QA Tester salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a qa tester is $131,900 per annum, before tax, up $27,500 since 2018.
- What moves pay here is the type of testing and the sector.
- Testers who build automation, work in security or performance testing, or hold a security clearance sit higher than those doing manual checks only, and contract work pays a higher rate in exchange for no paid leave.
- Enterprise agreements in government and large financial services firms set their own bands.
The median salary rose by $27,500 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than qa tester
The largest typical pay rise is $8,300 a year, moving into Business Analyst.
- Business Analyst+$8,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher qa tester salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time qa tester salary is $131,900; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Software testing and QA and Data analysis tend to command a premium over general qa tester experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Business Analyst pays a typical $8,300 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
QA Tester salary questions
How much do qa testers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a qa tester is $131,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is qa tester pay rising or falling?
The median qa tester salary is up $27,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than qa tester?
Business Analyst pays a typical $8,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to qa tester.
Related salaries
- Software Engineer salary
- DevOps Engineer salary
- Business Analyst salary
- Network Engineer salary
- Systems Analyst salary
- IT Support Officer salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.