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Lead software quality assurance salary
Average lead software quality assurance salary
$107,134
Understanding the Lead Software Quality Assurance Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Lead Software Quality Assurance professional stands at $107,134 per year, equating to about $52 per hour. Salaries can vary widely based on factors such as geographic location, industry sector, and years of experience. For instance, lead quality assurance roles in technology hubs often command higher salaries due to increased demand.
Salary Breakdown by State
In states like California and New York, salaries can exceed the national average, reflecting the high cost of living and competitive job market. Additionally, cities such as San Francisco and New York City are among the highest paying for this role, offering significant compensation packages.
Job Opportunities and Career Growth
Lead Software Quality Assurance professionals can explore various industries, including software development, finance, and healthcare. With the growing emphasis on software quality, this role presents numerous opportunities for advancement and specialization.
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Where can a Lead Software Quality Assurance earn more?
Average lead software quality assurance salary by state
The highest-paying states for lead software quality assurances are Oregon, California, and Washington. The lowest average lead software quality assurance salary states are Missouri, Arkansas, and Maine.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead software quality assurances
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $124,926 | $60.06 |
| 2 | California | $127,062 | $61.09 |
| 3 | Oregon | $127,258 | $61.18 |
| 4 | Nevada | $113,496 | $54.57 |
| 5 | Utah | $106,113 | $51.02 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $105,471 | $50.71 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $107,242 | $51.56 |
| 8 | Maryland | $111,706 | $53.70 |
| 9 | Idaho | $102,199 | $49.13 |
| 10 | Montana | $99,196 | $47.69 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $95,059 | $45.70 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $99,268 | $47.73 |
| 13 | New York | $109,391 | $52.59 |
| 14 | Virginia | $103,235 | $49.63 |
| 15 | Michigan | $94,005 | $45.19 |
| 16 | Vermont | $98,128 | $47.18 |
| 17 | Texas | $98,317 | $47.27 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $96,113 | $46.21 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $104,659 | $50.32 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $90,814 | $43.66 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $99,780 | $47.97 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $96,882 | $46.58 |
| 23 | Alaska | $96,301 | $46.30 |
| 24 | Delaware | $95,176 | $45.76 |
| 25 | Arizona | $96,126 | $46.21 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $98,698 | $47.45 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $97,566 | $46.91 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $93,406 | $44.91 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $91,931 | $44.20 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $94,844 | $45.60 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $91,587 | $44.03 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $88,919 | $42.75 |
| 33 | Indiana | $89,109 | $42.84 |
| 34 | Ohio | $91,273 | $43.88 |
| 35 | Kansas | $86,572 | $41.62 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $85,556 | $41.13 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $92,105 | $44.28 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $89,513 | $43.04 |
| 39 | Illinois | $91,824 | $44.15 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $86,385 | $41.53 |
| 41 | Iowa | $89,194 | $42.88 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $95,700 | $46.01 |
| 43 | Colorado | $86,796 | $41.73 |
| 44 | Alabama | $86,997 | $41.83 |
| 45 | Missouri | $85,758 | $41.23 |
| 46 | Georgia | $88,802 | $42.69 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $83,829 | $40.30 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $82,111 | $39.48 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $77,162 | $37.10 |
| 50 | Florida | $88,182 | $42.40 |
| 51 | Maine | $85,438 | $41.08 |
Highest paying cities for lead software quality assurances
The highest-paying cities for lead software quality assurances are San Francisco, CA, Hillsboro, OR, and Bellevue, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $139,119 | $66.88 |
| 2 | Hillsboro, OR | $127,806 | $61.45 |
| 3 | Bellevue, WA | $125,607 | $60.39 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $109,630 | $52.71 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $99,812 | $47.99 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $99,308 | $47.74 |
| 7 | Piscataway, NJ | $98,634 | $47.42 |
| 8 | Norwalk, CT | $97,680 | $46.96 |
| 9 | Richfield, MN | $94,852 | $45.60 |
| 10 | Erie, PA | $94,418 | $45.39 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $94,194 | $45.29 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $92,063 | $44.26 |
| 13 | Huntersville, NC | $90,942 | $43.72 |
| 14 | Dublin, OH | $90,912 | $43.71 |
| 15 | Alpharetta, GA | $88,860 | $42.72 |
| 16 | Lakeland, FL | $88,783 | $42.68 |
| 17 | Madison, WI | $88,628 | $42.61 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $86,775 | $41.72 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $86,309 | $41.49 |
Lead software quality assurance salary details
A lead software quality assurance's salary ranges from $82,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $138,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead software quality assurance's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $138,000 | $11,500 | $66 |
| 75th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| Average | $107,134 | $8,928 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
Highest paying lead software quality assurance jobs
The highest paying types of lead software quality assurances are software engineer lead, lead software developer, and engineer lead quality assurance lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer Lead | $125,565 | $10,464 | $60.37 | 342,462 |
| Quality Analyst | $71,957 | $5,996 | $34.59 | 110,980 |
| Software Tester | $78,580 | $6,548 | $37.78 | 208,853 |
| Software Analyst | $78,400 | $6,533 | $37.69 | 274,053 |
| Quality Assurance Team Leader | $97,476 | $8,123 | $46.86 | 131,886 |
| Quality Assurance Consultant | $86,486 | $7,207 | $41.58 | 91,395 |
Top companies hiring lead software quality assurances now:
Which companies pay lead software quality assurances the most?
