL $153,617

Amarillo, TX $153,549

Killeen, TX $153,498

Fayetteville, AR $153,363

Sioux Falls, SD $153,245

Chattanooga, TN $153,144

Idaho Falls, ID $153,127

Gainesville, FL $152,772

Portsmouth, OH $152,688

Little Rock, AR $152,654

Lynchburg, VA $152,654

Lafayette, LA $152,587

Youngstown, OH $152,587

Temple, TX $152,519

Daytona Beach, FL $152,485

Clarksville, TN $152,469

Pensacola, FL $152,452

Hopkinsville, KY $151,945

Charleston, WV $151,928

Florence, SC $151,844

Sioux City, IA $151,743

Macon, GA $151,253

Tallahassee, FL $151,236

Fayetteville, NC $151,202

Waco, TX $151,169

Wichita Falls, TX $151,169

Pine Bluff, AR $151,101

Vincennes, IN $150,780

Lubbock, TX $150,713

Great Falls, MT $150,611

Alamogordo, NM $150,595

Abilene, TX $150,460

Rapid City, SD $150,240

Monroe, LA $150,240

Albany, GA $150,139

Huntington, WV $150,122

Jackson, MS $150,105

Greenville, MS $150,088

Parkersburg, WV $149,919

Montgomery, AL $149,885

Johnstown, PA $149,852

Springfield, MO $149,717

Biloxi, MS $149,632

Sumter, SC $149,278

Columbus, GA $149,261

Twin Falls, ID $149,160

Pascagoula, MS $148,940

Kingsport, TN $148,501

Gulfport, MS $148,450

Alexandria, LA $147,893

Fort Smith, AR $147,471

El Paso, TX $147,015

Helena, MT $146,796

Las Cruces, NM $146,256

Harlingen, TX $145,783

Pocatello, ID $145,631

Florence, AL $145,580

Brownsville, TX $145,547

Dothan, AL $145,276

Mcallen, TX $145,192

Columbus, MS $143,943

Altus, OK $143,166

Lawton, OK $142,845

Pierre, SD $142,238

What Skills Can Increase a Test Automation Architect's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 5.34% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Software Development (Mentioned in 2.75% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
Python (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	5.34%
Software Development	2.75%
Python	1.44%

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 Test Automation Architect's salary.

Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Systems Architecture: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Partnering	$178,958	6%
Systems Architecture	$177,269	5%
Commitment	$175,581	4%
Microservices	$173,893	3%
Enterprise Architecture	$173,893	3%
AWS	$173,893	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Test Automation Architect's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Test Automation Architects 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 Test Automation Architect with a Bachelor's Degree is between $166,206 and $173,760).

Test Automation Architect Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Test Automation Architect

No Diploma 2.6%

High School 11.9%

Associates 6.7%

Bachelors 49.5%

Masters 27.3%

Doctorate 2.1%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.6%
High School	11.9%
Associates	6.7%
Bachelors	49.5%
Masters	27.3%
Doctorate	2.1%

view as graph

Test Automation Architect Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Test Automation Architect'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 February 01, 2026

$156,558

Average $168,828/year

$177,633

$13,047

Average $14,069/month

$14,803

$3,011

Average $3,247/week

$3,416

$75

Average $81/hour

$85

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$177,633	$14,803	$3,416	$85
Average	$168,828	$14,069	$3,247	$81
25th Percentile	$156,558	$13,047	$3,011	$75

Salaries of jobs related to Test Automation Architect

Salary Trends for Test Automation Architect

Salaries for a Test Automation Architect can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $170,676 in 2023 to around $169,882 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Test Automation Architect salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Test Automation Architect Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$170,676

2024

$171,121

2025

$169,882

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$170,676
2024	$171,121
2025	$169,882
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Test Automation Architect

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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