QA Engineer salary by region
| Region | Typical annual pay |
|---|---|
| United StatesNational range; SF/NYC skew higher. | $85,000 – $125,000 |
| United KingdomNational range; London skews higher. | £65,000 – £95,000 |
| European UnionVaries widely by country. | €75,000 – €110,000 |
Ranges are directional benchmarks for budgeting, not offers. Actual pay depends on location, company stage, and the candidate’s track record.
What moves a QA Engineer’s salary
Seniority is the biggest lever (mid–senior is the common band for this role), followed by the depth of these skills:
- 3+ years QA experience with hands-on test automation (Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright)
- Fluent in at least one programming language (Python, JavaScript, or Java) for writing robust test scripts
- Experience testing web applications and APIs, including REST/GraphQL endpoints
- Strong SQL knowledge to validate database changes and test data integrity
- Comfortable with CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, CircleCI, Jenkins) and running tests in automated workflows
- Proficiency in test management and bug-tracking tools (Jira, TestRail, or similar)
Why companies pay for a QA Engineer
SMBs scale products fast and can't afford production defects that damage reputation or revenue. You reduce that risk by catching issues early and building repeatable test processes.
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