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The average salary for a Quality Assurance Specialist in the United States is approximately $63,443 per year. This figure represents the typical compensation across various sectors, reflecting the importance of quality assurance in diverse industries. For those considering this career path, understanding how salaries differ by state is crucial. For instance, states like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Additionally, job roles in specialized industries such as pharmaceuticals and technology often command higher salaries, with opportunities to earn over $80,000 annually. As a Quality Assurance Specialist, your skills and experience will significantly impact your earning potential. Entry-level positions may start lower, but with experience and expertise, professionals can see substantial growth in compensation.
Quality Assurance Specialists are in high demand, with numerous job openings available across various platforms. Utilizing job boards like Zippia can help you find the best positions aligned with your career goals. Consider focusing on industries that prioritize quality assurance, as they often provide better salary prospects and career advancement opportunities.
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Let Zippia find your next quality assurance specialist job
The average quality assurance specialist salary in Rhode Island, Maryland, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average quality assurance specialist salary states are South Dakota, Wyoming, and Missouri.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $82,155 | $39.50 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $81,897 | $39.37 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $84,516 | $40.63 |
| 4 | California | $77,181 | $37.11 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $70,524 | $33.91 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $81,294 | $39.08 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $77,490 | $37.25 |
| 8 | Delaware | $71,219 | $34.24 |
| 9 | Virginia | $73,509 | $35.34 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $76,499 | $36.78 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $71,681 | $34.46 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $62,290 | $29.95 |
| 13 | Washington | $67,902 | $32.65 |
| 14 | Maine | $67,522 | $32.46 |
| 15 | Oregon | $66,247 | $31.85 |
| 16 | New York | $72,525 | $34.87 |
| 17 | Michigan | $62,805 | $30.19 |
| 18 | Alaska | $71,567 | $34.41 |
| 19 | Vermont | $67,304 | $32.36 |
| 20 | Ohio | $60,195 | $28.94 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $59,654 | $28.68 |
| 22 | Arizona | $57,146 | $27.47 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $60,353 | $29.02 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $54,114 | $26.02 |
| 25 | Texas | $58,722 | $28.23 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $60,583 | $29.13 |
| 27 | Illinois | $54,950 | $26.42 |
| 28 | Florida | $55,948 | $26.90 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $49,627 | $23.86 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $57,102 | $27.45 |
| 31 | Nevada | $59,098 | $28.41 |
| 32 | Indiana | $47,909 | $23.03 |
| 33 | Utah | $48,098 | $23.12 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $51,611 | $24.81 |
| 35 | Iowa | $47,571 | $22.87 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $53,838 | $25.88 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $48,938 | $23.53 |
| 38 | Idaho | $50,983 | $24.51 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $55,432 | $26.65 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $49,458 | $23.78 |
| 41 | Colorado | $47,835 | $23.00 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $48,274 | $23.21 |
| 43 | Alabama | $47,286 | $22.73 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $46,832 | $22.52 |
| 45 | Georgia | $47,842 | $23.00 |
| 46 | Montana | $48,868 | $23.49 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $47,116 | $22.65 |
| 48 | Kansas | $45,349 | $21.80 |
| 49 | Missouri | $45,902 | $22.07 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $41,886 | $20.14 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $42,412 | $20.39 |
The highest-paying cities for quality assurance specialists are San Francisco, CA, Baltimore, MD, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $82,999 | $39.90 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $82,609 | $39.72 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $77,495 | $37.26 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $76,437 | $36.75 |
| 5 | Richmond, VA | $72,908 | $35.05 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $72,748 | $34.98 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $72,724 | $34.96 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $68,906 | $33.13 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $64,701 | $31.11 |
| 10 | Carlsbad, NM | $62,549 | $30.07 |
| 11 | San Antonio, TX | $61,866 | $29.74 |
