QA Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 209 certified H-1B filings in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Morrisville, Research Triangle Park, Pittsboro.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $86,341 |
| 25th | $89,378 |
| 50th (median) | $108,410 |
| 75th | $120,000 |
| 90th | $134,618 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,584 | $81,100 | $103,334 | 45 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $90,147 | $118,000 | 51 |
| FY2022 | $99,200 | $85,000 | $115,000 | 69 |
| FY2023 | $96,631 | $88,234 | $109,000 | 131 |
| FY2024 | $100,000 | $88,235 | $110,888 | 108 |
| FY2025 | $105,706 | $88,026 | $120,850 | 135 |
| FY2026 | $108,410 | $92,310 | $117,982 | 74 |
Cost of living
Durham's median QA Engineer salary of $108,410 is worth about $111,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $122,980 in May 2025 (950 employed). The H-1B median here is $108,410, 12% 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 | $105,706 | 31 |
| Fidelity Investments | $94,203 | 19 |
| Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | $108,410 | 15 |
| IBM | too few | 9 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 6 |
| OneGlobe | too few | 6 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 5 |
| Digipulse Technologies | too few | 5 |
| Nutanix | too few | 5 |
| ONEUS Technologies | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $72,192 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,310 | 87 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,216 | 68 |
| Expert · Level IV | $134,618 | 33 |
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 | $66,976 | $72,192 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,341 | $92,310 | 87 |
| Senior · Level III | $108,410 | $112,216 | 68 |
| Expert · Level IV | $128,794 | $134,618 | 33 |
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.