QA Engineer salary in Des Moines, IA
Based on 100 certified H-1B filings in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes West Des Moines, Johnston, Ankeny, Waukee, Urbandale.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,338 |
| 25th | $76,482 |
| 50th (median) | $81,221 |
| 75th | $94,786 |
| 90th | $108,686 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $71,000 | $70,470 | $84,000 | 33 |
| FY2021 | $80,000 | $70,000 | $102,500 | 29 |
| FY2022 | $77,783 | $71,739 | $100,024 | 20 |
| FY2023 | $90,000 | $80,000 | $95,743 | 31 |
| FY2024 | $91,946 | $83,554 | $107,016 | 42 |
| FY2025 | $76,723 | $75,338 | $94,677 | 50 |
| FY2026 | $86,914 | $76,482 | $94,786 | 50 |
Cost of living
Des Moines's median QA Engineer salary of $81,221 is worth about $88,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Des Moines = 91.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Des Moines, IA area earned a median of $98,190 in May 2025 (440 employed). The H-1B median here is $81,221, 17% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $76,482 | 27 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | too few | 5 |
| UST | too few | 4 |
| Sanav Technologies | too few | 4 |
| LTIMindtree | too few | 3 |
| Sai Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Collaborate Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 2 |
| Corteva Agriscience | too few | 2 |
| Fusion Global Technologies 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 | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $76,482 | 66 |
| Senior · Level III | $94,786 | 20 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 | $76,482 | $76,482 | 66 |
| Senior · Level III | $94,786 | $94,786 | 20 |
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.