Cost of outsourced QA
A QA vendor bills an hourly rate, aggregated here for each region and role from at least three vendor rate pages, or one rate survey plus two vendor rate pages; vendors are not named. The figure is the rate times billed hours. Recruiting, ramp and equipment sit with the vendor and are not added.
Outsourced: included
- vendor hourly rate for billed hours
Outsourced: not included
- recruiting
- onboarding ramp
- equipment
- your own management time
Every published combination
| Country | Role | Level | Employee | Outsourced | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 19,071 | USD 79,200 | Confidence B |
| Canada | Test automation engineer | Senior | USD 81,946 | USD 211,200 | Confidence B |
| Colombia | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 37,154 | USD 79,200 | Confidence B |
| Germany | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 67,322 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Germany | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 70,309 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Germany | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 86,412 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Germany | Test automation engineer | Senior | USD 101,468 | USD 211,200 | Confidence B |
| Hungary | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 65,135 | USD 76,800 | Confidence B |
| India | QA lead | Senior | USD 17,713 | USD 63,840 | Confidence A |
| Ireland | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 52,576 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Ireland | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 75,255 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Ireland | Test automation engineer | Senior | USD 99,896 | USD 211,200 | Confidence B |
| Israel | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 113,635 | not published | Confidence B |
| Israel | Test automation engineer | Junior | USD 99,409 | not published | Confidence B |
| Israel | Test automation engineer | Mid-level | USD 135,206 | not published | Confidence B |
| Israel | Test automation engineer | Senior | USD 171,152 | not published | Confidence B |
| Mexico | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 17,402 | USD 79,200 | Confidence B |
| Mexico | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 21,444 | USD 79,200 | Confidence B |
| Mexico | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 31,572 | USD 79,200 | Confidence B |
| Norway | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 78,388 | not published | Confidence B |
| Norway | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 101,968 | not published | Confidence B |
| Philippines | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 8,847 | USD 48,000 | Confidence B |
| Portugal | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 37,331 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Singapore | Test automation engineer | Senior | USD 86,313 | USD 69,600 | Confidence B |
| South Africa | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 23,169 | not published | Confidence B |
| South Africa | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 33,271 | not published | Confidence B |
| Spain | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 36,704 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Spain | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 50,666 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| Switzerland | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 158,174 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| United Arab Emirates | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 38,668 | not published | Confidence B |
| United Kingdom | Security test engineer | Senior | USD 126,068 | not published | Confidence B |
| United States | Manual QA engineer | Junior | USD 85,626 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| United States | Manual QA engineer | Mid-level | USD 107,256 | USD 153,600 | Confidence B |
| United States | Test automation engineer | Senior | USD 136,985 | USD 211,200 | Confidence B |
| Vietnam | Manual QA engineer | Senior | USD 17,189 | USD 48,000 | Confidence B |
The outsourced cell reads not published for 10 of the 35 combinations, for these reasons:
- Israel, manual QA engineer (senior) and test automation engineer (junior, mid-level and senior): the Middle East region has fewer QA vendor rate sources than the threshold for every QA role (three vendor pages, or a rate survey plus two vendor pages).
- Norway, manual QA engineer (mid-level and senior): the Northern Europe region has fewer QA vendor rate sources than the threshold for every QA role (three vendor pages, or a rate survey plus two vendor pages).
- South Africa, manual QA engineer (mid-level and senior): the Africa region has fewer QA vendor rate sources than the threshold for every QA role (three vendor pages, or a rate survey plus two vendor pages).
- United Arab Emirates, manual QA engineer (senior): the Middle East region has fewer QA vendor rate sources than the threshold for every QA role (three vendor pages, or a rate survey plus two vendor pages).
- United Kingdom, security test engineer (senior): no QA vendor rate for the security test engineer role in the Western Europe region meets the threshold (three vendor pages, or a rate survey plus two vendor pages); in this region the threshold is met for manual QA engineer and test automation engineer.
The letter in the confidence column 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
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- Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada. Provisional Average Assessment Rates (last updated 13 December 2025)
- Government of Ontario. Your guide to the Employment Standards Act: Vacation
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- Departamento Administrativo de la Funcion Publica (Gestor Normativo). Ley 21 de 1982 (subsidio familiar)
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- StepStone. Junior Tester/in Gehälter Deutschland 2026
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- Deutscher Bundestag. Bundestag Drucksache 20/3615 (answer on statutory public holidays)
- StepStone. Senior QA Engineer Gehälter Deutschland 2026
- Recruiter salary guide (not named)
- ERI SalaryExpert. Software QA Tester Salary in Hungary (2025) - ERI SalaryExpert
- Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV). A szociális hozzájárulási adó (Közzétéve: 2026. 01. 16.)
