QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Lahore, Pakistan (2026)
- Average: PKR 85,000 per month (PKR 1,020,000 per year).
- Range: PKR 55,000 to PKR 136,000 per month.
- Take-home at the average: about PKR 84,650 per month after FY 2026-27 income tax.
- Versus other cities: ranks #3 of 12 cities, 29% above the cross-city average.
- Versus other jobs in Lahore: #15 of 52 professions tracked.
Salaries for QA / Software Test Engineer positions in Lahore depend heavily on company size, sector, and years of experience. Right now, the average monthly pay for this role in Lahore sits close to PKR 85,000.
Lahore offers a reasonably stable market for QA / Software Test Engineer professionals, with openings appearing regularly across different sectors.
Out of 12 cities compared for this role, Lahore ranks #3, with average pay running about 29% above the cross-city average of PKR 65,916.
Lahore has a large, diverse job market spanning IT, manufacturing, and services, with salaries typically close to national averages for most professions.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary by Experience Level in Lahore
Pay for this role typically grows in stages as you gain experience. Here is roughly how QA / Software Test Engineer salaries in Lahore 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 55,000 – PKR 64,000 | PKR 660,000 – PKR 768,000 |
| Mid-Level (3–6 years) | PKR 64,000 – PKR 102,000 | PKR 768,000 – PKR 1,224,000 |
| Senior-Level (7+ years) | PKR 102,000 – PKR 136,000 | PKR 1,224,000 – PKR 1,632,000 |
Take-Home Pay for a QA / Software Test Engineer in Lahore (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 Lahore average of PKR 85,000, an estimated PKR 350 a month goes to income tax, which is an effective rate of 0.4%.
| Level | Gross / month | Income tax / month | Take-home / month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level (typical) | PKR 59,500 | PKR 95 | PKR 59,405 | 0.2% |
| Mid-level (typical) | PKR 83,000 | PKR 330 | PKR 82,670 | 0.4% |
| Senior-level (typical) | PKR 119,000 | PKR 2,590 | PKR 116,410 | 2.2% |
| City average | PKR 85,000 | PKR 350 | PKR 84,650 | 0.4% |
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 Lahore Job Market for QA / Software Test Engineer Roles
Lahore, the capital of Punjab and Pakistan's second-largest city, combines a large services economy with strong education, media, textiles, manufacturing and a fast-growing technology sector. Software parks and business districts in Gulberg, DHA, Johar Town and along Ferozepur Road employ thousands of developers, designers and digital marketers, many serving clients abroad. The city has leading universities that feed graduates into banks, software houses, hospitals and multinationals. Pay is generally competitive with Karachi and Islamabad for technology and professional roles, while living costs are somewhat easier than in the federal capital. Public transport such as the Orange Line and Metro Bus helps commuters on key routes.
See the full salary guide for Lahore for every profession we track in the city.
What Affects QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Lahore?
For QA / Software Test Engineer roles, the biggest swing factors are the specific tech stack you know, whether you've worked with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), and whether you're working for a local company or a foreign/remote-paying client — the latter often pays substantially more.
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 Lahore
To move up the pay scale as a QA / Software Test Engineer in Lahore, focus on building a public portfolio (GitHub, personal projects), picking up in-demand skills like cloud infrastructure or AI tooling, and — where possible — targeting remote roles with foreign clients who typically pay in USD.
As with any salary data, treat these numbers as a starting reference point rather than a guarantee. Run your own number through the calculator below to estimate your actual take-home pay in Lahore.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary: Lahore 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. Lahore 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 Lahore |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi | PKR 94,000 | +11% |
| Islamabad | PKR 92,000 | +8% |
| Lahore | PKR 85,000 | This page |
| Rawalpindi | PKR 77,000 | -9% |
| Sialkot | PKR 61,000 | -28% |
| Gujranwala | PKR 60,000 | -29% |
| Faisalabad | PKR 58,000 | -32% |
| Hyderabad | PKR 56,000 | -34% |
| Peshawar | PKR 55,000 | -35% |
| Multan | PKR 53,000 | -38% |
| Quetta | PKR 51,000 | -40% |
| Sargodha | PKR 49,000 | -42% |
How QA / Software Test Engineer Pay Compares With Other Technology Roles in Lahore
In Lahore, 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 160,000 | +88% |
| Software Engineer | PKR 140,000 | +65% |
| Mobile App Developer | PKR 110,000 | +29% |
| Data Analyst | PKR 100,000 | +18% |
| UI/UX Designer | PKR 95,000 | +12% |
| Web Developer | PKR 90,000 | +6% |
| Network Administrator | PKR 75,000 | -12% |
| IT Support Specialist | PKR 55,000 | -35% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Lahore?
The average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Lahore is around PKR 85,000 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 Lahore?
QA / Software Test Engineer salaries in Lahore generally range from PKR 55,000 to PKR 136,000 per month, depending on experience level, company size, and specific skill set.
What is the entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Lahore?
Entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer professionals in Lahore typically start around PKR 55,000 to PKR 64,000 per month, rising as they gain experience and take on more responsibility.
Is Lahore a good city for QA / Software Test Engineer jobs?
Lahore 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 Lahore compare to other cities in Pakistan?
Among the 12 cities tracked here, Lahore ranks #3 for QA / Software Test Engineer pay, running roughly 29% above the cross-city average of PKR 65,916 per month.
What is the take-home salary of a QA / Software Test Engineer in Lahore?
At the average of PKR 85,000 per month, the estimated federal income tax under the FY 2026-27 slabs is about PKR 350 a month, leaving roughly PKR 84,650 in take-home pay, an effective tax rate of 0.4%. Provident fund, EOBI and other deductions are not included.
What is the senior QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Lahore?
Senior QA / Software Test Engineer professionals in Lahore (typically 7+ years) are generally in the PKR 102,000 to PKR 136,000 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 Lahore is at PKR 85,000. 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 Lahore above the minimum wage?
Yes. The average of PKR 85,000 is above the FY 2026-27 minimum wage announced for Punjab (PKR 40,000). 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 Lahore?
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 Lahore
Browse salaries for other professions in the same city.