QA Engineer salary in Milwaukee, WI
Based on 175 certified H-1B filings in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Waukesha, Brookfield, Franklin, Wauwatosa, New Berlin.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $78,166 |
| 25th | $78,166 |
| 50th (median) | $82,000 |
| 75th | $104,100 |
| 90th | $117,764 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $69,000 | $64,653 | $90,791 | 63 |
| FY2021 | $75,000 | $61,818 | $92,608 | 39 |
| FY2022 | $81,390 | $65,550 | $99,528 | 51 |
| FY2023 | $79,750 | $70,574 | $101,250 | 44 |
| FY2024 | $102,881 | $89,363 | $115,829 | 56 |
| FY2025 | $81,370 | $78,166 | $99,540 | 113 |
| FY2026 | $90,314 | $81,371 | $109,375 | 62 |
Cost of living
Milwaukee's median QA Engineer salary of $82,000 is worth about $84,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Milwaukee = 96.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Milwaukee, WI area earned a median of $97,390 in May 2025 (790 employed). The H-1B median here is $82,000, 16% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| LTIMindtree | $78,166 | 69 |
| Cognizant | too few | 8 |
| Genpact | too few | 8 |
| Everest Consulting Group | too few | 6 |
| Ltm | too few | 6 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 5 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 5 |
| Johnson Controls | too few | 4 |
| Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company | too few | 4 |
| CitiusTech | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $81,370 | 125 |
| Senior · Level III | $93,018 | 23 |
| Expert · Level IV | $112,000 | 20 |
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 | $78,166 | $81,370 | 125 |
| Senior · Level III | $90,314 | $93,018 | 23 |
| Expert · Level IV | $99,278 | $112,000 | 20 |
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.