Salary · India LPA
QA Engineer salary in India
QA pay splits manual vs SDET automation. API + UI automation with CI integration earns toward the top of each band; pure manual testing in services sits at the floor.
LPA bands by experience
Ranges reflect mixed services + product hiring — not top-decile outliers or internship stipends.
| Experience | Typical fixed CTC band |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | 3–7 LPA |
| 3–5 years | 6–12 LPA |
| 5–8 years | 10–18 LPA |
City and remote notes
- Bengaluru (BLR): product SDET roles modestly above national mid
- Hyderabad (HYD): services-heavy; often at mid
- NCR (Delhi NCR): BFSI testing pays toward upper band for automation depth
- Pune: IT services cluster; national mid typical
- Remote (India): remote SDET for SaaS can beat local services bands
Negotiation tip
If the JD is SDET, anchor on automation framework and CI ownership — manual-only profiles get manual-only bands even with the same years listed on Naukri.
Related reading: Salary negotiation in India · SDE salary by YOE
FAQ
What is QA Engineer salary in India?
Rough bands: 0–2 YOE 3–7 LPA, 3–5 YOE 6–12 LPA, 5–8 YOE 10–18 LPA. SDET/automation toward the top; manual-only toward the bottom.
Does Selenium vs Playwright matter for pay?
Only through the JD. Employers hiring Playwright/Cypress often pay product-tier SDET bands; legacy Selenium services roles cluster lower.
How do QA professionals negotiate?
Show release-blocking bugs caught, automation coverage, and flaky-test fixes. Ask for SDET title alignment if you will own the framework, not just execute cases.