Outsourcing vs in-house QA cost in the United Kingdom
Middle Manual QA Engineer: in-house fully loaded cost (salary plus employer contributions, equipment, tools and recruiting spread over tenure) $42 per productive hour (weekly hours divided by 5, times 260 weekdays minus paid leave and public holidays); outsourced median (the middle value of the weighted observations) under the Hourly (time and materials) model $79; the outsourced median is above the in-house figure by $37 per hour, or 89%.
| Line | USD per year |
|---|---|
| Median annual base salary | $56,276 |
| Employer contributions | $9,117 |
| Equipment | $631 |
| Test tools per seat | $438 |
| Recruiting spread over 3 years | $3,752 |
| Total | $70,213 |
| Productive hours per year | 1,680 |
Assumed tenure for recruiting cost: 3 years. Salary converted to USD at the quarter-to-date mean FX rate, latest rate date 2026-10-16.
The overhead line that moves the comparison most
The largest overhead line is employer contributions: $9,117 per year, or $5 per productive hour.
Sources
- job-board IT Jobs Watch. Test Analyst Job Trends, Salaries & Skill Sets | IT Jobs Watch. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-sal-united-kingdom-002
- job-board Indeed. Test analyst salary in United Kingdom. Published 2026-10-11, verified . ev-sal-united-kingdom-012
- survey Morgan McKinley. QA / Test Engineer Salaries In London | Morgan McKinley 2026 Salary Guide. Published 2026-01-01, verified . ev-sal-united-kingdom-019
- fx European Central Bank. ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates (SDMX EXR). Published 2026-10-16, verified . ev-fx-2026-q4-gbp
- survey Compono. Employer on-costs: UK vs US (2026) | Compono. Published 2026-07-01, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-001
- survey RemotePass. United Kingdom - RemotePass. Published 2026-06-18, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-009
- statutory HM Revenue & Customs. Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 - GOV.UK. Published 2026-09-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-001
- statutory HM Revenue & Customs. Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 - GOV.UK. Published 2026-09-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-002
- statutory GOV.UK (Cabinet Office / Government Digital Service). Workplace pensions: What you, your employer and the government pay - GOV.UK. Published 2026-09-30, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-003
- statutory GOV.UK (Department for Business and Trade content). Holiday entitlement - GOV.UK. Published 2026-10-16, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-010
- survey Boundless. Hire and Pay Employees in the United Kingdom | Boundless. Published 2026-05-06, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-011
- survey RemotePass. United Kingdom - RemotePass. Published 2026-06-18, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-012
- survey RemotePass. United Kingdom - RemotePass. Published 2026-06-18, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-014
- survey Boundless. Hire and Pay Employees in the United Kingdom | Boundless. Published 2026-05-06, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-015
- survey Rivermate. United Kingdom Employer of Record - Hiring Guide for 2026. Published 2026-09-28, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-003
- survey Sage UK. How many working hours in a year UK 2026 | Sage UK. Published 2026-05-20, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-004
- survey Statista. UK average working hours 2026 | Statista. Published 2026-08-18, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-005
- survey RemotePass. United Kingdom - RemotePass. Published 2026-06-18, verified . ev-ovh-united-kingdom-019
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card; vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-ovh-global-001
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card; vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-ovh-global-002
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card; vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-ovh-global-003
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card; vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-ovh-global-004
- survey Page published by a QA or staffing vendor; vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-10-13, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-008
- survey Pin. Recruitment Agency Commission Structures Explained - Pin. Published 2026-10-19, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-009
- survey Recruitly. Recruitment agency fees in 2026: what to charge your clients. Published 2026-02-12, verified . ev-ovh-gap2-010
- job-board IT Jobs Watch. Test Analyst Contract Job Trends, Contractor Rates & Skill Sets | IT Jobs Watch. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-001
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card (delivery country: United Kingdom); vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-01-26, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-016
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card (delivery country: United Kingdom); vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-01-01, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-018
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card (delivery country: United Kingdom); vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-01-01, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-023
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card (delivery country: United Kingdom); vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-01-19, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-029
Questions
What is the fully loaded hourly cost of an in-house QA engineer in the United Kingdom?
In-house fully loaded hourly cost for a Middle Manual QA Engineer: $42, over 1,680 productive hours per year.
What is the median outsourced QA rate in the United Kingdom?
Outsourced median (Hourly (time and materials)): $79 per hour.
How large is the difference between in-house and outsourced QA cost in the United Kingdom?
The outsourced median is above the in-house figure by $37 per hour, or 89% of the in-house figure.
What is the annual cost of an in-house QA engineer in the United Kingdom?
Annual in-house cost of a middle Manual QA Engineer: $70,213 (salary plus employer contributions, equipment, tools and recruiting).
How much does an employer pay in social contributions for a QA engineer in the United Kingdom?
Employer contributions: 16.2% of gross salary.
How many productive hours per year does an in-house QA engineer work in the United Kingdom?
Productive hours per year: 1,680.
Figures are medians of published observations converted to USD at the quarterly ECB reference rate shown in the footer. They describe market ranges on the verification date, not quotes. Monthly and annual figures assume the hours stated on this page. Confidence grades are defined on the methodology page. This site does not recommend providers.