Entry-level QA Engineer salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 152 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $73,382 |
| 25th | $80,750 |
| 50th (median) | $85,140 |
| 75th | $100,000 |
| 90th | $119,419 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $108,200 | $95,679 | $117,145 | 56 |
| FY2021 | $94,931 | $72,869 | $110,000 | 50 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $80,496 | $115,000 | 69 |
| FY2023 | $81,120 | $64,480 | $94,000 | 55 |
| FY2024 | $80,000 | $69,888 | $114,500 | 81 |
| FY2025 | $82,000 | $73,500 | $95,041 | 81 |
| FY2026 | $87,000 | $83,678 | $106,500 | 71 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median entry-level QA Engineer salary of $85,140 is worth about $76,600 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 $85,140, 34% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $104,200 | 33 |
| Brinte Inc. (f.k.a Ecordia, Inc.) | too few | 5 |
| ByteDance | too few | 5 |
| SpacePalm Incorporated | too few | 5 |
| WaferWire | too few | 5 |
| Drevol | too few | 4 |
| TCT Mobile | too few | 4 |
| Salesforce | too few | 3 |
| Axon Enterprise | too few | 3 |
| Centific Global Solutions | too few | 3 |
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.