| 12 | Lansing, MI | $61,704 | $29.67 |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,600 | $28.65 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $58,617 | $28.18 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $57,053 | $27.43 |
| 16 | Waukegan, IL | $56,323 | $27.08 |
| 17 | Madison, WI | $52,805 | $25.39 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $52,698 | $25.34 |
| 19 | Richmond, KY | $50,347 | $24.21 |
| 20 | Denver, CO | $47,835 | $23.00 |
Quality Assurance Specialists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
A quality assurance specialist's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $97,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $97,000 | $8,083 | $47 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $63,443 | $5,287 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
The highest paying types of quality assurance specialists are senior quality assurance engineer, quality assurance manager, and quality assurance team leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Analyst | $71,957 | $5,996 | $34.59 | 110,980 |
| Quality Assurance Team Leader | $97,476 | $8,123 | $46.86 | 131,886 |
| Quality Assurance Engineer | $82,215 | $6,851 | $39.53 | 243,536 |
| Quality Assurance Consultant | $86,486 | $7,207 | $41.58 | 91,395 |
| Quality Assurance Officer | $64,041 | $5,337 | $30.79 | 118,140 |
| Quality Assurance Manager | $99,894 | $8,324 | $48.03 | 62,293 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for quality assurance specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring quality assurance specialists now:
Quality assurance specialist salaries at Apple and Agilent Technologies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average quality assurance specialist salary at companies like Thomson Reuters and Citi are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $114,319 | $54.96 |
| 2 | Agilent Technologies | $107,833 | $51.84 |
| 3 | Thomson Reuters | $106,617 | $51.26 |
| 4 | Citi | $102,523 | $49.29 |
| 5 | Five9 | $102,326 | $49.20 |
| 6 | Evonik | $101,869 | $48.98 |
| 7 | Genentech | $101,647 | $48.87 |
| 8 | First Republic Bank | $100,559 | $48.35 |
| 9 | Psc Biotech | $100,336 | $48.24 |
| 10 | FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA | $100,129 | $48.14 |
| 11 | Bloomberg | $99,907 | $48.03 |
| 12 | BNY Mellon | $98,375 | $47.30 |
| 13 | Covanta | $97,736 | $46.99 |
| 14 | AbbVie | $97,727 | $46.98 |
| 15 | Western Alliance Bank | $97,615 | $46.93 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $97,343 | $46.80 |
| 17 | ICU Medical | $97,333 | $46.79 |
| 18 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $97,217 | $46.74 |
| 19 | Sagarsoft | $96,212 | $46.26 |
| 20 | TD Bank | $96,126 | $46.21 |
The average quality assurance specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical | $76,157 | $36.61 |
| 2 | Finance | $72,518 | $34.86 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $72,236 | $34.73 |
| 4 | Technology | $70,772 | $34.02 |
| 5 | Health Care | $70,345 | $33.82 |
| 6 | Government | $66,852 | $32.14 |
| 7 | Professional | $55,923 | $26.89 |
The average quality assurance specialist salary has risen by $10,385 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average quality assurance specialist earned $53,058 annually, but today, they earn $63,443 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for quality assurance specialists over the last decade.
Compare quality assurance specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare quality assurance specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $63,400 | $30.50 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $61,400 | $29.50 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $60,000 | $28.83 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $58,800 | $28.27 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $57,500 | $27.63 | +1.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Accelerator Operator/Quality Assurance Specialist | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $70,000 |
| Novartis AG | QA Batch Release Specialist | Indianapolis, IN | 06/29/2025 | $81,200 |
| Pegasus | QA Specialist III-Supplier Management | Pensacola, FL | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| 99 Ranch Market | Quality Assurance Specialist | Union City, CA | 06/29/2025 | $87,654 |
| State of Florida | Quality Assurance Retirement Specialist | Tallahassee, FL | 06/29/2025 | $43,844 |
| Central Research | Quality Assurance Specialist (Remote) | Lowell, AR | 06/29/2025 | $37,044 |
| Anduril Industries | Quality Assurance Specialist | Lexington, MA | 06/29/2025 | $64,000 |
| ZP Group | QA Clinical Supplies Specialist | Point, PA | 06/29/2025 | $48,001 |
| Mcn Build | Quality Assurance/Quality Control Specialist | Washington, DC | 06/29/2025 | $80,000 |
| Merck | Specialist, Quality Assurance 1St. Shift | Durham, NC | 06/28/2025 | $85,600 |
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