QA Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 622 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Torrance, El Segundo, Woodland Hills, Lake Forest.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $85,051 |
| 25th | $93,018 |
| 50th (median) | $106,600 |
| 75th | $132,912 |
| 90th | $145,090 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $79,666 | $67,482 | $93,891 | 434 |
| FY2021 | $82,500 | $69,930 | $104,749 | 284 |
| FY2022 | $89,835 | $70,460 | $110,000 | 351 |
| FY2023 | $98,087 | $79,456 | $118,123 | 377 |
| FY2024 | $112,694 | $89,690 | $134,736 | 419 |
| FY2025 | $96,907 | $93,018 | $128,888 | 355 |
| FY2026 | $108,971 | $85,051 | $132,912 | 267 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median QA Engineer salary of $106,600 is worth about $93,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $122,210 in May 2025 (7,200 employed). The H-1B median here is $106,600, 13% 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 | $108,971 | 55 |
| Amazon | $122,950 | 40 |
| Medtronic | $100,000 | 25 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $93,018 | 23 |
| Capgemini America | $123,453 | 14 |
| Infosys | $93,018 | 11 |
| UST | $99,000 | 11 |
| Aveva Software | $132,912 | 11 |
| Infinite Computer Solutions | $90,979 | 10 |
| Accenture | too few | 9 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $71,630 | 76 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $93,018 | 288 |
| Senior · Level III | $114,754 | 141 |
| Expert · Level IV | $136,490 | 107 |
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 | $61,110 | $71,630 | 76 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,051 | $93,018 | 288 |
| Senior · Level III | $108,971 | $114,754 | 141 |
| Expert · Level IV | $132,912 | $136,490 | 107 |
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.