QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Peshawar, Pakistan (2026)
- Average: PKR 55,000 per month (PKR 660,000 per year).
- Range: PKR 36,000 to PKR 88,000 per month.
- Take-home at the average: about PKR 54,950 per month after FY 2026-27 income tax.
- Versus other cities: ranks #9 of 12 cities, 17% below the cross-city average.
- Versus other jobs in Peshawar: #15 of 52 professions tracked.
If you're working as a QA / Software Test Engineer in Peshawar, understanding real market pay is the first step to negotiating fairly. Based on current market patterns, professionals in this role in Peshawar typically earn around PKR 55,000 per month.
It's not a gold rush, but it's not dead either — QA / Software Test Engineer hiring in Peshawar moves at a steady, predictable pace most of the year.
Compared to the 12 other cities tracked here, Peshawar sits at #9 for QA / Software Test Engineer pay, roughly 17% below the overall average of PKR 65,916.
Peshawar's job market is smaller than Punjab's major cities, with pay for most professional roles running below national averages, though cost of living is also comparatively low.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary by Experience Level in Peshawar
Pay for this role typically grows in stages as you gain experience. Here is roughly how QA / Software Test Engineer salaries in Peshawar break down by career stage. The senior band tops out at about 2.4 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 36,000 – PKR 41,000 | PKR 432,000 – PKR 492,000 |
| Mid-Level (3–6 years) | PKR 41,000 – PKR 66,000 | PKR 492,000 – PKR 792,000 |
| Senior-Level (7+ years) | PKR 66,000 – PKR 88,000 | PKR 792,000 – PKR 1,056,000 |
Take-Home Pay for a QA / Software Test Engineer in Peshawar (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 Peshawar average of PKR 55,000, an estimated PKR 50 a month goes to income tax, which is an effective rate of 0.1%.
| Level | Gross / month | Income tax / month | Take-home / month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level (typical) | PKR 38,500 | PKR 0 | PKR 38,500 | 0.0% |
| Mid-level (typical) | PKR 53,500 | PKR 35 | PKR 53,465 | 0.1% |
| Senior-level (typical) | PKR 77,000 | PKR 270 | PKR 76,730 | 0.4% |
| City average | PKR 55,000 | PKR 50 | PKR 54,950 | 0.1% |
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 Peshawar Job Market for QA / Software Test Engineer Roles
Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is a major trading and services centre with strong links to Afghanistan, a large public sector, medical colleges and universities. Hayatabad's industrial estate and the city's bazaars provide manufacturing and commercial jobs, while NGOs and development organisations employ many professionals. Salaries in the private sector are typically lower than in Punjab's big cities, though healthcare, education and banking offer stable careers. Living costs are moderate, and extended-family networks help many households manage expenses. Gulf migration is also a major source of income for local families, influencing how workers weigh local offers against overseas opportunities.
See the full salary guide for Peshawar for every profession we track in the city.
What Affects QA / Software Test Engineer Salary in Peshawar?
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 Peshawar
Engineers who grow fastest in Peshawar 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.
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 Peshawar.
QA / Software Test Engineer Salary: Peshawar 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. Peshawar 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 Peshawar |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi | PKR 94,000 | +71% |
| Islamabad | PKR 92,000 | +67% |
| Lahore | PKR 85,000 | +55% |
| Rawalpindi | PKR 77,000 | +40% |
| Sialkot | PKR 61,000 | +11% |
| Gujranwala | PKR 60,000 | +9% |
| Faisalabad | PKR 58,000 | +5% |
| Hyderabad | PKR 56,000 | +2% |
| Peshawar | PKR 55,000 | This page |
| Multan | PKR 53,000 | -4% |
| Quetta | PKR 51,000 | -7% |
| Sargodha | PKR 49,000 | -11% |
How QA / Software Test Engineer Pay Compares With Other Technology Roles in Peshawar
In Peshawar, 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 104,000 | +89% |
| Software Engineer | PKR 91,000 | +65% |
| Mobile App Developer | PKR 72,000 | +31% |
| Data Analyst | PKR 65,000 | +18% |
| UI/UX Designer | PKR 62,000 | +13% |
| Web Developer | PKR 59,000 | +7% |
| Network Administrator | PKR 49,000 | -11% |
| IT Support Specialist | PKR 36,000 | -35% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Peshawar?
The average QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Peshawar is around PKR 55,000 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 Peshawar?
QA / Software Test Engineer salaries in Peshawar generally range from PKR 36,000 to PKR 88,000 per month, depending on experience level, company size, and specific skill set.
What is the entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Peshawar?
Entry-level QA / Software Test Engineer professionals in Peshawar typically start around PKR 36,000 to PKR 41,000 per month, rising as they gain experience and take on more responsibility.
Is Peshawar a good city for QA / Software Test Engineer jobs?
Peshawar 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 Peshawar compare to other cities in Pakistan?
Among the 12 cities tracked here, Peshawar ranks #9 for QA / Software Test Engineer pay, running roughly 17% below the cross-city average of PKR 65,916 per month.
What is the take-home salary of a QA / Software Test Engineer in Peshawar?
At the average of PKR 55,000 per month, the estimated federal income tax under the FY 2026-27 slabs is about PKR 50 a month, leaving roughly PKR 54,950 in take-home pay, an effective tax rate of 0.1%. Provident fund, EOBI and other deductions are not included.
What is the senior QA / Software Test Engineer salary in Peshawar?
Senior QA / Software Test Engineer professionals in Peshawar (typically 7+ years) are generally in the PKR 66,000 to PKR 88,000 per month band, about 2.4 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 Peshawar is at PKR 55,000. 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 Peshawar above the minimum wage?
Yes. The average of PKR 55,000 is above the FY 2026-27 minimum wage announced for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PKR 45,000). 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 Peshawar?
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 Peshawar
Browse salaries for other professions in the same city.