Mid-level QA Engineer salary in Des Moines, IA
Based on 66 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $76,000 |
| 50th (median) | $76,482 |
| 75th | $83,554 |
| 90th | $104,999 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,470 | $70,470 | $71,000 | 24 |
| FY2021 | $79,000 | $69,000 | $92,500 | 21 |
| FY2022 | $77,565 | $65,443 | $92,500 | 15 |
| FY2023 | $83,554 | $78,000 | $90,000 | 21 |
| FY2024 | $83,554 | $83,554 | $83,554 | 20 |
| FY2025 | $76,000 | $75,338 | $81,342 | 36 |
| FY2026 | $78,500 | $76,482 | $88,733 | 30 |
Cost of living
Des Moines's median mid-level QA Engineer salary of $76,482 is worth about $83,400 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 $76,482, 22% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $75,338 | 18 |
| UST | too few | 4 |
| Sanav Technologies | too few | 4 |
| LTIMindtree | too few | 3 |
| Sai Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | too few | 3 |
| Collaborate Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 2 |
| Fusion Global Technologies Solutions | too few | 2 |
| ICloud Technologies | 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.