QA Lead / Manager salary by country
A mid-level QA Lead / Manager earns a median of $110k a year in the US (p10 $90k, p90 $130k). Worldwide the mid-level median runs from $18k in Philippines to $110k in United States. Juniors start at $85k; leads reach $180k in the US.
QA Lead / Manager pay in 12 key countries
Median gross annual pay by level in USD. The bar shows the mid-level p10 to p90 range with the median marked. Open a country for local currency and cities.
| Country | Junior | Mid-level p10–p90 | Mid-level | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $85k | $90k–$130k | $110k | $140k | $180k |
| Switzerland | $80k | $85k–$130k | $100k | $130k | $160k |
| Canada | $72k | $76k–$110k | $93k | $120k | $150k |
| United Kingdom | $50k | $53k–$79k | $65k | $82k | $100k |
| Germany | $51k | $54k–$81k | $66k | $84k | $110k |
| Netherlands | $51k | $54k–$81k | $66k | $84k | $110k |
| Spain | $33k | $35k–$52k | $42k | $54k | $67k |
| Poland | $34k | $36k–$54k | $44k | $56k | $70k |
| Portugal | $28k | $30k–$45k | $37k | $47k | $59k |
| Brazil | $40k | $42k–$63k | $51k | $65k | $82k |
| India | $16k | $17k–$25k | $21k | $26k | $33k |
| Australia | $61k | $65k–$96k | $79k | $100k | $130k |
US-dollar equivalents. Local-currency figures on each country page.
All 36 countries
Where QA Lead / Manager pay is highest
Median mid-level pay per region in USD. The pale bar spans the lowest to the highest country in the region; the marker is the regional median.
Best-paid cities for a QA Lead / Manager
Mid-level median per city: the country median times a city pay factor. Factors reflect the local tech market (1.00 = country median).
| # | City | Country | Pay factor | Mid-level (local) | Mid-level (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | United States | 1.22× | $130k | $130k |
| 2 | San Jose | United States | 1.20× | $130k | $130k |
| 3 | New York | United States | 1.15× | $130k | $130k |
| 4 | Seattle | United States | 1.15× | $130k | $130k |
| 5 | Boston | United States | 1.08× | $120k | $120k |
| 6 | Washington DC | United States | 1.06× | $120k | $120k |
| 7 | Los Angeles | United States | 1.05× | $120k | $120k |
| 8 | Zurich | Switzerland | 1.10× | CHF 100k | $110k |
| 9 | San Diego | United States | 1.03× | $110k | $110k |
| 10 | Austin | United States | 1.02× | $110k | $110k |
City factors are estimates. See each country page for every city we track.
Level, country and stack
Location moves pay far more than any single tool. Then comes level. Stack effects are real but small and noisy.
Stack premiums from posted pay
Median posted pay for QA Lead / Manager listings that name each tool, from 55 annual pay ranges. The premium compares each tool's listings with all QA Lead / Manager listings after adjusting for level and country. A tool appears only with at least 4 listings.
| Tool in listing | Listings | Median posted pay | vs this role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unity Test Framework | 5 | $85k | +32% |
| Cypress | 15 | $140k | +7% |
| Python | 15 | $140k | +7% |
| Jenkins | 5 | $130k | +7% |
| Playwright | 20 | $130k | +2% |
| Postman | 6 | $130k | +2% |
| Selenium | 15 | $120k | 0% |
| TestRail | 9 | $140k | 0% |
Posted ranges skew to US technology employers. Differences under 10% are within noise. 57 posted ranges for this role are in the jobs feed today.
How much data is behind this page
QA Lead / Manager base pay rests on 170 US pay ranges posted by employers. That is one of the larger samples, though it is still US-heavy. Other countries use a regional adjustment.
QA Lead / Manager salary FAQ
How much does a QA Lead / Manager earn?
In the US the median gross salary for a mid-level QA Lead / Manager is $110k a year (p10 $90k, p90 $130k). Across 36 countries the mid-level median runs from $18k in Philippines to $110k in United States.
What does a junior, senior and lead QA Lead / Manager earn in the US?
Junior $85k, mid-level $110k, senior $140k and lead $180k a year. A lead earns 106% more than a junior.
Which country pays a QA Lead / Manager the most?
United States at a $110k mid-level median, then Switzerland ($100k) and Canada ($93k). Use the country pages for local-currency pay, city differences and take-home estimates.
Which city pays a QA Lead / Manager the most?
San Francisco, United States ranks first with an estimated mid-level median of $130k, followed by San Jose ($130k) and New York ($130k).
How reliable are the QA Lead / Manager figures?
The role base pay rests on 170 US pay ranges posted by employers, and 57 posted ranges are in our current jobs feed. That is a usable sample for the US; other countries use the regional adjustment. All figures are estimates; see the methodology page.
All figures are gross estimates, not offers or advice.