Expert QA Engineer salary in Cincinnati, OH
Based on 68 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $105,115 |
| 25th | $110,000 |
| 50th (median) | $120,984 |
| 75th | $136,741 |
| 90th | $145,835 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2022 | $110,500 | $105,000 | $121,250 | 32 |
| FY2023 | $115,000 | $99,813 | $120,000 | 39 |
| FY2024 | $118,777 | $111,317 | $132,870 | 30 |
| FY2025 | $123,378 | $109,080 | $139,206 | 35 |
| FY2026 | $118,750 | $110,000 | $135,000 | 33 |
Cost of living
Cincinnati's median expert QA Engineer salary of $120,984 is worth about $126,900 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 $120,984, 38% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Kroger Company | $124,953 | 22 |
| Elevance Health | too few | 6 |
| Ascendum Solutions | too few | 5 |
| Archer Daniels Midland Company | too few | 3 |
| Cognizant | too few | 2 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 2 |
| CoStrategix | too few | 2 |
| FIS Management Services | too few | 2 |
| Workday | 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 | $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.