Mid-level QA Engineer salary in Riverside, CA
Based on 34 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $88,608 |
| 25th | $91,915 |
| 50th (median) | $97,427 |
| 75th | $105,872 |
| 90th | $107,164 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $81,009 | $76,163 | $86,080 | 16 |
| FY2021 | $72,800 | $67,801 | $81,245 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $69,826 | $67,000 | $75,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | $85,000 | $84,656 | $91,915 | 13 |
| FY2025 | $91,920 | $91,915 | $97,250 | 11 |
| FY2026 | $101,231 | $91,720 | $105,872 | 23 |
Cost of living
Riverside's median mid-level QA Engineer salary of $97,427 is worth about $91,500 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 $97,427, 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.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Systems Research Institute | $105,872 | 18 |
| Cognizant | too few | 5 |
| 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.