QA Engineer Salary in India 2026
Complete salary guide with in-hand calculations, career growth, and negotiation tips
Last Updated: January 2026 | FY 2025-26
Salary Overview
Entry Level
₹3.5 LPA
0-1 years
Mid Level
₹10 LPA
3-5 years
Senior Level
₹50 LPA
12+ years
Overview
QA Engineers ensure software quality through testing and automation. The role has evolved from manual testing to automation engineering, with modern QA Engineers writing code and building test frameworks.
In 2026, Automation Engineers and SDETs (Software Development Engineers in Test) command significantly higher salaries than manual testers. Expertise in test automation frameworks and CI/CD integration is essential.
QA Engineer Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Salary Range | Average CTC | Monthly In-Hand* | Typical Roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fresher 0-1 years | ₹2.5 LPA - ₹5 LPA | ₹3.5 LPA | ₹24,765 | QA Engineer, Test Engineer |
Junior 1-3 years | ₹4 LPA - ₹9 LPA | ₹6 LPA | ₹41,841 | QA Engineer, Automation Engineer |
Mid-Level 3-5 years | ₹7 LPA - ₹15 LPA | ₹10 LPA | ₹68,174 | Senior QA Engineer, SDET |
Senior 5-8 years | ₹12 LPA - ₹25 LPA | ₹18 LPA | ₹1,15,443 | Lead QA Engineer, Senior SDET |
Lead/Manager 8-12 years | ₹20 LPA - ₹40 LPA | ₹28 LPA | ₹1,62,957 | QA Manager, Test Architect |
Director 12+ years | ₹35 LPA - ₹80 LPA | ₹50 LPA | ₹2,67,489 | Director of QA, VP Quality Engineering |
*Monthly in-hand calculated using New Tax Regime (FY 2025-26) with standard assumptions.Use our calculator for personalized calculations.
Quick In-Hand Salary Reference
See exact take-home salary for common QA Engineer CTC packages:
Top Companies Hiring QA Engineers
Key Skills Required
- ✓Selenium/Cypress/Playwright
- ✓Java/Python/JavaScript
- ✓API Testing (Postman, REST Assured)
- ✓CI/CD Integration
- ✓Performance Testing
- ✓SQL
- ✓Git
- ✓Agile/Scrum
Valuable Certifications
- 📜ISTQB Foundation
- 📜ISTQB Advanced
- 📜Selenium Certification
- 📜AWS DevOps
- 📜Scrum Master
Career Progression
📈 Industry Trends 2025
Manual testing roles declining rapidly. Automation and SDET roles growing. AI-powered testing tools emerging. Shift-left testing and DevOps integration are key. API and performance testing skills highly valued.
Factors Affecting QA Engineer Salary
💡 Salary Negotiation Tips
- •Highlight automation coverage improvements
- •Showcase CI/CD integration experience
- •SDET experience commands premium
- •Framework building experience is valuable
- •Consider transitioning to pure development if interested
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average QA Engineer salary in India?
QA Engineers earn ₹3.5-28 LPA in India. Manual testers earn less (₹3-10 LPA). Automation/SDET earn ₹8-28 LPA at senior levels.
Manual Testing vs Automation salary?
Automation Engineers earn 50-100% more than manual testers. SDET roles command even higher salaries.
Is QA a good career in 2026?
Yes, but only for automation/SDET roles. Manual testing opportunities are declining. Learn programming and automation to stay relevant.
Can QA Engineers become developers?
Yes, common transition especially for SDETs. Many QA-to-Dev transitions happen, particularly in test framework development.
Which automation tool pays the most?
Playwright and Cypress are trending. Selenium still dominant but basics expected. API automation (REST Assured) and performance testing (k6, Gatling) add premium.
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