QA Automation Engineer salary in United Kingdom
A mid-level QA Automation Engineer in United Kingdom earns a median of £56k ($71k) a year gross. The p10 to p90 range is £46k to £69k. That is 41% below the US median for the same role. United Kingdom ranks 11 of 36 countries on our pay index. Juniors start near £43k, leads reach £86k.
QA Automation Engineer pay by level in United Kingdom
Gross annual pay in GBP. Junior pay is £43k, lead pay is £86k: leads earn 99% more. The bar spans p10 to p90 with the median marked.
| Level | p10 | Median | p90 | Range | Median (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | £35k | £43k | £53k | $55k | |
| Mid-level | £46k | £56k | £69k | $71k | |
| Senior | £59k | £72k | £87k | $91k | |
| Lead | £70k | £86k | £100k | $110k |
Estimates from posted pay ranges, base pay only. p10 and p90 are 0.82× and 1.22× the median. Methodology.
QA Automation Engineer pay by city in United Kingdom
London pays most at 1.18× the national median. Pay factor 1.00 equals the country median of £56k. Showing the top 8 of 20 cities.
| City | Tier | Pay factor | Mid-level median | p10–p90 | USD | QA jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | A | 1.18× (+18%) | £66k | £54k–£81k | $84k | 61 |
| Edinburgh | A | 1.00× (0%) | £56k | £46k–£69k | $71k | 3 |
| Birmingham | B | 0.97× (-3%) | £55k | £45k–£67k | $69k | 3 |
| Manchester | A | 0.96× (-4%) | £54k | £44k–£66k | $68k | 10 |
| Belfast | B | 0.95× (-5%) | £53k | £44k–£65k | $68k | 1 |
| Glasgow | B | 0.95× (-5%) | £53k | £44k–£65k | $68k | 2 |
| Leeds | B | 0.94× (-6%) | £53k | £43k–£64k | $67k | 5 |
| Bristol | B | 0.93× (-7%) | £52k | £43k–£64k | $66k | 7 |
City factors are estimates (tier A = largest tech hubs). Remote roles are paid to the employer's pay band, which can differ from the city rate.
From gross to take-home in United Kingdom
A mid-level QA Automation Engineer on £56k gross keeps roughly 69–75% after income tax and social contributions, about £39k to £42k a year.
In United Kingdom, pay is usually quoted as annual salary for permanent roles, day rates for contract roles. Estimate only: a single earner with no dependants and typical deductions. Bonuses, benefits, pension choices and regional taxes change the result. It is not tax advice.
Live QA Automation Engineer roles in United Kingdom
61 QA Automation Engineer roles are open in United Kingdom, from a total of 185 QA listings in the country.
Automation Tester / QA Automation Engineer | Shape Quality. Drive Innovation.
Graduate Software Engineer, System Software QA 2027
Test Automation Architect
29 listings in United Kingdom show a real posted pay range (12 for QA Automation Engineer). Others carry a model estimate marked “est.”.
Who hires QA Automation Engineers in United Kingdom
Employer mix by share of listings (185 listings in United Kingdom). Names are withheld; we show the type of company.
- AI companies35%
- Software companies15%
- E-commerce companies12%
- Games studios12%
- Cybersecurity companies9%
What this estimate rests on
The QA Automation Engineer baseline uses 1105 US posted pay ranges. For United Kingdom, the country index is calibrated on 210 non-US observations in UK & Ireland, so the regional sample is usable but still modest. Evidence score 8 of 8.
QA Automation Engineer salary and jobs by city in United Kingdom
QA Automation Engineer salary in United Kingdom: FAQ
What is the average QA Automation Engineer salary in United Kingdom?
The median gross salary for a mid-level QA Automation Engineer in United Kingdom is £56k a year ($71k). The p10 is £46k and the p90 is £69k. This is an estimate based on posted pay ranges.
How much does a senior QA Automation Engineer earn in United Kingdom?
A senior QA Automation Engineer in United Kingdom earns a median of £72k ($91k), with a range of £59k to £87k. Leads earn £86k, 99% more than juniors at £43k.
Which city in United Kingdom pays QA Automation Engineers the most?
London has the highest pay factor at 1.18x the country median, which puts a mid-level QA Automation Engineer at about £66k ($84k). Swansea sits at 0.88x, around £49k.
How does United Kingdom compare with the US for QA Automation Engineer pay?
A mid-level QA Automation Engineer in the US earns a median of $120k. In United Kingdom the equivalent is $71k, which is 41% below the US figure. United Kingdom ranks 11 of 36 countries; the UK & Ireland median for this role is $78k.
What is the take-home pay for a QA Automation Engineer in United Kingdom?
Roughly 69–75% of gross stays after income tax and social contributions for a single mid-level earner, which is about £39k to £42k a year on a £56k gross salary. This is a generic estimate, not tax advice: benefits, family status and regional taxes change the result.
How many QA Automation Engineer jobs are open in United Kingdom?
PassRidge lists 61 live QA Automation Engineer roles in United Kingdom, and 185 QA listings across all roles in United Kingdom. 12 of the QA Automation Engineer listings and 29 of all listings in the country show a real posted pay range; the rest carry a model estimate.
Other roles in United Kingdom
| Role | Mid-level median | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Manual QA Tester | £38k | $48k |
| SDET | £61k | $77k |
| QA Lead / Manager | £51k | $65k |
| Mobile QA Engineer | £49k | $62k |
| Performance Test Engineer | £68k | $86k |
| Security / Penetration Tester | £84k | $110k |
| Game QA Tester | £31k | $39k |
| Accessibility Tester | £46k | $58k |
| Business / Test Analyst | £41k | $52k |
| Data / ETL QA Engineer | £46k | $59k |
| Localization QA Tester | £22k | $28k |
| AI / LLM Evaluation QA | £48k | $61k |
| Release / DevOps Engineer | £67k | $85k |
| Technical Writer (QA / Docs) | £42k | $53k |
World view: QA Automation Engineer salary by country · QA Automation Engineer role guide · Hire a QA Automation Engineer · Salary finder.