Mid-level QA engineer cost
Mid-level means 2-5 years of experience. Median total annual employer cost, USD.
Across 8 published combinations, the median total for a mid-level QA hire runs from USD 21,444Confidence B (Manual QA engineer, Mexico) to USD 135,206Confidence B (Test automation engineer, Israel).
By country and role
| Country | Manual QA engineer | Test automation engineer |
|---|---|---|
| United States | USD 107,256Confidence B | n/p |
| Mexico | USD 21,444Confidence B | n/p |
| Germany | USD 70,309Confidence B | n/p |
| Spain | USD 50,666Confidence B | n/p |
| Portugal | USD 37,331Confidence B | n/p |
| Norway | USD 78,388Confidence B | n/p |
| Israel | n/p | USD 135,206Confidence B |
| South Africa | USD 23,169Confidence B | n/p |
n/p: not published, below the source threshold.
The letter after each figure is its confidence grade (A, B or C, from the number and agreement of the sources); how grades work.
Sources: in the source list on this page, and next to each figure on the linked breakdown pages.
Sources
- Built In. 2026 QA Engineer Salary in US | Built In
- Internal Revenue Service. Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. United States - Corporate - Other taxes
- Internal Revenue Service. Topic no. 759, Form 940, Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return
- U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. UI Data Summary, 2nd Quarter 2026 Summary Tables
- Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. Oregon Workers' Compensation Premium Rate Ranking (rates in effect January 1, 2024)
- U.S. Department of Labor. Vacation Leave
- Apple. Buy MacBook Air
- Apple. Buy MacBook Pro
- Testing tool list price (vendor not named)
- Testing tool list price (vendor not named)
- Linear. Linear pricing
- Manatal. Recruitment fees (agency fee guide)
- Apollo Technical. What is a placement fee for engineering hiring
- HeroHunt.ai. True Cost to Hire an AI Engineer in 2026
- Talently. Salario de un QA en México
- ERI SalaryExpert. QA Tester Salary in Mexico (2026) - ERI SalaryExpert
- El Contribuyente. Cuotas Obrero Patronales 2026
- Praxium Consultores. Cuotas IMSS obrero patronales 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Mexico - Corporate - Other taxes
- Forvis Mazars Mexico. Incremento al Impuesto sobre Nomina en la CDMX para 2025
- Gobierno de Mexico (Camara de Diputados text). Ley Federal del Trabajo (texto con ultima reforma DOF 12-06-2015)
- Remote. Employment in Mexico
- BHR Mexico (accounting and legal firm). Reforma en Materia de Vacaciones Dignas
- European Central Bank. Euro foreign exchange reference rates
- Deutsche Rentenversicherung Knappschaft-Bahn-See. Sozialversicherungsrechengrößen 2026
- Die Bundesregierung. Rechengrößen in der Sozialversicherung
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Germany - Individual - Other taxes
- Techniker Krankenkasse. Die Insolvenzgeldumlage 2026
- Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft (VBG). Gefahrtarif 2022
- Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft (VBG), hosted by Steuerberaterkammer Stuttgart. Verbandsrundschreiben zu den Beiträgen 2025 und den Beitragsvorschüssen 2026 (VBG, 08.04.2026)
- BARMER. Umlage- und Erstattungssätze
- DAK-Gesundheit. Umlage: Wie hoch sind die Umlagesätze U1 und U2?
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Bundesurlaubsgesetz § 3 Dauer des Urlaubs
- Deutscher Bundestag. Bundestag Drucksache 20/3615 (answer on statutory public holidays)
- Seguridad Social (TGSS). Bases y tipos de cotización 2026
- conversoriaecnae.es (reproduces D.A. 61ª TRLGSS, Cuadro I). Tarifas de cotización AT/EP - CNAE 62 Programación, consultoría y otras actividades relacionadas con la informática
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Spain - Individual - Other taxes
- Boletín Oficial del Estado. Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2015, texto refundido de la Ley del Estatuto de los Trabajadores
- ERI SalaryExpert. QA Engineer Salary in Portugal (2026) - ERI SalaryExpert
- Segurança Social. Trabalhadores por conta de outrem - seg-social.pt
- Diário da República. Código dos Regimes Contributivos do Sistema Previdencial de Segurança Social
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Portugal - Individual - Other taxes
- Procuradoria-Geral Regional de Lisboa (consolidated legislation). Código do Trabalho, Artigo 263.º Subsídio de Natal
- Procuradoria-Geral Regional de Lisboa (consolidated legislation). Código do Trabalho, Artigo 264.º Retribuição do período de férias e subsídio
- ERI SalaryExpert. Software Test Engineer Salary in Norway (2026) - SalaryExpert
- Skatteetaten. Arbeidsgiveravgift - satser 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Norway - Individual - Other taxes
- Lovdata. Lov om ferie (ferieloven)
- Ethosia. טבלאות וסקרי שכר - אתוסיה
- Drushim (data: Jobinfo). טבלאות שכר 2026 תוכנה - SOFTWARE
- Recruiter salary guide (not named)
- National Insurance Institute of Israel (Bituach Leumi). Insurance contribution rates for salaried employees
