Design and execute test plans to ensure software quality and reliability. Median salary in Raleigh: $105K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Raleigh, North Carolina. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
QA Engineers in Raleigh earn approximately 11% higher than the US national median for this role — a $10,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Raleigh's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Raleigh's cost-of-living index (102), the median QA Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $102,941 in a US-average-cost city. That's $7,941 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
This role is 68% remote-eligible nationally according to job-posting analysis, which significantly expands the job market for Raleigh-based QA Engineers. Many Raleigh professionals in this role are paid on the locality scale of their employer's HQ rather than Raleigh's local rate — verify which scale your offer references before negotiating.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $105K by 2030.
Enter your email for free access. We'll send salary market updates — unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
The median QA Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC is $105,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Raleigh–NC metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level QA Engineers in Raleigh with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $77,000 and $105,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $105,000 to $138,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $138,000 to $174,000 or more.
Raleigh has a cost of living index of 102 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Raleigh are close to the national average. North Carolina has a 4.75% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in CS or related. This role is 68% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Raleigh-based professionals.