Senior QA Engineer salary in Detroit, MI
Based on 140 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Dearborn, Auburn Hills, Warren, Troy, Farmington Hills.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $89,045 |
| 25th | $99,700 |
| 50th (median) | $103,000 |
| 75th | $114,820 |
| 90th | $123,740 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,000 | $80,126 | $95,394 | 22 |
| FY2021 | $83,200 | $78,811 | $90,000 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $83,889 | $115,878 | 52 |
| FY2023 | $88,700 | $80,000 | $110,000 | 66 |
| FY2024 | $95,000 | $87,214 | $104,250 | 56 |
| FY2025 | $102,981 | $90,208 | $114,339 | 86 |
| FY2026 | $103,532 | $102,981 | $117,004 | 54 |
Cost of living
Detroit's median senior QA Engineer salary of $103,000 is worth about $102,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Detroit = 100.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Detroit, MI area earned a median of $102,390 in May 2025 (2,140 employed). The H-1B median here is $103,000, 1% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $102,981 | 17 |
| Ford | $102,981 | 13 |
| General Motors Company | $113,187 | 10 |
| KPIT Technologies | too few | 7 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 6 |
| United Wholesale Mortgage | too few | 6 |
| Pentangle Tech Services | too few | 5 |
| Saabhitech | too few | 4 |
| Bridgenext Digital Engineering | too few | 3 |
| Htc Global Services | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $68,141 | 74 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,000 | 347 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,000 | 140 |
| Expert · Level IV | $125,000 | 150 |
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 | $57,491 | $68,141 | 74 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,571 | $86,000 | 347 |
| Senior · Level III | $102,981 | $103,000 | 140 |
| Expert · Level IV | $120,411 | $125,000 | 150 |
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.