QA Engineer salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 1,173 certified H-1B filings in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Redmond, Bothell, Issaquah, Kirkland.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $98,397 |
| 25th | $107,016 |
| 50th (median) | $120,280 |
| 75th | $145,600 |
| 90th | $168,750 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,200 | $77,875 | $121,150 | 584 |
| FY2021 | $97,510 | $78,562 | $120,000 | 486 |
| FY2022 | $107,037 | $83,928 | $130,000 | 512 |
| FY2023 | $104,000 | $83,928 | $131,569 | 524 |
| FY2024 | $113,900 | $90,189 | $138,050 | 569 |
| FY2025 | $118,144 | $99,736 | $141,942 | 651 |
| FY2026 | $125,000 | $108,680 | $152,108 | 522 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median QA Engineer salary of $120,280 is worth about $108,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $129,690 in May 2025 (6,650 employed). The H-1B median here is $120,280, 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $140,640 | 282 |
| Salesforce | $133,702 | 54 |
| Cognizant | $108,680 | 47 |
| LTIMindtree | $102,800 | 40 |
| UST | $110,000 | 32 |
| Apple | $145,972 | 22 |
| Meta | $184,000 | 20 |
| Tech Mahindra | $106,840 | 20 |
| L&T Technology Services | $108,680 | 19 |
| HCLTech | $113,300 | 16 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $85,140 | 152 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $109,000 | 615 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,330 | 236 |
| Expert · Level IV | $164,640 | 129 |
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 | $83,678 | $85,140 | 152 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $108,680 | $109,000 | 615 |
| Senior · Level III | $133,702 | $139,330 | 236 |
| Expert · Level IV | $158,704 | $164,640 | 129 |
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.