Validation Lead Salary in the United States

How much does a Validation Lead make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Validation Lead in the United States is $77,783 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $90,544
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,281 to $84,463
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,451
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View as table View as graph 25% $70,281 10% $63,451 90% $90,544 75% $84,463 $77,783 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Validation Lead Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $84,463 $7,039 $1,624 $41
Average $77,783 $6,482 $1,496 $37
25th Percentile $70,281 $5,857 $1,352 $34
Check out Validation Lead Job Openings in the United States
Verification and Validation Engineer

GreenDart - EL SEGUNDO, CA

Risk Validation Analyst

QED Systems, LLC - PENTAGON, DC

Measurement and Verification Validation Analyst

FEDITC, LLC - TYNDALL AFB, FL

Verification Validation and Test Engineer

Arcfield - CHANTILLY, VA

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Key Factors That Influence Validation Lead Salaries

A Validation Lead'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 Validation Lead Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Validation Lead'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): $77,783
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $78,516
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $80,109
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $80,428
  • Expert (over 8 years): $80,640
Levels Salary
Entry Level Validation Lead$77,783
Intermediate Level Validation Lead$78,516
Senior Level Validation Lead$80,109
Specialist Level Validation Lead$80,428
Expert Level Validation Lead$80,640
$77,783 0 yr
$78,516 < 2 yrs
$80,109 2-4 yrs
$80,428 5-8 yrs
$80,640 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

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

  • District of Columbia: $86,121.
  • California: $85,795.
  • Massachusetts: $84,651.

Top Paying Cities for Validation Leads

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: $98,108
  • San Francisco: $97,143
  • Oakland: $94,988

What Skills Can Increase a Validation Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.18% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Civil Engineering (Mentioned in 2.37% Job Postings): Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewerage systems, pipelines, structural components of buildings, and railways. Civil engineering is traditionally broken into a number of sub-disciplines. It is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline after military engineering, and it is defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering. Civil engineering takes place in the public sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to international companies.
  • Technical Skills (Mentioned in 1.78% Job Postings): Technical skills are the specialized knowledge and expertise required to perform specific tasks and use specific tools and programs in real world situations.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.18%
Civil Engineering 2.37%
Technical Skills 1.78%
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 Validation Lead's salary.
  • Android: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Land Development: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Computer Science: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Android
 $87,895
13%
Land Development
 $87,117
12%
Computer Science
 $86,339
11%
Civil Engineering
 $86,339
11%
Python
 $85,561
10%
AWS
 $84,783
9%
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How Education impacts a Validation Lead's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Validation Leads enter the field with a Associate'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 Validation Lead with a Associate's Degree is between $61,148 and $68,689).

Validation Lead Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Validation Lead
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.4%
High School 3.4%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 60.5%
Masters 32.8%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Validation Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Validation Lead'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 January 01, 2026
$70,281
Average $77,783/year
$84,463
$5,857
Average $6,482/month
$7,039
$1,352
Average $1,496/week
$1,624
$34
Average $37/hour
$41
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $84,463 $7,039 $1,624 $41
Average $77,783 $6,482 $1,496 $37
25th Percentile $70,281 $5,857 $1,352 $34

Salaries of jobs related to Validation Lead

Salary Trends for Validation Lead

Salaries for a Validation Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $78,415 in 2023 to around $76,815 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Validation Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Validation Lead Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$78,415
2024
$77,757
2025
$76,815
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $78,415
2024 $77,757
2025 $76,815
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Validation Lead

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Disability
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Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Validation Lead

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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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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