What are the main factors that influence a Sqa 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 Sqa Engineer's salary?

A Sqa Engineer's salary grows with experience: a Software Quality Assurance Engineer I (0-2 years)earns $73,699, a Software Quality Assurance Engineer II (2-4 years)earns $94,619, a Sqa Engineer (4-7 years)earns $114,725, a Software Quality Assurance Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $132,465, a Software Quality Assurance Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $162,129,

What are the highest paying states for a Sqa Engineer?

Sqa Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Sqa Engineer roles are District of Columbia $124,464, California $123,992, Massachusetts $122,339. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Sqa Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Sqa Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Sqa Manager: $137,539; Associate SQA Engineer: $131,379; Engineer III: $110,776; Sqa Analyst: $93,739; Localization Engineer: $84,133.

How do different companies affect a Sqa Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Sqa 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.

Sqa Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Sqa Engineer make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Sqa Engineer in the United States is $112,413 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $54.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $124,760
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $103,599 to $118,876
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $95,574

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Sqa Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$118,876	$9,906	$2,286	$57
Average	$112,413	$9,368	$2,162	$54
25th Percentile	$103,599	$8,633	$1,992	$50

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Key Factors That Influence Sqa Engineer Salaries

A Sqa 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 Sqa Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Sqa 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): $73,699
Early Career (1-2 years): $94,619
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $114,725
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $132,465
Expert (over 8 years): $162,129

Levels	Salary
Software ... Level Sqa Engineer	$73,699
Software ... Level Sqa Engineer	$94,619
Sqa Engin... Level Sqa Engineer	$114,725
Software ... Level Sqa Engineer	$132,465
Software ... Level Sqa Engineer	$162,129

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $124,464.
California: $123,992.
Massachusetts: $122,339.

District of Columbia $124,464 California $123,992 Massachusetts $122,339 Washington $121,890 New Jersey $121,845 Alaska $121,687 Connecticut $120,136 New York $119,506

Hawaii $117,494 Rhode Island $116,550 Maryland $115,909 Minnesota $115,032 Colorado $114,695 Illinois $114,583 Oregon $114,155 Delaware $113,841

New Hampshire $113,643 Virginia $113,200 Pennsylvania $111,907 Nevada $111,255 North Dakota $111,042 Michigan $110,704 Wisconsin $110,581 Vermont $110,333

Texas $109,648 Maine $109,603 Arizona $109,535 Ohio $109,457 Georgia $108,422 Indiana $107,905 Wyoming $107,804 Utah $107,647

Iowa $107,579 Kansas $107,040 Louisiana $106,882 North Carolina $106,826 Missouri $106,804 Florida $106,365 Montana $106,129 Nebraska $105,904

Kentucky $105,781 South Carolina $105,331 Tennessee $105,050 Idaho $104,938 New Mexico $104,117 Oklahoma $103,937 Alabama $103,274 South Dakota $102,161

Arkansas $101,554 West Virginia $101,228 Mississippi $100,250

Top Paying Cities for Sqa 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: $141,787
San Francisco: $140,393
Oakland: $137,279

