Entry-level QA Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 54 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Fuquay Varina, Holly Springs.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,006 |
| 25th | $74,910 |
| 50th (median) | $85,000 |
| 75th | $90,600 |
| 90th | $99,787 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2023 | $73,200 | $71,971 | $82,866 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $74,027 | $73,195 | $79,483 | 20 |
| FY2025 | $78,650 | $74,685 | $85,000 | 36 |
| FY2026 | $95,380 | $81,541 | $99,080 | 18 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median entry-level QA Engineer salary of $85,000 is worth about $86,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Raleigh = 98.2).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Raleigh, NC area earned a median of $110,800 in May 2025 (1,760 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,000, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| DB Global Technology | $85,500 | 22 |
| Deloitte | too few | 3 |
| Altera Digital Health | too few | 2 |
| Asta CRS | too few | 2 |
| Beacon Hill Staffing Group | 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 | $85,000 | 54 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,203 | 282 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,000 | 209 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,000 | 69 |
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 | $74,006 | $85,000 | 54 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,310 | $94,203 | 282 |
| Senior · Level III | $114,421 | $118,000 | 209 |
| Expert · Level IV | $132,142 | $135,000 | 69 |
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.