QA Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 835 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mclean, Herndon, Reston, Bethesda, Arlington.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $87,800 |
| 25th | $101,234 |
| 50th (median) | $106,460 |
| 75th | $128,461 |
| 90th | $150,467 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $97,594 | $97,094 | $104,150 | 290 |
| FY2021 | $100,402 | $97,500 | $114,240 | 229 |
| FY2022 | $102,500 | $98,600 | $121,742 | 320 |
| FY2023 | $94,058 | $86,611 | $109,740 | 513 |
| FY2024 | $95,000 | $94,058 | $114,566 | 565 |
| FY2025 | $105,000 | $101,234 | $127,315 | 548 |
| FY2026 | $108,160 | $106,454 | $128,461 | 287 |
Cost of living
Washington's median QA Engineer salary of $106,460 is worth about $97,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $126,350 in May 2025 (8,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $106,460, 16% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $120,557 | 74 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $101,234 | 25 |
| CGI | $106,454 | 21 |
| REI Systems | $123,340 | 15 |
| IBM | $150,159 | 14 |
| Amazon | $135,300 | 13 |
| Compunnel Software Group | $107,000 | 13 |
| Hexaware Technologies | $106,460 | 13 |
| LTIMindtree | $101,234 | 11 |
| Accenture | too few | 8 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $83,200 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,454 | 440 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,461 | 165 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,467 | 98 |
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 | $81,910 | $83,200 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $101,234 | $106,454 | 440 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,461 | $128,461 | 165 |
| Expert · Level IV | $139,880 | $150,467 | 98 |
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.