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The average salary for a Quality Assurance Scientist stands at $68,108 per year. This figure represents the median earnings across various industries and locations in the United States. Factors that influence salary include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector in which a scientist works.
In states such as California and New York, salaries tend to be higher due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. For example, Quality Assurance Scientists in California can expect salaries upwards of $80,000, reflecting the state's competitive job market.
Industries like biotechnology and pharmaceuticals often offer higher salaries compared to other fields. Those working in these sectors may find themselves earning significantly more, with some positions exceeding $90,000 annually. Understanding the broader salary landscape can guide you in making informed career decisions and pursuing opportunities that align with your financial goals.
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The average quality assurance scientist salary in New York, New Hampshire, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average quality assurance scientist salary states are New Jersey, Missouri, and Utah.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $82,401 | $39.62 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $78,379 | $37.68 |
| 3 | New York | $84,920 | $40.83 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $79,095 | $38.03 |
| 5 | Vermont | $77,514 | $37.27 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $77,180 | $37.11 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $74,121 | $35.64 |
| 8 | Maine | $78,261 | $37.63 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $75,269 | $36.19 |
| 10 | Washington | $81,796 | $39.33 |
| 11 | Maryland | $76,508 | $36.78 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $89,441 | $43.00 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $75,494 | $36.30 |
| 14 | Virginia | $69,921 | $33.62 |
| 15 | California | $71,739 | $34.49 |
| 16 | Indiana | $66,259 | $31.86 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $68,591 | $32.98 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $66,756 | $32.09 |
| 19 | Colorado | $69,600 | $33.46 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $65,921 | $31.69 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $65,683 | $31.58 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $66,818 | $32.12 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $65,300 | $31.39 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $65,748 | $31.61 |
| 25 | Ohio | $64,170 | $30.85 |
| 26 | Montana | $66,409 | $31.93 |
| 27 | Texas | $65,068 | $31.28 |
| 28 | Georgia | $66,371 | $31.91 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $64,985 | $31.24 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $62,217 | $29.91 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $65,406 | $31.45 |
| 32 | Iowa | $63,444 | $30.50 |
| 33 | Illinois | $62,454 | $30.03 |
| 34 | Oregon | $61,348 | $29.49 |
| 35 | Alaska | $60,743 | $29.20 |
| 36 | Idaho | $62,351 | $29.98 |
| 37 | Michigan | $63,026 | $30.30 |
| 38 | Alabama | $62,978 | $30.28 |
| 39 | Arizona | $60,349 | $29.01 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $60,879 | $29.27 |
| 41 | Delaware | $51,197 | $24.61 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $63,578 | $30.57 |
| 43 | Utah | $51,251 | $24.64 |
| 44 | New Jersey | $51,555 | $24.79 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $56,716 | $27.27 |
| 46 | Florida | $56,425 | $27.13 |
| 47 | Kansas | $55,103 | $26.49 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $52,314 | $25.15 |
| 49 | Missouri | $51,370 | $24.70 |
| 50 | Nevada | $49,391 | $23.75 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $49,795 | $23.94 |
The highest-paying cities for quality assurance scientists are Central Islip, NY, Olympia, WA, and Alameda, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Islip, NY | $85,143 | $40.93 |
| 2 | Olympia, WA | $82,831 | $39.82 |
| 3 | Alameda, CA | $78,151 | $37.57 |
| 4 | Madison, WI | $77,961 | $37.48 |
| 5 | Gaithersburg, MD | $76,377 | $36.72 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $75,521 | $36.31 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $75,360 | $36.23 |
| 8 | Richmond, VA | $69,884 | $33.60 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $68,580 | $32.97 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $66,169 | $31.81 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $65,195 | $31.34 |
| 12 | San Juan, PR | $63,418 | $30.49 |
| 13 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,843 | $27.33 |
| 14 | Saint Louis, MO | $51,697 | $24.85 |
| 15 | Edison, NJ | $51,547 | $24.78 |
A quality assurance scientist's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $93,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 75th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| Average | $68,108 | $5,676 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
The highest paying types of quality assurance scientists are quality assurance manager, scientist, and research and development scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
| Quality Control Coordinator | $49,894 | $4,158 | $23.99 | 88,145 |
| Quality Control | $32,824 | $2,735 | $15.78 | 83,496 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
Top companies hiring quality assurance scientists now:
Quality assurance scientist salaries at Lantheus and Thermo Fisher Scientific are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average quality assurance scientist salary at companies like Los Alamos National Laboratory and Promega are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lantheus | $80,706 | $38.80 |
| 2 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $79,175 | $38.06 |
| 3 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $77,999 | $37.50 |
| 4 | Promega | $74,138 | $35.64 |
| 5 | Neutrogena | $73,916 | $35.54 |
| 6 | AECOM | $72,808 | $35.00 |
| 7 | Invagen Pharmaceuticals Inc. | $71,586 | $34.42 |
| 8 | Eurofins | $71,119 | $34.19 |
| 9 | BACHEM HOLDING | $70,268 | $33.78 |
| 10 | Fits Inc | $70,120 | $33.71 |
| 11 | Altria | $69,699 | $33.51 |
| 12 | Lilly & Company | $69,540 | $33.43 |
| 13 | Sigma-Aldrich | $69,016 | $33.18 |
| 14 | E. & J. Gallo Winery | $69,010 | $33.18 |
| 15 | FIT | $68,800 | $33.08 |
| 16 | Frito-Lay | $67,875 | $32.63 |
| 17 | Passy-Muir | $67,028 | $32.23 |
| 18 | Zoetis | $66,304 | $31.88 |
| 19 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $64,895 | $31.20 |
| 20 | Meridian Bioscience | $62,831 | $30.21 |
The average quality assurance scientist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $72,744 | $34.97 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $71,684 | $34.46 |
| 3 | Health Care | $69,815 | $33.56 |
| 4 | Retail | $66,819 | $32.12 |
The average quality assurance scientist salary has risen by $12,126 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average quality assurance scientist earned $55,982 annually, but today, they earn $68,108 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for quality assurance scientists over the last decade.
Compare quality assurance scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare quality assurance scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $68,100 | $32.74 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $65,600 | $31.55 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $64,500 | $31.00 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $62,400 | $30.02 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $59,800 | $28.74 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actalent | Quality Scientist | Jessup, MD | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| State of Colorado | Quality Assurance Scientist (Psrsi) | Boone, CO | 06/27/2025 | $67,668 |
| Firstcarbon Solutions | Air Quality Ceqa Scientist | Irvine, CA | 06/10/2025 | $60,000 |
| Lilly | Scientist-QA Floor Support | Indianapolis, IN | 05/13/2025 | $63,000 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | Scientist-QA Floor Support | Indianapolis, IN | 05/12/2025 | $63,000 |
| Firstcarbon Solutions | Air Quality Ceqa Scientist | Irvine, CA | 05/12/2025 | $60,000 |
| Master Elite Spice | Quality Scientist | Jessup, MD | 05/10/2025 | $37,566 |
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | Quality Scientist | Irvine, CA | 05/08/2025 | $86,300 |
| Sila Nanotechnologies | Quality Scientist | Moses Lake, WA | 04/28/2025 | $103,000 |
| Firstcarbon Solutions | Air Quality Ceqa Scientist | San Jose, CA | 04/28/2025 | $60,000 |
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