Expert QA Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 107 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $132,912 |
| 25th | $132,912 |
| 50th (median) | $136,490 |
| 75th | $152,600 |
| 90th | $176,054 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $117,513 | $106,434 | $125,125 | 28 |
| FY2021 | $109,637 | $104,749 | $124,598 | 33 |
| FY2022 | $121,180 | $110,750 | $136,842 | 40 |
| FY2023 | $130,000 | $118,123 | $144,400 | 52 |
| FY2024 | $136,490 | $135,720 | $140,592 | 67 |
| FY2025 | $136,490 | $136,490 | $160,035 | 52 |
| FY2026 | $132,912 | $132,912 | $151,477 | 55 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median expert QA Engineer salary of $136,490 is worth about $120,200 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 $136,490, 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aveva Software | too few | 7 |
| Cognizant | too few | 6 |
| Ingram Micro | too few | 6 |
| Deloitte | too few | 4 |
| Salesforce | too few | 4 |
| ADP | too few | 3 |
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| AT&T | too few | 2 |
| IBM | too few | 2 |
| Medtronic | 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 | $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.