San Jose, CA $141,787

San Francisco, CA $140,393

Oakland, CA $137,279

New York, NY $130,276

Queens Village, NY $129,432

Paramus, NJ $128,533

Passaic, NJ $128,421

Bergenfield, NJ $128,308

Stamford, CT $128,140

Huntington, NY $128,027

Newark, NJ $127,297

Bridgeport, CT $127,072

New Brunswick, NJ $126,701

Vallejo, CA $126,465

Middlesex, NJ $126,397

Somerset, NJ $126,296

Petaluma, CA $126,038

Santa Cruz, CA $125,599

Boston, MA $125,374

Monterey, CA $124,812

Fairbanks, AK $124,734

Los Angeles, CA $124,520

Washington, DC $124,464

Seattle, WA $124,261

Santa Rosa, CA $124,239

Juneau, AK $123,913

Orange, CA $123,542

Anchorage, AK $123,340

Anaheim, CA $123,261

Santa Ana, CA $123,092

Nassau, NY $123,025

Long Beach, CA $122,980

Danbury, CT $122,946

Santa Maria, CA $122,564

Everett, WA $122,541

Bremerton, WA $121,991

Trenton, NJ $121,777

Sacramento, CA $121,732

San Diego, CA $121,676

Brockton, MA $121,631

Tacoma, WA $121,586

Santa Barbara, CA $121,429

Lowell, MA $120,979

New Suffolk, NY $120,934

Nashua, NH $120,799

Lompoc, CA $120,619

Ventura, CA $120,507

Stockton, CA $120,473

New Haven, CT $120,248

Atlantic City, NJ $119,956

Hartford, CT $119,709

Modesto, CA $119,652

Poughkeepsie, NY $119,405

New Britain, CT $119,349

Kennewick, WA $119,192

Olympia, WA $119,192

New London, CT $119,169

Norwich, CT $119,135

Lawrence, MA $119,079

Bakersfield, CA $118,764

New Bedford, MA $118,607

Riverside, CA $118,607

Richland, WA $118,495

Portsmouth, NH $118,405

Vineland, NJ $118,382

San Bernardino, CA $118,292

Boulder, CO $117,978

Worcester, MA $117,888

Portland, OR $117,786

Saint Paul, MN $117,652

Minneapolis, MN $117,652

Philadelphia, PA $117,494

Honolulu, HI $116,898

Springfield, MA $116,505

Providence, RI $116,494

Chicago, IL $116,168

Bellingham, WA $116,033

Baltimore, MD $115,909

Chico, CA $115,628

Wilmington, DE $115,437

Pittsfield, MA $115,325

Manchester, NH $115,111

Spokane, WA $114,616

Denver, CO $114,605

Albany, NY $114,077

Troy, NY $114,032

Schenectady, NY $113,796

Burlington, VT $113,548

Portland, ME $113,155

Salem, OR $113,065

Yakima, WA $113,043

Ann Arbor, MI $113,009

Rochester, MN $112,694

Reno, NV $112,638

Fresno, CA $112,638

Milwaukee, WI $112,537

Detroit, MI $112,424

Allentown, PA $112,391

Carson City, NV $112,379

Houston, TX $112,211

Colorado Springs, CO $112,199

Syracuse, NY $112,143

Eugene, OR $111,930

Gary, IN $111,795

Bismarck, ND $111,795

Galveston, TX $111,795

Springfield, OR $111,705

Medford, OR $111,435

Fort Collins, CO $111,390

Austin, TX $111,300

Mesa, AZ $111,064

Phoenix, AZ $111,042

Dallas, TX $111,008

Reading, PA $110,940

Saint Cloud, MN $110,896

Concord, NH $110,794

Madison, WI $110,749

Utica, NY $110,446

Raleigh, NC $110,356

Las Vegas, NV $110,345

Rochester, NY $110,266

Des Moines, IA $110,255

Atlanta, GA $110,075

Battle Creek, MI $110,041

Salt Lake City, UT $110,007

Lancaster, PA $109,839

Champaign, IL $109,816

Harrisburg, PA $109,681

Durham, NC $109,580

Kansas City, MO $109,569

Kansas City, KS $109,547

Fort Worth, TX $109,535

Boca Raton, FL $109,490

Cleveland, OH $109,479

Columbus, OH $109,457

Pittsburgh, PA $109,445

Richmond, VA $109,400

Indianapolis, IN $109,378

Cincinnati, OH $109,232

Petersburg, VA $109,063

Lansing, MI $108,816

Billings, MT $108,816

Huntsville, AL $108,816

Lebanon, PA $108,805

Pueblo, CO $108,793

Dayton, OH $108,793

Appleton, WI $108,760

Buffalo, NY $108,715

Racine, WI $108,658

Charlotte, NC $108,647

Saint Louis, MO $108,614

Springfield, IL $108,569

York, PA $108,546

Elkhart, IN $108,546

Gastonia, NC $108,535

Benton Harbor, MI $108,535

Beaumont, TX $108,467

Lorain, OH $108,445

Toledo, OH $108,400

Binghamton, NY $108,344

Rock Hill, SC $108,332

Rockford, IL $108,276

Elyria, OH $108,220

Fargo, ND $108,220

Flagstaff, AZ $108,141

Fort Lauderdale, FL $108,074

Miami, FL $108,006

Duluth, MN $107,827

Bangor, ME $107,680

Cedar Rapids, IA $107,557

Louisville, KY $107,501

Grand Rapids, MI $107,478

Hialeah, FL $107,467

Casper, WY $107,310

Scranton, PA $107,175

New Orleans, LA $107,141

Virginia Beach, VA $107,130

Akron, OH $107,073

Peoria, IL $106,927

Sarasota, FL $106,905

Green Bay, WI $106,826

Baton Rouge, LA $106,770

Charleston, SC $106,747

Nashville, TN $106,714

Jamestown, NY $106,691

Davenport, IA $106,691

Tucson, AZ $106,635

Cheyenne, WY $106,601

Saint Petersburg, FL $106,568

Tampa, FL $106,545

Omaha, NE $106,523

Evansville, IN $106,478

Port Arthur, TX $106,478

Bradenton, FL $106,433

Santa Fe, NM $106,230

Orlando, FL $106,118

Clearwater, FL $105,994

La Crosse, WI $105,758

Canton, OH $105,758

Grand Forks, ND $105,725

Tulsa, OK $105,691

Albuquerque, NM $105,691

Newport News, VA $105,680

High Point, NC $105,646

Ogden, UT $105,601

Corpus Christi, TX $105,511

Laramie, WY $105,443

Norfolk, VA $105,443

Rock Island, IL $105,376

Saginaw, MI $105,354

Jacksonville, FL $105,342

Salisbury, NC $105,320

Memphis, TN $105,297

Moline, IL $105,241

