QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Islamabad, Pakistan (2026)
- Average: PKR 92,000 per month (PKR 1,104,000 per year).
- Range: PKR 60,000 to PKR 147,000 per month.
- Take-home at the average: about PKR 91,580 per month after FY 2026-27 income tax.
- Versus other cities: ranks #2 of 12 cities, 40% above the cross-city average.
- Versus other jobs in Islamabad: #15 of 52 professions tracked.
Before you accept — or negotiate — a QA / Software Test Engineer offer in Islamabad, it helps to know where the market stands. Current data points to an average monthly salary of PKR 92,000 for this position in the city.
It's not a gold rush, but it's not dead either — QA / Software Test Engineer hiring in Islamabad moves at a steady, predictable pace most of the year.
Islamabad lands at #2 of 12 cities for QA / Software Test Engineer salaries — around 40% above the PKR 65,916 average across the cities we track.
As the federal capital, Islamabad has a strong presence of multinational companies and government-linked roles, often pushing salaries slightly above other cities.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary by Experience Level in Islamabad
Pay for this role typically grows in stages as you gain experience. Here is roughly how QA / Software Test Engineer salaries in Islamabad break down by career stage. The senior band tops out at about 2.5 times the bottom of the entry-level band, which shows how much career progression can be worth in this field.
| Experience Level | Typical Monthly Salary | Approx. Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (0–2 years) | PKR 60,000 – PKR 69,000 | PKR 720,000 – PKR 828,000 |
| Mid-Level (3–6 years) | PKR 69,000 – PKR 110,000 | PKR 828,000 – PKR 1,320,000 |
| Senior-Level (7+ years) | PKR 110,000 – PKR 147,000 | PKR 1,320,000 – PKR 1,764,000 |
Take-Home Pay for a QA / Software Test Engineer in Islamabad (FY 2026-27 Tax)
Gross salary is not what lands in your bank account. Salaried individuals pay progressive income tax, which is withheld by the employer every month. Under the slabs that took effect on 1 July 2026, annual income up to Rs 600,000 (Rs 50,000 a month) is tax-free, and rates then rise in eight steps from 1% to 35%. At the Islamabad average of PKR 92,000, an estimated PKR 420 a month goes to income tax, which is an effective rate of 0.5%.
| Level | Gross / month | Income tax / month | Take-home / month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level (typical) | PKR 64,500 | PKR 145 | PKR 64,355 | 0.2% |
| Mid-level (typical) | PKR 89,500 | PKR 395 | PKR 89,105 | 0.4% |
| Senior-level (typical) | PKR 128,500 | PKR 3,635 | PKR 124,865 | 2.8% |
| City average | PKR 92,000 | PKR 420 | PKR 91,580 | 0.5% |
These figures cover federal income tax only. Your payslip may also show provident fund, EOBI, insurance or loan deductions. Use the calculator below to test your own number, or open the full salary tax calculator for slab details and examples.
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About the QA / Software Test Engineer Role
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.
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.
The Islamabad Job Market for QA / Software Test Engineer Roles
Islamabad, the federal capital, has a distinctive job market built around government institutions, embassies, international organisations and NGOs, telecom and technology headquarters, universities and a well-educated workforce. Offices in the Blue Area, F-7, F-10, G-series sectors and I-9 industrial area employ policy, finance, IT and development professionals. Salaries in technology, consulting, telecom and the development sector are among the highest in Pakistan, but the city also has the highest rents and living costs among the major markets. Professionals with strong English, specialised qualifications and international exposure do particularly well. Islamabad and Rawalpindi function as one job market, with many people living in one city and working in the other.
See the full salary guide for Islamabad for every profession we track in the city.
What Affects QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Islamabad?
Salary for QA / Software Test Engineer positions varies heavily based on whether the company serves local clients or international ones, your portfolio of shipped projects, and increasingly, familiarity with AI-assisted development tools.
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.
How to Increase Your Salary as a QA / Software Test Engineer in Islamabad
Engineers who grow fastest in Islamabad tend to specialize early (backend, mobile, DevOps, etc.), contribute to open-source or freelance projects on the side, and actively negotiate using market-rate data rather than accepting the first offer.
