QA Lead / Manager salary in United States
A mid-level QA Lead / Manager in United States earns a median of $110k a year gross. The p10 to p90 range is $90k to $130k. 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 $85k, leads reach $180k.
QA Lead / Manager pay by level in United States
Gross annual pay in USD. Junior pay is $85k, lead pay is $180k: leads earn 106% more. The bar spans p10 to p90 with the median marked.
| Level | p10 | Median | p90 | Range | Median (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $70k | $85k | $100k | $85k | |
| Mid-level | $90k | $110k | $130k | $110k | |
| Senior | $110k | $140k | $170k | $140k | |
| Lead | $140k | $180k | $210k | $180k |
Estimates from posted pay ranges, base pay only. p10 and p90 are 0.82× and 1.22× the median. Methodology.
QA Lead / Manager 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 $110k. 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%) | $130k | $110k–$160k | $130k | 30 |
| San Jose | A | 1.20× (+20%) | $130k | $110k–$160k | $130k | 54 |
| New York | A | 1.15× (+15%) | $130k | $100k–$150k | $130k | 29 |
| Seattle | A | 1.15× (+15%) | $130k | $100k–$150k | $130k | 19 |
| Boston | A | 1.08× (+8%) | $120k | $97k–$140k | $120k | 23 |
| Washington DC | A | 1.06× (+6%) | $120k | $96k–$140k | $120k | 23 |
| Los Angeles | A | 1.05× (+5%) | $120k | $95k–$140k | $120k | 20 |
| San Diego | B | 1.03× (+3%) | $110k | $93k–$140k | $110k | 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 Lead / Manager on $110k gross keeps roughly 72–78% after income tax and social contributions, about $79k to $86k 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 Lead / Manager roles in United States
121 QA Lead / Manager roles are open in United States, from a total of 1166 QA listings in the country.
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347 listings in United States show a real posted pay range (39 for QA Lead / Manager). Others carry a model estimate marked “est.”.
Who hires QA Lead / Managers 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 Lead / Manager baseline uses 170 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 7 of 8.
QA Lead / Manager salary and jobs by city in United States
QA Lead / Manager salary in United States: FAQ
What is the average QA Lead / Manager salary in United States?
The median gross salary for a mid-level QA Lead / Manager in United States is $110k a year ($110k). The p10 is $90k and the p90 is $130k. This is an estimate based on posted pay ranges.
How much does a senior QA Lead / Manager earn in United States?
A senior QA Lead / Manager in United States earns a median of $140k, with a range of $110k to $170k. Leads earn $180k, 106% more than juniors at $85k.
Which city in United States pays QA Lead / Managers the most?
San Francisco has the highest pay factor at 1.22x the country median, which puts a mid-level QA Lead / Manager at about $130k. Omaha sits at 0.87x, around $96k.
How does United States compare with the US for QA Lead / Manager pay?
A mid-level QA Lead / Manager in the US earns a median of $110k. In United States the equivalent is $110k, which is the same as the US figure. United States ranks 1 of 36 countries; the North America median for this role is $100k.
What is the take-home pay for a QA Lead / Manager in United States?
Roughly 72–78% of gross stays after income tax and social contributions for a single mid-level earner, which is about $79k to $86k a year on a $110k gross salary. This is a generic estimate, not tax advice: benefits, family status and regional taxes change the result.
How many QA Lead / Manager jobs are open in United States?
PassRidge lists 121 live QA Lead / Manager roles in United States, and 1166 QA listings across all roles in United States. 39 of the QA Lead / Manager 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 |
| QA Automation Engineer | $120k | $120k |
| SDET | $130k | $130k |
| 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 Lead / Manager salary by country · QA Lead / Manager role guide · Hire a QA Lead / Manager · Salary finder.