Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of quality assurance lead salary by state for the United States as of 2026:
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California continues to have the highest quality assurance lead salary at $111,189
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Wyoming remains the state with the lowest quality assurance lead salary at $78,648
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The national average salary for quality assurance leads stands at $94,758
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The national hourly pay for quality assurance leads is $45.56
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In today’s job market, salary remains a top priority for job seekers, especially in tech roles like quality assurance leads. With the rise of remote and hybrid work models, understanding salary expectations has become crucial for professionals looking to navigate their careers effectively.
While salaries can vary significantly based on location, the data we provide here gives a clear picture of what quality assurance leads can expect to earn across the United States. These averages serve as a valuable reference point for both job seekers and employers.
The state with the best salary for quality assurance leads remains California, reflecting its robust tech industry and high cost of living.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for quality assurance lead salaries:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Quality Assurance Leads By State
| Rank | State | Average Quality Assurance Lead Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $111,189 | $81,000 | $151,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $109,672 | $81,000 | $147,000 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $108,135 | $84,000 | $139,000 |
| 4 | Nevada | $103,527 | $76,000 | $140,000 |
| 5 | New York | $103,050 | $79,000 | $134,000 |
| 6 | Maryland | $102,984 | $78,000 | $134,000 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $102,179 | $78,000 | $133,000 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $97,212 | $74,000 | $126,000 |
| 9 | Delaware | $96,071 | $73,000 | $125,000 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $95,426 | $73,000 | $123,000 |
| 11 | Virginia | $94,832 | $72,000 | $123,000 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $93,288 | $71,000 | $121,000 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $92,745 | $73,000 | $116,000 |
| 14 | Oregon | $92,171 | $68,000 | $124,000 |
| 15 | Arizona | $91,995 | $69,000 | $122,000 |
| 16 | Alaska | $91,322 | $75,000 | $111,000 |
| 17 | Idaho | $91,091 | $67,000 | $122,000 |
| 18 | Texas | $89,487 | $67,000 | $118,000 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $88,919 | $68,000 | $115,000 |
| 20 | Utah | $88,692 | $66,000 | $118,000 |
| 21 | Vermont | $88,419 | $69,000 | $113,000 |
| 22 | Illinois | $87,933 | $68,000 | $113,000 |
| 23 | Ohio | $87,889 | $67,000 | $114,000 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $87,795 | $68,000 | $112,000 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $87,004 | $66,000 | $113,000 |
| 26 | Michigan | $86,951 | $67,000 | $112,000 |
| 27 | Georgia | $86,771 | $66,000 | $113,000 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $86,301 | $65,000 | $113,000 |
| 29 | Maine | $86,265 | $67,000 | $110,000 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $85,966 | $65,000 | $112,000 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $85,465 | $66,000 | $109,000 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $85,025 | $65,000 | $110,000 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $84,904 | $65,000 | $110,000 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $84,603 | $64,000 | $110,000 |
| 35 | Missouri | $84,331 | $65,000 | $109,000 |
| 36 | Florida | $84,252 | $63,000 | $111,000 |
| 37 | Iowa | $84,057 | $65,000 | $108,000 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $83,342 | $65,000 | $105,000 |
| 39 | Colorado | $82,815 | $63,000 | $108,000 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $82,189 | $63,000 | $107,000 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $81,995 | $62,000 | $108,000 |
| 42 | Kansas | $81,895 | $63,000 | $106,000 |
| 43 | Alabama | $81,619 | $62,000 | $106,000 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $81,123 | $62,000 | $105,000 |
| 45 | Indiana | $81,012 | $62,000 | $105,000 |
| 46 | Montana | $79,763 | $60,000 | $104,000 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $79,550 | $61,000 | $102,000 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $79,462 | $60,000 | $103,000 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $79,450 | $61,000 | $103,000 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $78,648 | $60,000 | $102,000 |
Methodology: Quality Assurance Lead Salary By State
To better understand quality assurance lead pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We then supplement that data with actual listed salaries from job posts. Finally, the data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to create an average pay for quality assurance leads by state.
We took the average annual salary data for quality assurance leads from these estimates and ranked every state based on this criterion, with the state with the highest salary ranking as having the highest average salary for quality assurance leads.
Quality Assurance Lead Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for quality assurance leads?
The highest-paid state for quality assurance leads is California with an average salary of $111,189 per year.
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What city pays quality assurance leads the most?
San Francisco, CA pays quality assurance leads the most with an average salary of $120,998 per year.
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What is the worst state for quality assurance leads?
The worst state for quality assurance leads is Wyoming with an average salary of $78,648 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
