QA Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 468 certified H-1B filings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Katy, Spring, Cypress, Fulshear, Richmond.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,470 |
| 25th | $83,470 |
| 50th (median) | $89,295 |
| 75th | $115,000 |
| 90th | $130,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $75,546 | $91,104 | 112 |
| FY2021 | $79,000 | $67,163 | $90,022 | 141 |
| FY2022 | $78,000 | $69,888 | $95,500 | 176 |
| FY2023 | $81,328 | $75,795 | $102,490 | 239 |
| FY2024 | $83,000 | $81,099 | $103,000 | 273 |
| FY2025 | $85,634 | $83,470 | $106,354 | 285 |
| FY2026 | $95,000 | $84,907 | $118,380 | 183 |
Cost of living
Houston's median QA Engineer salary of $89,295 is worth about $90,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $98,690 in May 2025 (2,420 employed). The H-1B median here is $89,295, 10% 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 | $103,002 | 26 |
| LTIMindtree | $84,907 | 13 |
| Mphasis | $100,000 | 13 |
| Accenture | too few | 9 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 9 |
| Valuelabs | too few | 9 |
| Applabs Tech Solutions | too few | 8 |
| Foxconn Assembly | too few | 8 |
| Hp | too few | 7 |
| Advanced Flow Solutions | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $66,811 | 44 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $84,906 | 261 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,000 | 92 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,952 | 68 |
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 | $62,754 | $66,811 | 44 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,470 | $84,906 | 261 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,002 | $110,000 | 92 |
| Expert · Level IV | $121,098 | $124,952 | 68 |
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.