Senior QA Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 68 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $105,706 |
| 25th | $108,410 |
| 50th (median) | $112,216 |
| 75th | $117,377 |
| 90th | $126,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2021 | $110,000 | $100,000 | $115,000 | 19 |
| FY2022 | $107,557 | $104,745 | $115,000 | 21 |
| FY2023 | $111,030 | $107,050 | $120,000 | 25 |
| FY2024 | $110,739 | $107,619 | $120,000 | 27 |
| FY2025 | $112,216 | $106,382 | $117,792 | 42 |
| FY2026 | $110,608 | $108,410 | $114,763 | 26 |
Cost of living
Durham's median senior QA Engineer salary of $112,216 is worth about $115,000 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 $112,216, 9% 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 | $108,410 | 19 |
| Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | too few | 9 |
| Fidelity Investments | too few | 5 |
| IBM | too few | 5 |
| UBS | too few | 3 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 3 |
| Digipulse Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Randstad | too few | 2 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 2 |
| Pearson Education | 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.