Bottom quarter
$131K
Software QA Engineering Salary in San Diego
What you should make. What you should ask for. Calculated from 1M+ data points, refreshed monthly.
Median
$164K
Top quarter
$206K
Top 10%
$249K
Adjusted for San Diego at 1.13× the national baseline. See the math →
What this number means.
Software QA Engineering in San Diego pulls a median of $163,850 at mid-career, with a top-quartile band reaching $205,660 and the top 10% at $248,600. San Diego's cost-of-living tilt is 1.13× — the band reflects that. The gap between the middle of the market and the top quarter is real money — at this role, $41,810 a year. Ask for it.
How to negotiate this
- Anchor$205,660 — the top-quartile number. This is the number you say first.
- Target$184,755 — where a fair counter lands. Above the median, below the anchor.
- Floor$163,850 — below this, you're underpaid. Walking away gets cheaper than staying.
Carry the math. Not the maybe.
AMMO is the corner man for the conversation that decides your year. Real pay data, an offer grader, and counter language drafted from your numbers. Get on the list before iOS launch.
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Software QA Engineering elsewhere
Adjacent metros
Read how these numbers are computed →
Numbers are estimates. Your offer depends on the company, the level, the stock piece, and the conversation you're about to have. AMMO is a tool. You are the negotiator.