Expert QA Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 98 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $139,880 |
| 25th | $139,880 |
| 50th (median) | $150,467 |
| 75th | $162,053 |
| 90th | $173,472 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $138,341 | $134,597 | $139,288 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $141,326 | $137,830 | $144,475 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $141,357 | $135,306 | $145,000 | 27 |
| FY2023 | $135,054 | $125,050 | $153,750 | 38 |
| FY2024 | $135,054 | $135,054 | $139,880 | 33 |
| FY2025 | $140,000 | $139,880 | $158,906 | 56 |
| FY2026 | $153,493 | $150,467 | $162,053 | 42 |
Cost of living
Washington's median expert QA Engineer salary of $150,467 is worth about $138,200 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 $150,467, 19% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| IBM | too few | 9 |
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authority | too few | 7 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 6 |
| DigiCert | too few | 4 |
| Comcast | too few | 3 |
| Visa | too few | 3 |
| Appian | too few | 3 |
| Cvent | too few | 3 |
| Dlh | too few | 3 |
| Federal National Mortgage Association | 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 | $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.