QA Engineer salary in Columbia, SC
Based on 36 certified H-1B filings in the Columbia, SC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Lexington, Blythewood.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,462 |
| 25th | $62,491 |
| 50th (median) | $70,304 |
| 75th | $97,373 |
| 90th | $111,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $73,008 | $73,008 | $76,856 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $76,856 | $76,856 | $101,504 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $75,442 | $75,442 | $92,851 | 35 |
| FY2023 | $81,869 | $66,248 | $93,089 | 51 |
| FY2024 | $102,000 | $81,434 | $115,000 | 22 |
| FY2025 | $77,251 | $70,000 | $95,918 | 18 |
| FY2026 | $63,750 | $62,462 | $96,117 | 18 |
Cost of living
Columbia's median QA Engineer salary of $70,304 is worth about $75,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbia = 93.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Columbia, SC area earned a median of $86,320 in May 2025 (250 employed). The H-1B median here is $70,304, 19% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Capgemini America | too few | 6 |
| CGI | too few | 4 |
| Cognizant | too few | 3 |
| RICEFW Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Sanctityinternational | too few | 3 |
| Virat Solutions | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $62,481 | 18 |
| Senior · Level III | $87,482 | 10 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $62,462 | $62,481 | 18 |
| Senior · Level III | $70,304 | $87,482 | 10 |
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.