QA Engineer salary in Riverside, CA
Based on 123 certified H-1B filings in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Redlands, Temecula, Ontario, Corona, San Bernardino.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,501 |
| 25th | $91,520 |
| 50th (median) | $97,760 |
| 75th | $118,872 |
| 90th | $134,713 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $81,123 | $74,883 | $87,883 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $85,280 | $71,760 | $90,480 | 41 |
| FY2022 | $80,351 | $67,841 | $84,250 | 34 |
| FY2023 | $95,000 | $73,287 | $126,037 | 15 |
| FY2024 | $96,942 | $84,656 | $109,790 | 24 |
| FY2025 | $95,504 | $89,206 | $109,946 | 66 |
| FY2026 | $105,872 | $91,920 | $124,946 | 57 |
Cost of living
Riverside's median QA Engineer salary of $97,760 is worth about $91,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Riverside = 106.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Riverside, CA area earned a median of $105,720 in May 2025 (450 employed). The H-1B median here is $97,760, 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Systems Research Institute | $97,510 | 86 |
| Cognizant | too few | 8 |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | too few | 2 |
| Converge Technology Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) | too few | 2 |
| Sarsai | 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 | $92,435 | 54 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,427 | 34 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,860 | 12 |
| Expert · Level IV | $131,248 | 21 |
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 | $67,725 | $92,435 | 54 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,798 | $97,427 | 34 |
| Senior · Level III | $105,872 | $109,860 | 12 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,946 | $131,248 | 21 |
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.