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Quality Engineer salary by level

Quality Engineering pay in 2026, from entry level to VP, in the highest-paying US markets.

Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026

Median base salary, Senior Quality Engineer, top-tier markets

$150,000

From entry level to VP, medians run from $83k to $330k.

Individual contributor track

Median base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle.

TitleMedian base
Associate Quality EngineerIC1 Associate / Entry$83k
Quality EngineerIC2 Mid-level$114k
Senior Quality EngineerIC3 Senior$150k
Staff Quality EngineerIC4 Staff / Lead$183k
Principal Quality EngineerIC5 Senior Staff / Principal$213k
Distinguished Quality EngineerIC6 Distinguished$248k

Management track

TitleMedian base
Associate Manager, Quality EngineeringM2 Associate Manager$158k
Manager, Quality EngineeringM3 Manager$183k
Senior Manager, Quality EngineeringM4 Senior Manager$213k
Director, Quality EngineeringM5 Director$252k
Senior Director, Quality EngineeringM6 Senior Director$285k
VP, Quality EngineeringE1 Vice President$330k

The full range

Every market, the 10th to 90th percentiles, bonus, equity, and new hire grants, adjusted for your industry and company size.

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Other Engineering Enablement roles

Where do these numbers come from?

They are modeled estimates built by compensation practitioners from publicly discussed pay and from how companies typically structure salary ranges by level and location. They are not survey results and not any company's actual ranges. Use them to get oriented before a pay conversation, not as an exact offer number.