Lead software quality assurance salaries at Apple and Fortinet are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead software quality assurance salary at companies like Smartling and Lifesize are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $145,773 | $70.08 |
| 2 | Fortinet | $135,471 | $65.13 |
| 3 | Smartling | $134,715 | $64.77 |
| 4 | Lifesize | $127,505 | $61.30 |
| 5 | Medidata | $125,035 | $60.11 |
| 6 | CyberCoders | $122,067 | $58.69 |
| 7 | Magic Leap | $121,336 | $58.33 |
| 8 | Keynote Systems | $121,113 | $58.23 |
| 9 | Kwik Trip | $120,936 | $58.14 |
| 10 | Dice | $118,300 | $56.88 |
| 11 | Green Dot | $118,280 | $56.87 |
| 12 | My Florida Regional Mls | $116,655 | $56.08 |
| 13 | CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield | $116,023 | $55.78 |
| 14 | Selective Insurance | $114,699 | $55.14 |
| 15 | Nike | $114,614 | $55.10 |
| 16 | General Electric | $114,477 | $55.04 |
| 17 | KANA Software | $113,922 | $54.77 |
| 18 | State Street | $113,395 | $54.52 |
| 19 | Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display) | $113,104 | $54.38 |
| 20 | Charles Schwab | $112,758 | $54.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead Software Quality Assurance salary by industry
The average lead software quality assurance salary varies across industries:
- The average lead software quality assurance salary in the telecommunication industry is $106,422, the highest of any industry.
- The average lead software quality assurance salary in the finance industry is $105,823.
- Lead software quality assurances in the professional industry earn an average salary of $92,170, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lead software quality assurances
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunication | $106,422 | $51.16 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $105,823 | $50.88 |
| 3 | Technology | $102,545 | $49.30 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $101,437 | $48.77 |
| 5 | Health Care | $101,389 | $48.74 |
| 6 | Professional | $92,170 | $44.31 |
High paying lead software quality assurance jobs
Lead software quality assurance salary trends
The average lead software quality assurance salary has risen by $17,537 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead software quality assurance earned $89,597 annually, but today, they earn $107,134 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for lead software quality assurances over the last decade.
Compare lead software quality assurance salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead software quality assurance salary over time
Compare lead software quality assurance salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead software quality assurance salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $107,000 | $51.51 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $104,000 | $49.81 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $101,000 | $48.68 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $99,300 | $47.73 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $97,000 | $46.65 | +1.5% |
Recently added lead software quality assurance salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadridge | Lead Software Quality Assurance Engineer (Hybrid-Flexible Options) | Newark, NJ | 06/20/2025 | $130,000 |
| Regions Bank | Software Quality Assurance Lead | Hoover, AL | 06/20/2025 | $88,675 |
| Kohler | Software QA Lead-Kohler Ventures | New York, NY | 06/14/2025 | $147,204 |
| Kohler Co | Software QA Lead-Kohler Ventures | Palo Alto, CA | 06/13/2025 | $164,970 |
| Life Fitness | Software QA Lead | Franklin Park, IL | 05/19/2025 | $90,500 |
| State Street | Software Quality Assurance Lead | Boston, MA | 03/30/2025 | $139,402 |
| Telus International Digital Solutions LLC | Software Quality Assurance Project Lead | Philadelphia, PA | 03/20/2025 | $102,814 |
| Hexaware Technologies, Inc. | Software QA Lead | Plano, TX | 03/10/2025 | $86,923 |
| Zentest Software LLC | Software QA Lead | Overland, MO | 02/28/2025 | $130,000 |
| Broadridge | Lead Software QA Engineer (Hybrid) | Fine, NY | 02/27/2025 | $115,000 |
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