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2026 Salary — Missouri
Updated April 29, 2026

QA Engineer Salary in Missouri: $86K Median

QA Engineers in Missouri earn between $56K and $141K per year.

That's -7% below the US national median.

Quick Answer

As of April 2026, the median QA Engineer salary in Missouri is $85,560 per year — -7% below the US national median of $92,000. Salaries range from $55,614 (entry, 25th percentile) to $141,174 (90th percentile). Missouri's cost-of-living index is 89. State income tax applies.

Median
$85,560
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$66,737
Experienced
$112,939
Top 10%
$141,174

About QA Engineers in Missouri

QA engineers ensure software quality through automated and manual testing. They build test frameworks, write integration tests, and prevent regressions from reaching production.

Hot 2026 Skills

PlaywrightCypressAPI testingCI/CD test pipelinesAI-assisted testingperformance testing

ATS Keywords

SeleniumCypressPlaywrighttest automationJIRACI/CDAPI testingPostmanregression testingagile

QA Engineer Salary in Missouri Metros

Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay calculator.

CityMedian
Kansas City$87,400

How to Negotiate Your QA Engineer Salary in Missouri

Walk-away anchor: $74,400.

Leverage Points

  • Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
  • Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
  • Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
  • Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems

Negotiate Beyond Base

Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years

QA Engineer Salary FAQ — Missouri

What is the average QA Engineer salary in Missouri?
The average QA Engineer salary in Missouri is $85,560 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $55,614 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $141,174 (90th percentile). State income tax applies.
How does QA Engineer pay in Missouri compare to the US average?
QA Engineers in Missouri earn approximately 7% less than the US national median ($92,000 nationally vs $85,560 in Missouri). Missouri's cost-of-living index of 89 amplifies the real purchasing power.
Did QA Engineer salaries in Missouri increase in 2026?
Yes — QA Engineer salaries in Missouri grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $13,800 in 2025 to $85,560 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by Playwright and Cypress demand.
Which Missouri cities pay QA Engineers the most?
Top-paying Missouri metros for QA Engineers: Kansas City ($87K). Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay.
What's the job outlook for QA Engineers in Missouri?
QA engineer roles projected to grow 10% through 2034. Shift-left testing and test automation skills commanding premiums. Missouri's top industries include Logistics, Healthcare, Finance, and the state's unemployment rate is 3.5% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
Does Missouri have state income tax?
Yes, Missouri has state income tax. This affects take-home pay — at $85,560, expect 4-7% effective state tax depending on filing status. See city pages for detailed take-home calculations.
What skills are most in demand for QA Engineers in 2026?
Hottest 2026 skills: Playwright, Cypress, API testing, CI/CD test pipelines, AI-assisted testing, performance testing. ATS systems specifically scan for these. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — improves your match rate with Missouri employers.
How can I increase my QA Engineer salary in Missouri?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Beyond base, negotiate: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance. Walk-away anchor for Missouri: $74,400.

Methodology

Missouri QA Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($92,000) adjusted by Missouri's state multiplier (0.93×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.

QA Engineer Salary in Other States

Alabama$81KAlaska$97KArizona$90KArkansas$78KCalifornia$109KColorado$97KConnecticut$103KDelaware$94K

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