Expert QA Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 33 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $128,794 |
| 25th | $132,142 |
| 50th (median) | $134,618 |
| 75th | $151,500 |
| 90th | $172,810 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2021 | $145,250 | $131,075 | $156,220 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $131,600 | $120,000 | $135,338 | 12 |
| FY2023 | $130,000 | $125,102 | $132,500 | 15 |
| FY2024 | $130,205 | $126,984 | $140,000 | 10 |
| FY2025 | $141,270 | $132,257 | $159,553 | 22 |
| FY2026 | $132,142 | $128,794 | $144,231 | 11 |
Cost of living
Durham's median expert QA Engineer salary of $134,618 is worth about $138,000 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 $134,618, 9% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments | too few | 3 |
| Emc | too few | 3 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 3 |
| Cognizant | too few | 2 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 2 |
| Digipulse Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Toshiba Global Commerce 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 | $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.