Expert QA Engineer salary in Columbus, OH
Based on 74 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Columbus, OH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Dublin, Westerville, Lewis Center, Delaware, Raymond.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $107,765 |
| 25th | $114,379 |
| 50th (median) | $120,848 |
| 75th | $138,215 |
| 90th | $152,047 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2021 | $112,500 | $107,310 | $115,209 | 11 |
| FY2022 | $116,500 | $108,695 | $130,000 | 16 |
| FY2023 | $117,500 | $105,000 | $128,780 | 35 |
| FY2024 | $124,241 | $107,973 | $135,000 | 24 |
| FY2025 | $119,250 | $114,379 | $134,343 | 36 |
| FY2026 | $124,800 | $113,837 | $138,994 | 38 |
Cost of living
Columbus's median expert QA Engineer salary of $120,848 is worth about $126,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbus = 95.5).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Columbus, OH area earned a median of $103,110 in May 2025 (780 employed). The H-1B median here is $120,848, 17% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan Chase | $140,678 | 15 |
| Cognizant | too few | 5 |
| The Huntington National Bank | too few | 5 |
| IBM | too few | 3 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 3 |
| Liberty Mutual Technology Group | too few | 3 |
| Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company | too few | 3 |
| Eagle Harbor Solutions | too few | 2 |
| EDI-Matrix | too few | 2 |
| Exel | 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 | $70,000 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,242 | 200 |
| Senior · Level III | $99,500 | 110 |
| Expert · Level IV | $120,848 | 74 |
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 | $67,683 | $70,000 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,242 | $83,242 | 200 |
| Senior · Level III | $93,184 | $99,500 | 110 |
| Expert · Level IV | $107,765 | $120,848 | 74 |
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.
