QA Lead Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a QA Lead Engineer make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a QA Lead Engineer in the United States is $124,995 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $60.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $137,577
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $114,885 to $131,581
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,681
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $114,885 10% $105,681 90% $137,577 75% $131,581 $124,995 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

QA Lead Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $131,581 $10,965 $2,530 $63
Average $124,995 $10,416 $2,404 $60
25th Percentile $114,885 $9,574 $2,209 $55
Check out QA Lead Engineer Job Openings in the United States
LEAD ENGINEER

GE Aviation - West Chester, OH

LEAD ENGINEER

GE Aviation - Olde West Chester, OH

ADVANCED LEAD MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER

GE Aviation - Evendale, OH

LEAD MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE AIRFOILS

GE Aviation - West Chester, OH

Search More QA Lead Engineer Jobs in the United States
Choose Similar Job
Choose Category
Cost of Living
Average Salary for United States
See it in Action

Key Factors That Influence QA Lead Engineer Salaries

A QA Lead 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 QA Lead Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a QA Lead 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): $89,716
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $101,473
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $126,133
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $151,376
  • Expert (over 8 years): $113,410
Levels Salary
Quality A... Level QA Lead Engineer$89,716
Quality A... Level QA Lead Engineer$101,473
QA Lead E... Level QA Lead Engineer$126,133
Quality A... Level QA Lead Engineer$151,376
Quality A... Level QA Lead Engineer$113,410
$89,716 0 yr
$101,473 < 2 yrs
$126,133 2-4 yrs
$151,376 5-8 yrs
$113,410 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

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

  • District of Columbia: $138,395.
  • California: $137,870.
  • Massachusetts: $136,032.

Top Paying Cities for QA Lead 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: $157,656
  • San Francisco: $156,106
  • Oakland: $152,644

What Skills Can Increase a QA Lead Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.72% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Scrum (Mentioned in 2.77% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
  • Virtualization (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): In computing, virtualization refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including virtual computer hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources. Virtualization began in the 1960s, as a method of logically dividing the system resources provided by mainframe computers between different applications. Since then, the meaning of the term has broadened.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.72%
Scrum 2.77%
Virtualization 2.13%
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 QA Lead Engineer's salary.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Linux: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Innovation
 $131,245
5%
Linux
 $129,995
4%
Process Improvement
 $129,995
4%
Collaboration
 $128,745
3%
Computer Science
 $128,745
3%
Automated Testing
 $127,495
2%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a QA Lead Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many QA Lead 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 QA Lead Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $123,201 and $129,316).

QA Lead Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for QA Lead Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.3%
High School 3.3%
Associates 5.3%
Bachelors 50.0%
Masters 40.1%
Doctorate 1.3%
view as graph

QA Lead Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a QA Lead 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 18, 2021
$114,885
Average $124,995/year
$131,581
$9,574
Average $10,416/month
$10,965
$2,209
Average $2,404/week
$2,530
$55
Average $60/hour
$63
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $131,581 $10,965 $2,530 $63
Average $124,995 $10,416 $2,404 $60
25th Percentile $114,885 $9,574 $2,209 $55

Salaries of jobs related to QA Lead Engineer

Salary Trends for QA Lead Engineer

Salaries for a QA Lead Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $121,821 in 2023 to around $121,357 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of QA Lead Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of QA Lead Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$121,821
2024
$122,328
2025
$121,357
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $121,821
2024 $122,328
2025 $121,357
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for QA Lead Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for QA Lead Engineer

Here are companies hiring for QA Lead Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next QA Lead Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current QA Lead Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst