US QA hiring cools 11% in a month, but the weekly pace is barely off its high
New QA and test postings fell from 1,012 to 900 over 30 days, yet week to week the market has stayed close to its September peak. RTX's new postings dropped the hardest.
The middle posted range across all levels. 54% of open roles post their pay.
1,164 roles with yearly payof open roles are at employers with recent US H-1B visa filings. Apple, Leidos, Capgemini and Amazon are on the list.
US H-1B filings, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 14% ask for 10 years or more.
78% of open roles state yearsThis week's read
There are 2,154 open QA and test engineer roles in the US right now, spread across 937 companies. New postings in the last 30 days came to 900, down from 1,012 the month before, an 11% drop. But look at the week by week line and it tells a steadier story: the week of 26 October brought 259 new roles, only just below the 261 posted in the peak week back in mid September.
Not every employer is holding steady. RTX's new postings fell from 48 to 15 in a month, a 69% drop, the sharpest move among the big employers here. Apple also slowed, down 19% in new postings even though it still has the most open roles of anyone, 69. Leidos was nearly flat, down 3%, and Northrop Grumman did not move at all, 37 new roles in both windows.
This is not an easy market to break into. The median minimum experience asked is 5 years, and 14% of postings want 10 years or more. Only 6% of open roles are labeled junior, against 55% mid level, 19% senior, 12% principal and 8% lead. If you are early in your career, the title mix alone tells you where the competition is.
Pay is posted on 54% of open roles, and it moves a lot by level. Mid level roles typically run $92k to $145k, senior and lead roles $120k to $166k, principal and staff $131k to $198k, and director roles $162k to $223k. Across all levels together the typical range is $106k to $160k, so knowing your level matters before you look at any single number.
On the skills side, Python shows up in 46% of postings, well ahead of Linux at 21%, Java at 19% and Selenium at 18%. Agile is named in 32% of postings and Jira in 24%. Remote work is scarce, just 7% of roles. On sponsorship, 39% of open roles sit at employers with recent H-1B filings, a list that includes Apple, Leidos, Capgemini, Amazon, NVIDIA and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Expect a real experience bar
The median minimum asked is 5 years, and junior-labeled roles are only 6% of postings. If you are early career, expect more competition for fewer openings at that level.
- Check pay by level, not overall
The posted range splits wide by level: mid level is typically $92k to $145k, senior and lead $120k to $166k, principal and staff up to $198k. Match your target to your level before negotiating.
- If you need sponsorship, check the list
39% of open roles sit at employers with recent H-1B filings, including Apple, Leidos, Capgemini, Amazon, NVIDIA and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Worth checking before you apply if sponsorship matters to you.
Pay
What QA roles in the United States pay, by level
The middle (median) of the pay ranges employers post. Read each bar from the typical low end to the typical high end of a posting. 54% of open roles post their pay.
See the numbers
| Level | Roles with pay | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | 24 | $162k | $223k |
| Principal / Staff | 132 | $131k | $198k |
| Senior / Lead | 354 | $120k | $166k |
| Mid level | 654 | $92k | $145k |
Yearly USD ranges only (hourly pay and other currencies are left out). Level is read from the job title.
Momentum
New QA roles each week
Last 30 days: 900 new roles, against 1,012 the 30 days before (-11%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 250 |
| 14 Sep | 261 |
| 21 Sep | 231 |
| 28 Sep | 257 |
| 5 Oct | 231 |
| 12 Oct | 214 |
| 19 Oct | 254 |
| 26 Oct | 259 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open QA roles
937 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 14% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | H-1B filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 69 | -19% | On the list |
| Leidos | 52 | -3% | On the list |
| Capgemini | 46 | On the list | |
| Northrop Grumman | 45 | 0% | |
| Amazon | 30 | On the list | |
| Anduril | 24 | ||
| NVIDIA | 23 | On the list | |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise | 22 | On the list |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology QA roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 2,032 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Defense 6%, Manufacturing 5%, Robotics 5%. Certifications named: ISTQB 4%, CompTIA Security+ 2%, Certified Software Test Engineer 1%. 7% of open roles say they are remote.
Cite this report