Entry-level QA Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Poway, Escondido.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,778 |
| 25th | $74,215 |
| 50th (median) | $90,000 |
| 75th | $120,721 |
| 90th | $134,800 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2023 | $70,491 | $70,491 | $87,651 | 13 |
| FY2024 | $74,329 | $73,778 | $80,257 | 18 |
| FY2025 | $73,778 | $73,778 | $89,572 | 19 |
| FY2026 | $118,000 | $84,966 | $134,800 | 24 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median entry-level QA Engineer salary of $90,000 is worth about $80,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $120,210 in May 2025 (2,280 employed). The H-1B median here is $90,000, 25% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $127,550 | 10 |
| Brain | too few | 5 |
| Tech Rakers | too few | 3 |
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| Bcvs | too few | 2 |
| Brinte | too few | 2 |
| BTI Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Innovim Technology Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | too few | 2 |
| Viasat | 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 | $90,000 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,000 | 121 |
| Senior · Level III | $120,000 | 94 |
| Expert · Level IV | $146,290 | 68 |
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 | $74,651 | $90,000 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,640 | $100,000 | 121 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,502 | $120,000 | 94 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,138 | $146,290 | 68 |
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.