SDET jobs in Washington DC, United States
A mid-level SDET in Washington DC earns a median of $140k a year ($140k gross). Washington DC has about 690,000 residents and is the 20th largest of the 62 United States cities we list. No SDET listing is based here today; United States has 148, and remote roles can be done from Washington DC.
SDET roles near Washington DC
No SDET listing is based in Washington DC today, so these are the nearest in United States, then the levels we place here. Placement pay starts at the higher of the city and national median.
SDET Intern
SDET - Dallas, TX
SDET I
NXE Factory Quality Engineer
Junior SDET
SDET
Senior SDET
Lead SDET
"Talent pipeline" cards are the levels we place, not an employer's vacancy. Real postings are labelled "Market listing". How pay is set.
SDET pay by level in Washington DC
Gross annual pay in USD. Washington DC is 1.06× the United States median (+6%), which is $130k at mid-level.
| Level | p10 | Median | p90 | Range | Median (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $87k | $110k | $130k | $110k | |
| Mid-level | $110k | $140k | $170k | $140k | |
| Senior | $150k | $180k | $220k | $180k | |
| Lead | $170k | $210k | $260k | $210k |
Estimates from posted pay ranges, base pay only. Full SDET salary page for Washington DC.
What a SDET does in Washington DC
Software engineer who owns test infrastructure, tooling and quality gates.
- Design test frameworks and shared libraries used by several teams
- Build test environments, fixtures and service virtualisation
- Review production code for testability
- Own quality gates in the delivery pipeline
- Mentor developers on writing reliable tests
Skills and stack employers ask for
Tools named most often
Time zone
Washington DC is on America/New York. A 09:00-17:00 day shares 8 h with US East, 3 h with London and 2 h with Central Europe.
SDET jobs in other United States cities
| City | Mid-level median | |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $150k | SDET jobs |
| Los Angeles | $140k | SDET jobs |
| Chicago | $130k | SDET jobs |
| Houston | $130k | SDET jobs |
| Phoenix | $130k | SDET jobs |
| Philadelphia | $120k | SDET jobs |
| San Antonio | $120k | SDET jobs |
| San Diego | $130k | SDET jobs |
Other QA roles in Washington DC
QA jobs, time zone and hiring facts for Washington DC · SDET role guide · Hire a SDET
SDET jobs in Washington DC: FAQ
How much does a SDET earn in Washington DC?
A mid-level SDET in Washington DC earns a median of $140k a year ($140k), with a p10 to p90 range of $110k to $170k. Junior pay starts near $110k, senior pay is $180k and leads reach $210k.
Are there SDET jobs in Washington DC?
No SDET listing is based in Washington DC today, but United States has 148 and SDET roles open to remote candidates in the same time zone are common. Tell us your city and we alert you when a local role opens.
How does Washington DC pay compare with the rest of United States?
Washington DC ranks 6th of 62 United States cities we track for SDET pay, at 1.06x the national median (+6%). The national mid-level median is $130k, so Washington DC is above it. Against the US it is 8% above the US median of $130k.
What skills do SDET jobs in Washington DC ask for?
Software engineer who owns test infrastructure, tooling and quality gates. Typical requirements: Strong programming (Java / C# / Python / TS), Design patterns, CI/CD and containers, Distributed systems basics, Code review. The tools named most often are Playwright, REST Assured, Docker, GitHub Actions.
Can a SDET work with US or European teams from Washington DC?
Washington DC is on America/New York. A 09:00-17:00 day shares about 8 h with US East, 3 h with London and 2 h with Central Europe. 75% of SDET roles are remote-friendly.
How do I get a SDET job in Washington DC with PassRidge?
Tell us your level and stack in the form on this page. A recruiter sends matching roles with the pay shown upfront; it is free for candidates and nothing goes to an employer without your written OK. Our placement range for Washington DC starts at the higher of the city and national median.