QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Pakistan (2026)
Tests software applications to identify bugs and ensure quality before release.
- National average: PKR 65,917 per month across 12 cities.
- Highest-paying city: Karachi (PKR 94,000).
- Lowest-paying city: Sargodha (PKR 49,000).
- Full range: PKR 32,000 to PKR 150,000 per month.
- Take-home at the average: about PKR 65,758 per month after FY 2026-27 income tax.
Pay for a QA / Software Test Engineer in Pakistan depends heavily on where you work. The same role earns about 92% more in Karachi than in Sargodha, and experience, employer type and skills widen the gap further. This page brings together city-by-city pay, take-home after tax, the skills employers look for and the career path, so you can benchmark an offer or plan your next move.
What does a QA / Software Test Engineer do?
A QA or software test engineer makes sure software works before users find the problems. Duties include writing test plans and cases, running manual and automated tests, reporting and tracking bugs, and checking releases for regressions. As teams release faster, QA has shifted from clicking through screens to building automation and testing APIs.
Skills, tools and qualifications
Fundamentals include testing techniques, bug-tracking tools such as Jira, API testing with Postman, and SQL for checking data. Automation skills in Selenium, Cypress, Playwright or Appium, and a scripting language like Java, JavaScript or Python, are what move you up. The ISTQB certification is widely recognised by Pakistani employers.
Career path and promotion
Testers typically progress from manual QA to automation engineer, then senior SDET, QA lead or QA manager. Some move into DevOps, performance engineering or product ownership because they know the whole product well.
What drives QA / Software Test Engineer pay?
The gap between manual-only testers and automation engineers is large. Automation, performance and security testing skills, along with ownership of release quality, drive pay. Companies serving overseas clients usually pay more for testers who can also communicate well in English.
How to become a QA / Software Test Engineer in Pakistan
- Choose a path (front end, back end, mobile, data, cloud, security or QA) and learn its core language and tools properly rather than skimming many.
- Build three to five real projects and publish them on GitHub, with a short README explaining what each does and what you learned.
- Complete an internship, a bootcamp project or freelance work so that your CV shows delivery, not only coursework.
- Add a relevant certification when it fits your path, such as AWS, Azure, CCNA, ISTQB or a vendor course.
- Apply to software houses, startups and in-house teams, and prepare for a coding test plus a technical interview.
- After a year or two, review pay against the market and consider a move if your skills have outgrown your role.
Common interview questions for QA / Software Test Engineer roles
- Walk me through a project you built and the hardest problem you solved.
- How do you debug a problem you have never seen before?
- How do you keep your code readable and maintainable for teammates?
- Describe a time you disagreed with a technical decision and what happened.
- Where do you want your skills to be in two years?
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary by City
| City | Average Salary | Range | Demand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi | PKR 94,000/mo | PKR 61,000 – PKR 150,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Karachi → |
| Islamabad | PKR 92,000/mo | PKR 60,000 – PKR 147,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad → |
| Lahore | PKR 85,000/mo | PKR 55,000 – PKR 136,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Lahore → |
| Rawalpindi | PKR 77,000/mo | PKR 50,000 – PKR 123,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Rawalpindi → |
| Sialkot | PKR 61,000/mo | PKR 40,000 – PKR 98,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Sialkot → |
| Gujranwala | PKR 60,000/mo | PKR 39,000 – PKR 96,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Gujranwala → |
| Faisalabad | PKR 58,000/mo | PKR 38,000 – PKR 93,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Faisalabad → |
| Hyderabad | PKR 56,000/mo | PKR 36,000 – PKR 90,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Hyderabad → |
| Peshawar | PKR 55,000/mo | PKR 36,000 – PKR 88,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Peshawar → |
| Multan | PKR 53,000/mo | PKR 34,000 – PKR 85,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Multan → |
| Quetta | PKR 51,000/mo | PKR 33,000 – PKR 82,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Quetta → |
| Sargodha | PKR 49,000/mo | PKR 32,000 – PKR 78,000 | Medium | QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Sargodha → |
Take-Home Pay: What a QA / Software Test Engineer Actually Receives
Income tax for salaried people is withheld monthly. Under the FY 2026-27 slabs, the first Rs 600,000 a year is tax-free, then rates climb from 1% to 35%. The table converts the national average, the lowest city average and the highest city average into estimated monthly take-home pay.
| Scenario | Gross / month | Tax / month | Take-home / month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National average | PKR 65,917 | PKR 159 | PKR 65,758 | 0.2% |
| Lowest city average (Sargodha) | PKR 49,000 | PKR 0 | PKR 49,000 | 0.0% |
| Highest city average (Karachi) | PKR 94,000 | PKR 440 | PKR 93,560 | 0.5% |
Try your own figure in the salary tax calculator. It also shows how much the 2026-27 slabs save compared with last year.
