Entry-level QA Engineer salary in Minneapolis, MN
Based on 25 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Richfield, Eden Prairie, Bloomington, Saint Paul, Plymouth.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,173 |
| 25th | $74,200 |
| 50th (median) | $79,602 |
| 75th | $80,206 |
| 90th | $84,898 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | $77,960 | $75,000 | $85,000 | 10 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | $75,890 | $70,463 | $81,500 | 18 |
| FY2025 | $74,540 | $74,173 | $80,202 | 16 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
Minneapolis's median entry-level QA Engineer salary of $79,602 is worth about $75,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Minneapolis = 104.8).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Minneapolis, MN area earned a median of $102,130 in May 2025 (2,190 employed). The H-1B median here is $79,602, 22% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Arcus Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Nga Group | too few | 2 |
| Platform 3 Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Technical Information And Professional Solutions | 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 | $79,602 | 25 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,702 | 175 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,782 | 85 |
| Expert · Level IV | $127,813 | 90 |
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 | $79,602 | $79,602 | 25 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $89,211 | $94,702 | 175 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,782 | $109,782 | 85 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,883 | $127,813 | 90 |
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.