Entry-level QA Engineer salary in Baltimore, MD
Based on 48 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Columbia, Owings Mills, Ellicott City, Woodlawn, Linthicum Heights.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $77,583 |
| 25th | $80,000 |
| 50th (median) | $82,089 |
| 75th | $89,381 |
| 90th | $96,262 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2023 | $74,457 | $68,947 | $81,416 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $82,077 | $79,124 | $90,697 | 11 |
| FY2025 | $82,077 | $82,077 | $84,240 | 28 |
| FY2026 | $85,640 | $78,000 | $92,326 | 20 |
Cost of living
Baltimore's median entry-level QA Engineer salary of $82,089 is worth about $78,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Baltimore = 104.5).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Baltimore, MD area earned a median of $129,880 in May 2025 (2,670 employed). The H-1B median here is $82,089, 37% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Astir Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Fei.com | too few | 4 |
| Tetrus | too few | 4 |
| VAStek | too few | 3 |
| GSK Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Msquare Systems | too few | 2 |
| One Call Concepts | too few | 2 |
| Think Logic Systems | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $82,089 | 48 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $104,312 | 93 |
| Senior · Level III | $126,568 | 51 |
| Expert · Level IV | $148,990 | 19 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $77,542 | $82,089 | 48 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $104,312 | $104,312 | 93 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,904 | $126,568 | 51 |
| Expert · Level IV | $148,574 | $148,990 | 19 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.