Fort Myers, FL $105,207

Waterloo, IA $105,061

Spartanburg, SC $104,949

Lincoln, NE $104,893

Fort Wayne, IN $104,870

Birmingham, AL $104,747

Cedar Falls, IA $104,724

Provo, UT $104,713

Springfield, OH $104,702

San Antonio, TX $104,679

Greensboro, NC $104,634

South Bend, IN $104,623

Winston Salem, NC $104,612

Boise, ID $104,578

Savannah, GA $104,499

Muskegon, MI $104,297

Lima, OH $104,162

Lake Charles, LA $104,117

Anderson, IN $104,095

Lexington, KY $104,061

Augusta, GA $104,027

Greenville, SC $104,027

Wichita, KS $103,926

Tuscaloosa, AL $103,926

Columbia, SC $103,825

Bloomington, IN $103,544

Roanoke, VA $103,476

Asheville, NC $103,330

Knoxville, TN $103,139

Shreveport, LA $103,128

Wilmington, NC $102,982

Frankfort, KY $102,768

Oklahoma City, OK $102,689

Chillicothe, OH $102,644

Longview, TX $102,633

Topeka, KS $102,599

Mobile, AL $102,431

Terre Haute, IN $102,386

Erie, PA $102,375

Altoona, PA $102,318

Melbourne, FL $102,285

Amarillo, TX $102,240

Killeen, TX $102,206

Fayetteville, AR $102,116

Sioux Falls, SD $102,037

Chattanooga, TN $101,970

Idaho Falls, ID $101,959

Gainesville, FL $101,723

Portsmouth, OH $101,666

Little Rock, AR $101,644

Lynchburg, VA $101,644

Youngstown, OH $101,599

Lafayette, LA $101,599

Temple, TX $101,554

Daytona Beach, FL $101,531

Clarksville, TN $101,520

Pensacola, FL $101,509

Hopkinsville, KY $101,172

Charleston, WV $101,161

Florence, SC $101,104

Sioux City, IA $101,037

Macon, GA $100,711

Tallahassee, FL $100,700

Fayetteville, NC $100,677

Wichita Falls, TX $100,655

Waco, TX $100,655

Pine Bluff, AR $100,610

Vincennes, IN $100,396

Lubbock, TX $100,351

Great Falls, MT $100,284

Alamogordo, NM $100,272

Abilene, TX $100,183

Rapid City, SD $100,036

Monroe, LA $100,036

Albany, GA $99,969

Huntington, WV $99,958

Jackson, MS $99,946

Greenville, MS $99,935

Parkersburg, WV $99,823

Montgomery, AL $99,800

Johnstown, PA $99,778

Springfield, MO $99,688

Biloxi, MS $99,632

Sumter, SC $99,396

Columbus, GA $99,384

Twin Falls, ID $99,317

Pascagoula, MS $99,171

Kingsport, TN $98,879

Gulfport, MS $98,845

Alexandria, LA $98,474

Fort Smith, AR $98,193

El Paso, TX $97,889

Helena, MT $97,743

Las Cruces, NM $97,383

Harlingen, TX $97,069

Pocatello, ID $96,968

Florence, AL $96,934

Brownsville, TX $96,911

Dothan, AL $96,731

Mcallen, TX $96,675

Columbus, MS $95,843

Altus, OK $95,326

Lawton, OK $95,113

Pierre, SD $94,708

What Skills Can Increase a Sqa Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 2.96% 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 3.27% 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.
Manual Testing (Mentioned in 2.25% Job Postings): Manual Testing is a type of software testing in which test cases are executed manually by a tester without using any automated tools. It refers to a test process in which a QA manually tests the software application in order to identify bugs.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	2.96%
Test Scripts	3.27%
Manual Testing	2.25%

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 Sqa Engineer's salary.

Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 1%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Innovation	$115,785	3%
Leadership	$114,661	2%
Written Communication	$113,537	1%
Collaboration	$113,537	1%
Computer Science	$113,537	1%
Java	$113,537	1%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Sqa Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Sqa 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 Sqa Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $106,639 and $111,757).

Sqa Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Sqa Engineer

No Diploma 1.1%

High School 7.7%

Associates 4.8%

Bachelors 55.8%

Masters 30.0%

Doctorate 0.6%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.1%
High School	7.7%
Associates	4.8%
Bachelors	55.8%
Masters	30.0%
Doctorate	0.6%

view as graph

Sqa Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Sqa 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 May 18, 2021

$103,599

Average $112,413/year

$118,876

$8,633

Average $9,368/month

$9,906

$1,992

Average $2,162/week

$2,286

$50

Average $54/hour

$57

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$118,876	$9,906	$2,286	$57
Average	$112,413	$9,368	$2,162	$54
25th Percentile	$103,599	$8,633	$1,992	$50

Salaries of jobs related to Sqa Engineer

Salary Trends for Sqa Engineer

Salaries for a Sqa Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $109,063 in 2023 to around $108,675 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Sqa Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Sqa Engineer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$109,063

2024

$109,371

2025

$108,675

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$109,063
2024	$109,371
2025	$108,675
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Sqa 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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