None of this is set in stone. Use it as a benchmark going into an interview or a raise conversation, then plug your own number into the calculator below to see what actually lands in your account each month.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary: Islamabad vs Other Pakistani Cities
Location changes pay noticeably. Across the 12 cities we track, the average QA / Software Test Engineer salary runs from PKR 49,000 to PKR 94,000 per month. Islamabad is highlighted below. Higher pay in larger cities is partly offset by higher rent and transport costs, so compare take-home pay against your living costs rather than the headline number.
| City | Average / month | Compared with Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi | PKR 94,000 | +2% |
| Islamabad | PKR 92,000 | This page |
| Lahore | PKR 85,000 | -8% |
| Rawalpindi | PKR 77,000 | -16% |
| Sialkot | PKR 61,000 | -34% |
| Gujranwala | PKR 60,000 | -35% |
| Faisalabad | PKR 58,000 | -37% |
| Hyderabad | PKR 56,000 | -39% |
| Peshawar | PKR 55,000 | -40% |
| Multan | PKR 53,000 | -42% |
| Quetta | PKR 51,000 | -45% |
| Sargodha | PKR 49,000 | -47% |
How QA / Software Test Engineer Pay Compares With Other Technology Roles in Islamabad
In Islamabad, QA / Software Test Engineer ranks #15 out of 52 professions in our data. Here is how it sits against related roles in the same field, which is useful if you are considering a move within technology.
| Role | Average / month | Difference from QA / Software Test Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer | PKR 173,000 | +88% |
| Software Engineer | PKR 151,000 | +64% |
| Mobile App Developer | PKR 119,000 | +29% |
| Data Analyst | PKR 108,000 | +17% |
| UI/UX Designer | PKR 103,000 | +12% |
| Web Developer | PKR 97,000 | +5% |
| Network Administrator | PKR 81,000 | -12% |
| IT Support Specialist | PKR 59,000 | -36% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad?
The average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad is around PKR 92,000 per month, based on current market observation. Actual pay depends on experience, employer, and negotiation.
What is the salary range for a QA / Software Test Engineer in Islamabad?
QA / Software Test Engineer salaries in Islamabad generally range from PKR 60,000 to PKR 147,000 per month, depending on experience level, company size, and specific skill set.
What is the entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad?
Entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer professionals in Islamabad typically start around PKR 60,000 to PKR 69,000 per month, rising as they gain experience and take on more responsibility.
Is Islamabad a good city for QA / Software Test Engineer jobs?
Islamabad offers a reasonably steady job market for QA / Software Test Engineer roles — neither oversaturated nor scarce, with consistent opportunities across different employers.
How does QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad compare to other cities in Pakistan?
Among the 12 cities tracked here, Islamabad ranks #2 for QA / Software Test Engineer pay, running roughly 40% above the cross-city average of PKR 65,916 per month.
What is the take-home salary of a QA / Software Test Engineer in Islamabad?
At the average of PKR 92,000 per month, the estimated federal income tax under the FY 2026-27 slabs is about PKR 420 a month, leaving roughly PKR 91,580 in take-home pay, an effective tax rate of 0.5%. Provident fund, EOBI and other deductions are not included.
What is the senior QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad?
Senior QA / Software Test Engineer professionals in Islamabad (typically 7+ years) are generally in the PKR 110,000 to PKR 147,000 per month band, about 2.5 times the bottom of the entry-level range, with the highest pay going to people who combine technical depth with leadership or specialist skills.
Which city pays the most for QA / Software Test Engineer in Pakistan?
In our data, Karachi pays the most for QA / Software Test Engineer at about PKR 94,000 per month on average, while Islamabad is at PKR 92,000. City pay differs mainly because of employer concentration, cost of living and the share of export-oriented or multinational firms.
Is the QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad above the minimum wage?
Yes. The average of PKR 92,000 is above the FY 2026-27 minimum wage announced for Islamabad Capital Territory (PKR 40,700). The legal minimum is a floor for unskilled work, not a market rate for skilled roles.
How can I increase my QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Islamabad?
The most reliable levers are specialised skills that employers struggle to find, recognised certifications, a documented record of results, and moving to employers that pay above the local average. Compare at least two offers before negotiating, and negotiate on total compensation including benefits, not only base pay.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Other Cities
Compare how this role pays across the cities we track.
Other Jobs in Islamabad
Browse salaries for other professions in the same city.