QA Engineer salary in Cincinnati, OH
Based on 328 certified H-1B filings in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Blue Ash, Mason, Erlanger, Milford, Loveland.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,277 |
| 25th | $77,376 |
| 50th (median) | $91,270 |
| 75th | $110,000 |
| 90th | $128,496 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,826 | $68,750 | $98,490 | 110 |
| FY2021 | $80,000 | $72,100 | $94,037 | 89 |
| FY2022 | $86,970 | $79,414 | $108,000 | 121 |
| FY2023 | $91,853 | $74,691 | $108,144 | 155 |
| FY2024 | $91,577 | $74,277 | $110,282 | 158 |
| FY2025 | $87,000 | $75,000 | $110,230 | 178 |
| FY2026 | $91,270 | $77,376 | $109,743 | 150 |
Cost of living
Cincinnati's median QA Engineer salary of $91,270 is worth about $95,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Cincinnati = 95.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Cincinnati, OH area earned a median of $87,940 in May 2025 (920 employed). The H-1B median here is $91,270, 4% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $86,507 | 54 |
| The Kroger Company | $124,907 | 23 |
| Slk America | $77,376 | 18 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $77,376 | 12 |
| UST | too few | 9 |
| Ascendum Solutions | too few | 9 |
| Deloitte | too few | 8 |
| Elevance Health | too few | 7 |
| A2visions | too few | 6 |
| Archer Daniels Midland Company | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $63,482 | 15 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $77,376 | 161 |
| Senior · Level III | $91,270 | 78 |
| Expert · Level IV | $120,984 | 68 |
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 | $63,482 | $63,482 | 15 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $77,376 | $77,376 | 161 |
| Senior · Level III | $91,270 | $91,270 | 78 |
| Expert · Level IV | $105,165 | $120,984 | 68 |
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.