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Israel - Individual - Other taxes
- Government of Israel (gov.il). SEC version A (When Employer is the PWD) - Hebrew - English - 2026
- National Insurance Institute of Israel (Bituach Leumi). Average Wage under article 1,2 of National Insurance Law
- WorkMotion. Israel employment guide
- Ministry of Labor (gov.il). Provisions for Severance Pay
- Barnea Jaffa Lande Law Offices. Update for Employers: Increase in Israeli Convalescence Pay Rate
- Testing tool list price (vendor not named)
- Testing tool list price (vendor not named)
- Testing tool list price (vendor not named)
- SalaryExpert (ERI). Test Analyst Salary in South Africa (2026) - SalaryExpert
- South African Revenue Service. Unemployment Insurance Fund
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. South Africa - Individual - Other taxes
- South African Revenue Service. Skills Development Levy
- Department of Employment and Labour, Government Gazette (gov.za). Correction of the Regulations on Compensation Fund's Employer Assessment Model (Schedule A: Tariffs of Assessment), Government Gazette No. 44409
- Department of Employment and Labour, Government Gazette (gov.za). Maximum amount of earnings and minimum assessment on which the assessment of an employer shall be calculated (General Notice 3910, Government Gazette No. 54577)
- SimplePay. COID ROE Annual Limit Increase
- South African Government (gov.za). Public holidays in South Africa
Formula v1.0How each component is computed
version: 1.0
total_annual_cost =
base_salary
+ employer_contributions # statutory rates applied to base with caps; per country
+ mandatory_benefits # 13th or 14th salary, paid leave value above base, mandatory insurance; per country
+ voluntary_benefits # health, pension top-up, meal and transport; market survey medians per country and level; shown as a separate line
+ equipment_and_tooling # laptop amortised over 3 years, licences, test devices for mobile roles; per level and role
+ recruiting_cost_amortised # recruiting cost / expected tenure years; per country, role and model
+ onboarding_ramp # ramp_weeks x weekly cost x (1 - productivity_factor); per level
first_year_cost = total_annual_cost - recruiting_cost_amortised + recruiting_cost - onboarding_ramp_amortised + onboarding_ramp
monthly_cost = total_annual_cost / 12
hourly_equivalent = total_annual_cost / productive_hours
# Defaults (overridable per country in data with a source)
expected_tenure_years: 2.5
productive_hours: 1,700 per year, adjusted by statutory paid leave per country
ramp_weeks: junior 10, mid 6, senior 4
productivity_factor_during_ramp: 0.5
equipment_amortisation_years: 3
# Hiring models
employee: full formula
contractor: contractor_rate x hours + platform_or_eor_fee; no employer_contributions, no mandatory_benefits unless the EOR passes them through (sourced); recruiting as for employee; ramp as for employee
outsourced: published vendor monthly or hourly rate per role and region; no recruiting, no ramp, no equipment; show typical minimum engagement from sources
# Output per combination
p25, median, p75 for each component and for the totals, in local currency and USD at fx.json date; confidence grade; source ids; computedOnFormula v1.0
version: 1.0
total_annual_cost =
base_salary
+ employer_contributions # statutory rates applied to base with caps; per country
+ mandatory_benefits # 13th or 14th salary, paid leave value above base, mandatory insurance; per country
+ voluntary_benefits # health, pension top-up, meal and transport; market survey medians per country and level; shown as a separate line
+ equipment_and_tooling # laptop amortised over 3 years, licences, test devices for mobile roles; per level and role
+ recruiting_cost_amortised # recruiting cost / expected tenure years; per country, role and model
+ onboarding_ramp # ramp_weeks x weekly cost x (1 - productivity_factor); per level
first_year_cost = total_annual_cost - recruiting_cost_amortised + recruiting_cost - onboarding_ramp_amortised + onboarding_ramp
monthly_cost = total_annual_cost / 12
hourly_equivalent = total_annual_cost / productive_hours
# Defaults (overridable per country in data with a source)
expected_tenure_years: 2.5
productive_hours: 1,700 per year, adjusted by statutory paid leave per country
ramp_weeks: junior 10, mid 6, senior 4
productivity_factor_during_ramp: 0.5
equipment_amortisation_years: 3
# Hiring models
employee: full formula
contractor: contractor_rate x hours + platform_or_eor_fee; no employer_contributions, no mandatory_benefits unless the EOR passes them through (sourced); recruiting as for employee; ramp as for employee
outsourced: published vendor monthly or hourly rate per role and region; no recruiting, no ramp, no equipment; show typical minimum engagement from sources
# Output per combination
p25, median, p75 for each component and for the totals, in local currency and USD at fx.json date; confidence grade; source ids; computedOn