Mid-level QA Engineer salary in Madison, WI
Based on 33 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the Madison, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sun Prairie, Middleton, Stoughton, Wisconsin.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,299 |
| 25th | $74,485 |
| 50th (median) | $75,000 |
| 75th | $110,000 |
| 90th | $118,960 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $68,474 | $63,682 | $68,500 | 40 |
| FY2021 | $65,697 | $63,627 | $84,516 | 20 |
| FY2022 | $67,766 | $67,766 | $81,554 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $70,131 | $64,147 | $80,280 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $74,610 | $70,262 | $91,531 | 32 |
| FY2025 | $98,077 | $73,299 | $111,200 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $74,485 | $74,485 | $75,000 | 13 |
Cost of living
Madison's median mid-level QA Engineer salary of $75,000 is worth about $77,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Madison = 97.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Madison, WI area earned a median of $97,840 in May 2025 (1,470 employed). The H-1B median here is $75,000, 23% 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 | $74,485 | 10 |
| Ibase Operations | too few | 4 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 2 |
| Ibase Operations Corp d/b/a Qualitest Group | too few | 2 |
| Zonestra 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 | too few | 4 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $75,000 | 33 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,644 | 17 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $73,299 | $75,000 | 33 |
| Senior · Level III | $85,987 | $103,644 | 17 |
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.