Expert QA Engineer salary in Minneapolis, MN
Based on 90 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $119,288 |
| 25th | $124,883 |
| 50th (median) | $127,813 |
| 75th | $140,719 |
| 90th | $164,803 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,320 | $110,305 | $125,500 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $118,769 | $106,000 | $122,741 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $119,538 | $111,280 | $129,027 | 25 |
| FY2023 | $121,500 | $110,250 | $136,372 | 34 |
| FY2024 | $119,288 | $114,358 | $134,602 | 41 |
| FY2025 | $127,500 | $119,288 | $138,103 | 55 |
| FY2026 | $134,296 | $124,883 | $149,178 | 35 |
Cost of living
Minneapolis's median expert QA Engineer salary of $127,813 is worth about $121,900 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 $127,813, 25% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | $148,294 | 13 |
| Medtronic | too few | 9 |
| Accenture | too few | 6 |
| Cognizant | too few | 5 |
| U.S. Bank National Association | too few | 5 |
| Boston Scientific | too few | 4 |
| Optum | too few | 3 |
| AT&T | too few | 2 |
| Deloitte | too few | 2 |
| NTT DATA | 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.