QA Automation Engineer salary in United States
A mid-level QA Automation Engineer in United States earns a median of $120k a year gross. The p10 to p90 range is $99k to $150k. That is the same as the US median for the same role. United States ranks 1 of 36 countries on our pay index. Juniors start near $93k, leads reach $180k.
QA Automation Engineer pay by level in United States
Gross annual pay in USD. Junior pay is $93k, lead pay is $180k: leads earn 99% more. The bar spans p10 to p90 with the median marked.
| Level | p10 | Median | p90 | Range | Median (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $76k | $93k | $110k | $93k | |
| Mid-level | $99k | $120k | $150k | $120k | |
| Senior | $130k | $150k | $190k | $150k | |
| Lead | $150k | $180k | $230k | $180k |
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 States
San Francisco pays most at 1.22× the national median. Pay factor 1.00 equals the country median of $120k. Showing the top 8 of 62 cities.
| City | Tier | Pay factor | Mid-level median | p10–p90 | USD | QA jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | A | 1.22× (+22%) | $150k | $120k–$180k | $150k | 30 |
| San Jose | A | 1.20× (+20%) | $150k | $120k–$180k | $150k | 54 |
| New York | A | 1.15× (+15%) | $140k | $110k–$170k | $140k | 29 |
| Seattle | A | 1.15× (+15%) | $140k | $110k–$170k | $140k | 19 |
| Boston | A | 1.08× (+8%) | $130k | $110k–$160k | $130k | 23 |
| Washington DC | A | 1.06× (+6%) | $130k | $110k–$160k | $130k | 23 |
| Los Angeles | A | 1.05× (+5%) | $130k | $100k–$160k | $130k | 20 |
| San Diego | B | 1.03× (+3%) | $120k | $100k–$150k | $120k | 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 States
A mid-level QA Automation Engineer on $120k gross keeps roughly 72–78% after income tax and social contributions, about $86k to $94k a year.
In United States, pay is usually quoted as annual base salary for employees, hourly rates for 1099 and W2 contracts. 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 States
255 QA Automation Engineer roles are open in United States, from a total of 1166 QA listings in the country.
QA Automation (Selenium/Java)
Test Automation Developer
Helpdesk Automation Engineer
347 listings in United States show a real posted pay range (65 for QA Automation Engineer). Others carry a model estimate marked “est.”.
Who hires QA Automation Engineers in United States
Employer mix by share of listings (1166 listings in United States). Names are withheld; we show the type of company.
- AI companies27%
- Software companies17%
- Healthtech companies13%
- Fintech companies12%
- Cybersecurity companies9%
What this estimate rests on
The QA Automation Engineer baseline uses 1105 US posted pay ranges. For United States, the country index is calibrated on 485 non-US observations in North America, so the regional sample is usable but still modest. Evidence score 8 of 8.
QA Automation Engineer salary and jobs by city in United States
QA Automation Engineer salary in United States: FAQ
What is the average QA Automation Engineer salary in United States?
The median gross salary for a mid-level QA Automation Engineer in United States is $120k a year ($120k). The p10 is $99k and the p90 is $150k. This is an estimate based on posted pay ranges.
How much does a senior QA Automation Engineer earn in United States?
A senior QA Automation Engineer in United States earns a median of $150k, with a range of $130k to $190k. Leads earn $180k, 99% more than juniors at $93k.
Which city in United States pays QA Automation Engineers the most?
San Francisco has the highest pay factor at 1.22x the country median, which puts a mid-level QA Automation Engineer at about $150k. Omaha sits at 0.87x, around $110k.
How does United States 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 States the equivalent is $120k, which is the same as the US figure. United States ranks 1 of 36 countries; the North America median for this role is $110k.
What is the take-home pay for a QA Automation Engineer in United States?
Roughly 72–78% of gross stays after income tax and social contributions for a single mid-level earner, which is about $86k to $94k a year on a $120k 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 States?
PassRidge lists 255 live QA Automation Engineer roles in United States, and 1166 QA listings across all roles in United States. 65 of the QA Automation Engineer listings and 347 of all listings in the country show a real posted pay range; the rest carry a model estimate.
Other roles in United States
| Role | Mid-level median | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Manual QA Tester | $82k | $82k |
| SDET | $130k | $130k |
| QA Lead / Manager | $110k | $110k |
| Mobile QA Engineer | $110k | $110k |
| Performance Test Engineer | $150k | $150k |
| Security / Penetration Tester | $180k | $180k |
| Game QA Tester | $66k | $66k |
| Accessibility Tester | $98k | $98k |
| Business / Test Analyst | $89k | $89k |
| Data / ETL QA Engineer | $100k | $100k |
| Localization QA Tester | $48k | $48k |
| AI / LLM Evaluation QA | $100k | $100k |
| Release / DevOps Engineer | $140k | $140k |
| Technical Writer (QA / Docs) | $90k | $90k |
World view: QA Automation Engineer salary by country · QA Automation Engineer role guide · Hire a QA Automation Engineer · Salary finder.