Outsourcing vs in-house QA cost in the United States
Middle Manual QA Engineer: in-house fully loaded cost (salary plus employer contributions, equipment, tools and recruiting spread over tenure) $51 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 $104; the outsourced median is above the in-house figure by $53 per hour, or 103%.
| Line | USD per year |
|---|---|
| Median annual base salary | $88,317 |
| Employer contributions | $6,756 |
| Equipment | $631 |
| Test tools per seat | $438 |
| Recruiting spread over 3 years | $5,888 |
| Total | $102,030 |
| Productive hours per year | 1,992 |
Assumed tenure for recruiting cost: 3 years.
The overhead line that moves the comparison most
The largest overhead line is employer contributions: $6,756 per year, or $3 per productive hour.
Sources
- survey Motion Recruitment (a Kelly company). Motion Recruitment Tech Salary Guide 2026 (United States). Published 2025-12-22, verified . ev-sal-united-states-002
- survey Robert Half. QA Analyst Salary (Updated for 2027) | Robert Half. Published 2026-10-01, verified . ev-sal-united-states-014
- job-board Payscale. Test / Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer (Computer Software) Salary in 2026 | PayScale. Published 2026-06-07, verified . ev-sal-united-states-016
- survey Boundless. Hire and Pay Employees in the United States | Boundless. Published 2026-09-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-007
- survey Oyster HR. Employer of record (EOR) in the US: Benefits and how it works. Published 2026-06-22, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-008
- statutory Internal Revenue Service. Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide. Published 2026-04-30, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-001
- statutory Internal Revenue Service. Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide. Published 2026-04-30, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-002
- statutory Internal Revenue Service. Topic no. 759, Form 940, Employers Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return, filing and deposit requirements. Published 2026-09-24, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-003
- survey Oyster HR. Employer of record (EOR) in the US: Benefits and how it works. Published 2026-06-22, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-010
- survey Boundless. Hire and Pay Employees in the United States | Boundless. Published 2026-09-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-011
- statutory U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays. Published 2026-01-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-012
- survey Oyster HR. Employer of record (EOR) in the US: Benefits and how it works. Published 2026-06-22, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-013
- survey Boundless. Hire and Pay Employees in the United States | Boundless. Published 2026-09-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-014
- survey Remote. Employer of Record & Payroll Services | United States | Remote. Published 2026-01-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-018
- statutory Office of the Federal Register (eCFR). 29 CFR 778.101 Maximum nonovertime hours. Published 2026-10-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-015
- survey Oyster HR. Employer of record (EOR) in the US: Benefits and how it works. Published 2026-06-22, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-016
- survey Boundless. Hire and Pay Employees in the United States | Boundless. Published 2026-09-01, verified . ev-ovh-united-states-017
- 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 TalentUp. Software Tester Contractor Hourly Rate in United States 2026 | TalentUp |. Published 2025-07-03, verified . ev-rate-g2we-001
- vendor-rate-card Vendor rate card (delivery country: United States); vendor name and link are published only in the evidence file. Published 2026-08-22, verified . ev-rate-g2we-011
Questions
What is the fully loaded hourly cost of an in-house QA engineer in the United States?
In-house fully loaded hourly cost for a Middle Manual QA Engineer: $51, over 1,992 productive hours per year.
What is the median outsourced QA rate in the United States?
Outsourced median (Hourly (time and materials)): $104 per hour.
How large is the difference between in-house and outsourced QA cost in the United States?
The outsourced median is above the in-house figure by $53 per hour, or 103% of the in-house figure.
What is the annual cost of an in-house QA engineer in the United States?
Annual in-house cost of a middle Manual QA Engineer: $102,030 (salary plus employer contributions, equipment, tools and recruiting).
How much does an employer pay in social contributions for a QA engineer in the United States?
Employer contributions: 7.7% of gross salary.
How many productive hours per year does an in-house QA engineer work in the United States?
Productive hours per year: 1,992.
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.