QA Automation Engineer hourly rate in the United Kingdom: $79 median
Median (the middle value of the weighted observations) for a middle QA Automation Engineer (writes and maintains automated tests for web, API and mobile) in the United Kingdom under the Hourly (time and materials) model, in USD per hour. Range p25 to p75 (the bounds of the middle half of the weighted observations): $74 to $83. Confidence grade (A, B or C, set by observation count, source classes and spread): B: medium confidence. Observations: n=2, sources: 3. Verified on .
Rates by seniority
| Level | p25 | Median | p75 | Range | Confidence | n |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | withheld | withheld | 0 | |||
| Middle | $74 | $79 | $83 | B: medium confidence | 2 | |
| Senior | $58 | $79 | $99 | B: medium confidence | 2 | |
| Lead / Principal | withheld | withheld | 0 | |||
Rates by engagement model, middle level
| Model | Median | Delta to hourly | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly (time and materials) (billed per worked hour, no minimum commitment) | $79 | 0% | B: medium confidence |
| Dedicated team (monthly fee per engineer assigned full time) | withheld | not observed | withheld |
| Staff augmentation (engineer placed into the client's team under the client's management, monthly) | withheld | not observed | withheld |
| Project-based (fixed price) (fixed fee for a defined scope; converted to effective hourly from published estimates only) | withheld | not observed | withheld |
| Managed testing service (vendor owns outcomes and process; monthly or per-release fee) | withheld | not observed | withheld |
Conversion assumption: monthly fees divide by 160 hours per month unless the source states another basis; the basis is recorded in each evidence note.
Monthly and annual cost of one engineer
One middle QA Automation Engineer, Hourly (time and materials) model, at 160 hours per month: $12,640 per month and $151,680 per year (160 hours x 12 months), from the median of $79 per hour.
Sources
- job-board IT Jobs Watch. Test Automation Engineer Contract Job Trends, Contractor Rates & Skill Sets | IT Jobs Watch. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-003
- 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-014
- fx European Central Bank. ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates (SDMX EXR). Published 2026-10-16, verified . ev-fx-2026-q4-gbp
- job-board IT Jobs Watch. Senior Test Automation Engineer Contract Job Trends, Contractor Rates & Skill Sets | IT Jobs Watch. Published 2026-10-18, verified . ev-rate-united-kingdom-004
- 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-012
What differs on this page
Among 6 roles published at the middle level in the United Kingdom under the Hourly (time and materials) model, 2 have a higher median than QA Automation Engineer (QA Automation Engineer shares its median with Manual QA Engineer, SDET (software development engineer in test; builds test frameworks and test infrastructure in code)): $79 against a range of $76 to $108 per hour.
The median does not change between the adjacent published levels Middle and Senior under the Hourly (time and materials) model.
Questions
How much does a QA Automation Engineer cost per hour in the United Kingdom?
The median for a middle QA Automation Engineer in the United Kingdom under the Hourly (time and materials) model is $79 per hour, from 2 observations.
What is the typical rate range for a QA Automation Engineer in the United Kingdom?
The p25 to p75 range for a middle QA Automation Engineer in the United Kingdom under the Hourly (time and materials) model is $74 to $83 per hour.
How does the hourly rate for a QA Automation Engineer in the United Kingdom change from junior to senior?
2 seniority levels are published: Middle $79; Senior $79 per hour.
How much does a QA Automation Engineer in the United Kingdom cost per month?
At 160 hours per month, the median of $79 per hour gives $12,640 per month and $151,680 per year (160 hours x 12 months).
Does the hourly rate for a QA Automation Engineer in the United Kingdom differ by engagement model?
Only the Hourly (time and materials) model is published for this level; Dedicated team, Staff augmentation, Project-based (fixed price), Managed testing service are not observed in sources.
Where does the QA Automation Engineer rate for the United Kingdom come from?
5 evidence entries back the figures on this page; they are listed under Sources with class, publisher and verification date.
Cite this page
QA Rates Compare (2026). QA Automation Engineer hourly rate in the United Kingdom, data version 1.0.0. https://qaratescompare.com/rates/united-kingdom/qa-automation-engineer/. Accessed 2026-10-20.
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.