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Hungary - Individual - Other taxes
- Wolters Kluwer Hungary (net.jogtar.hu, free consolidated statute text). 2012. évi I. törvény a munka törvénykönyvéről - Hatályos Jogszabályok Gyűjteménye
- AmbitionBox. Test Module Lead Salary in India
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- Indian Council of Medical Research (Government of India). Office Memorandum No. 16/29/2023/Admn: provisions relating to EPF contributions
- Employees' Provident Fund Organisation. Present rates of contribution by contribution accounts / administration accounts
- Employees' State Insurance Corporation. ESIC Contribution
- Employees' State Insurance Corporation. ESIC Coverage
- Government of Puducherry, Labour Department. The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and Rules, 1984
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Ireland - Individual - Other taxes
- Law Society of Ireland. Universal Social Charge and PRSI
- Department of Social Protection (gov.ie). Auto-enrolment retirement savings system for employers
- Mason Hayes & Curran. Auto-enrolment
- Law Reform Commission (Revised Acts, official consolidated statute text). Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, Section 19 (Revised Acts)
- Workplace Relations Commission. Public Holidays - Workplace Relations Commission
- HERO Recruitment. IT Salary Guide Ireland 2026 | HERO Recruitment
- 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
- Talently. Salario de un QA en México
- 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
- ERI SalaryExpert. QA Tester Salary in Mexico (2026) - ERI SalaryExpert
- Glassdoor. Sueldo: Senior Qa Tester en México 2025
- 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)
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- Grant Thornton Philippines. SSS implements revised contribution rates for 2025
- Triple i Consulting. SSS Contribution Table 2025: New Rates and How to Compute for Your Employees
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. PhilHealth Advisory No. 2025-0002
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0005 Premium Contribution Schedule (Revision 1)
- iScale Solutions. PhilHealth Contribution Guide 2026
- Home Development Mutual Fund (copy hosted by Grant Thornton). Pag-IBIG Fund Circular No. 460: Guidelines on the implementation of increase in the MFS effective February 2024
- Forvis Mazars Philippines. PAG-IBIG increases the Maximum Fund Salary and shares new monthly contribution rates in the Philippines
- Lawphil (statute text). Presidential Decree No. 851 (13th-month pay)
- 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
- Morgan McKinley. Automation Test Analyst Salaries Singapore: 2026 Salary Guide
- Central Provident Fund Board. How much CPF contributions to pay
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Singapore - Individual - Other taxes
- GoBusiness Singapore. About Skills Development Levy (SDL)
- Ministry of Manpower. Annual leave eligibility and entitlement
- data.gov.sg (Ministry of Manpower). Public Holidays for 2026
- 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
- Glassdoor. Sueldo: Junior Qa Tester (Abril, 2026)
- 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
- Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen (BSV). Schweizerische Sozialversicherungen - synoptische Tabelle der anwendbaren Beitrags- und Prämiensätze, Stand 1.1.2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Switzerland - Individual - Other taxes
- ch.ch (Swiss Confederation, cantons and communes). Holidays and public holidays
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. United Arab Emirates - Individual - Other taxes
- General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA). GPSSA explains how contributions are calculated in accordance to the applicable law
- National Bank of Ukraine. Official hryvnia exchange rate against foreign currencies
- National Bank of Georgia. Official exchange rates of the lari
- HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK). Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. United Kingdom - Individual - Other taxes
- Department for Work and Pensions (GOV.UK). Review of the Automatic Enrolment Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band for 2026/27
- GOV.UK. Holiday entitlement
- GOV.UK. UK bank holidays
- Built In. 2026 QA Engineer Salary in US | Built In
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- 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
- ZipRecruiter. Senior Qa Automation Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate (USA)
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. Vietnam - Individual - Other taxes
- Rödl & Partner. Vietnam: increase of statutory base salary
- Vietnam Briefing (Dezan Shira & Associates). Vietnam Raises Statutory Basic Salary From July 2026: Implications for Employers
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- QA vendor rate page (vendor not named)
- QA vendor rate page (vendor not named)
- QA vendor rate page (vendor not named)
- QA vendor rate page (vendor not named)
- QA vendor rate page (vendor not named)
- QA vendor rate page (vendor not named)
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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; computedOnQuestions
- Which model costs less?
- The table shows the median total of each model for every published combination, and reads not published where a model's figure does not meet the source threshold; the reasons are listed under the table. The models include different items, so a lower figure can mean fewer items included. The outsourced column follows the included and not-included lists above, and the employee column follows the lists on the full-time employee model page; where a country's lists differ, the difference is listed under them.