Senior QA Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 141 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $108,971 |
| 25th | $109,000 |
| 50th (median) | $114,754 |
| 75th | $129,600 |
| 90th | $149,676 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,465 | $86,965 | $98,500 | 72 |
| FY2021 | $95,481 | $85,987 | $118,373 | 52 |
| FY2022 | $98,779 | $89,835 | $118,864 | 64 |
| FY2023 | $105,450 | $98,779 | $115,000 | 74 |
| FY2024 | $114,754 | $112,694 | $130,321 | 116 |
| FY2025 | $116,500 | $114,754 | $133,727 | 79 |
| FY2026 | $109,075 | $108,971 | $124,400 | 62 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median senior QA Engineer salary of $114,754 is worth about $101,000 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 $114,754, 6% 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 | $111,863 | 24 |
| Amazon | $141,300 | 10 |
| Medtronic | too few | 9 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 9 |
| Accenture | too few | 6 |
| Belkin International | too few | 3 |
| Cyient | too few | 3 |
| Apple | too few | 2 |
| CBS Interactive | too few | 2 |
| Cigniti Technologies | 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.