Technology Careers: What Employers Pay For
Technology is the most globally portable career field in Pakistan. Software houses, product companies, banks, telecoms and fintech firms all compete for engineers, and many professionals also sell their skills directly to clients abroad. That outside market sets a ceiling above what purely local employers can pay, which is why experienced developers often see offers jump when they change jobs.
What employers pay for
Salaries follow demonstrable skill rather than degree alone. Hands-on experience with in-demand stacks (cloud, mobile, data, security, modern web frameworks), proven delivery on real products and strong English communication consistently raise pay. Companies that earn in dollars, venture-backed startups and multinationals pay the highest bands, while service-only firms serving small local clients pay less.
How to negotiate
Come with a portfolio, GitHub profile or case studies, and quantify your results: performance improvements, users served, revenue supported. Compare the full package, including annual increments, bonuses, medical cover, provident fund, remote or hybrid options and learning budgets. In this field, a competing offer is the strongest negotiating tool.
Where growth comes from
Move toward ownership: lead features, mentor juniors, take responsibility for production systems and learn adjacent skills such as cloud and security. Decide early whether you want the technical track (architect, principal engineer) or the management track, and build the matching evidence. Continuous learning is not optional, because tools change quickly.
Related Technology Salaries
If you are comparing paths within technology, these related roles show where QA / Software Test Engineer sits against its peers, using the national average across the cities we track.
| Role | National average / month | Compared with QA / Software Test Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer | PKR 123,916 | +88% |
| Software Engineer | PKR 108,333 | +64% |
| Mobile App Developer | PKR 85,250 | +29% |
| Data Analyst | PKR 77,416 | +17% |
| UI/UX Designer | PKR 73,750 | +12% |
| Web Developer | PKR 69,666 | +6% |
| Network Administrator | PKR 58,333 | -12% |
| IT Support Specialist | PKR 42,666 | -35% |
Frequently Asked Questions About QA / Software Test Engineer Salaries
What is the average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Pakistan?
Across the 12 cities we track, the average QA / Software Test Engineer salary is about PKR 65,917 per month. The typical range runs from PKR 32,000 at the low end to PKR 150,000 for experienced professionals, depending on city, employer and skills.
Which city pays the highest QA / Software Test Engineer salary?
Karachi pays the most in our data at about PKR 94,000 per month, while Sargodha is lowest at about PKR 49,000. That is a gap of roughly 92%, driven by employer concentration and cost of living.
What is the take-home salary of a QA / Software Test Engineer in Pakistan?
At the national average of PKR 65,917 per month, estimated federal income tax under the FY 2026-27 slabs is about PKR 159 a month, leaving roughly PKR 65,758 in take-home pay (an effective tax rate of 0.2%). EOBI, provident fund and other deductions are extra.
How much does an entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer earn?
Entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer professionals typically start near the bottom of the local range, often between PKR 32,000 and a little under the city average, with the exact figure depending on the city, the employer's size and the skills you bring at hiring.
Is QA / Software Test Engineer a well-paid career in Pakistan?
Compared with the Technology category, QA / Software Test Engineer pays in line with its peer group. Whether it is well paid for you depends on your city, your experience and whether you can move into higher-value skills or leadership.
Where can I find QA / Software Test Engineer jobs in Pakistan?
Start with the large job boards, company career pages and LinkedIn, and use the city salary pages here to check whether an offer is competitive. Smaller cities often advertise through local networks and referrals, so building contacts in your industry matters.
Do QA / Software Test Engineer salaries change with experience?
Yes, and by a lot. Pay usually rises in stages: entry level, then mid-level at roughly three to six years, then senior roles from about seven years. Specialisation, certifications and leadership responsibility add further steps above the experience curve.
How reliable are these salary figures?
They are estimates compiled from general market observation and updated periodically, not an official survey. Use them as a benchmark when negotiating and compare against current job adverts and offers in your city.