2026 QA Salaries
£53,200 average salary for Quality Assurance and Quality Control professionals in the UK
+ 3.7% from £51,300 in 2025
£61,200 average salary in Pharmaceuticals
£58,400 average salary in Medical Devices
£50,800 average salary in Food & Drink
Quality salaries have continued to rise, with steady year on year growth rather than the sharper increases seen in the immediate post-pandemic period.
Over the past five years, Junior QA and QC salaries have increased by around 14%, reflecting ongoing demand for entry-level talent and a tighter market for reliable shift and site-based coverage. Progression is still strongest once someone moves beyond inspection and routine testing into problem solving, audits and supplier or customer-facing activity.
At engineer level, pay growth has been firmer. QA and QC Engineer roles are typically up around 18% over five years, driven by skills that reduce business risk: root cause analysis, CAPA ownership, internal auditing and the ability to work cross-functionally with production and engineering.
At senior and leadership level, salary growth has been more pronounced. Senior QA and QC Engineers are up around 23% over five years, while QA Managers and Heads of Quality are typically up around 28% to 34%. The strongest gains sit in roles combining compliance responsibility with leadership, stakeholder management and measurable improvement.
Regionally, London and the South East remain the highest paying areas, particularly for senior and leadership roles. The regional gap is narrower at junior and engineer level, but it widens as seniority increases and the candidate pool becomes more specialised.
Overall, the data suggests the QA market has reset onto a higher baseline. Salaries remain materially stronger than they were five years ago, with the clearest uplift in roles tied to governance, audits and regulatory exposure.
Pay Rises and Employer Behaviour
Pay rises appear to be more targeted than they were a few years ago. Businesses are still investing in quality functions, but increases are being applied more selectively, often linked to expanded responsibility, audit readiness and measurable reductions in non-conformance or complaints.
Sentiment tracks closely to reward. In most combinations of location, sector and seniority, average role reward scores sit between 3.6 and 4.0 out of 5, with appreciation scores typically between 3.3 and 3.7 out of 5. Where appreciation is lower, the likelihood of job movement rises even when salaries are broadly competitive.
This points to a market where retention is not solved by salary alone. Employers who combine fair pay with clear decision making, visible support from leadership and structured development tend to score better and retain more consistently.
Job Movement and Motivation
Motivations change with seniority.
At junior and early engineer level, Better salary is still the most common reason for considering a move. Candidates are often benchmarking rapidly as they gain core experience and employers compete for those with a solid foundation in inspection, documentation and basic problem solving.
From senior engineer level upwards, Improved work-life balance and Company stability become more prominent. These roles tend to carry higher accountability, wider hours coverage and greater exposure to audits or customer pressure, so candidates become more selective about culture and workload as well as salary.
At manager and director level, Career progression remains a key driver, but it is often about scope rather than title. Many moves are prompted by the chance to lead change, modernise systems or step into broader regulatory and stakeholder responsibility.
Overall, the market is candidate-led but considered. Candidates are open to change, but they tend to wait for roles that feel credible, well-supported and properly scoped.
Five Year View of the QA Market
The past five years show a clear shift in what the market rewards.
Businesses are paying more for capability that reduces risk: audit readiness, supplier assurance, CAPA ownership, complaint reduction and the ability to translate quality requirements into practical shop floor improvements.
Sectors with higher regulatory load or patient and safety exposure typically command stronger salaries. Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Chemicals and Aerospace sit consistently above general manufacturing. Food and drink roles are strong in volume and opportunity, but pay is often more constrained at junior and mid levels unless the role includes standards ownership, high audit frequency or multi-site responsibility.
The market has matured. Expectations around documentation, traceability and governance are now standard across most regulated environments. Employers increasingly want quality professionals who can influence behaviour, not just maintain systems.
Training and Development
Training access increases with seniority.
At junior level, around 48% report being offered job-related training. This rises to the mid 50s at engineer level, low 60s at senior engineer level and around 70% to 78% at manager and director level.
This is not just a budget effect. Senior roles typically include formal training linked to audit competence, leadership and regulatory interpretation, while junior roles are more likely to receive site-specific onboarding without a structured development plan.
Employers who treat development as a retention tool tend to perform better. The strongest teams have clear competency frameworks, planned audit exposure and visible progression routes from inspection into engineering and leadership.
Job Security and Confidence
Confidence tends to rise with seniority.
Senior engineers and leaders generally feel more secure because they sit closer to planning, regulatory oversight and business risk. Junior staff can feel more exposed to shifts in workload and production volume, particularly in businesses with seasonal demand or tight margins.
There is also a link between job security and engagement. Where appreciation scores sit closer to 3.6 to 3.7 out of 5, job security sentiment tends to be stronger and job movement intent tends to be lower.
Workplace Pressure, Audits and Deadlines
Deadline pressure is a consistent feature of quality roles, but it presents differently by sector.
In high-regulation sectors, pressure often centres on audits, validation schedules, documentation integrity and deviation closure. In high-volume manufacturing and FMCG, pressure often centres on release decisions, customer complaints and fast corrective action cycles.
Senior roles typically carry the highest pressure because they own outcomes, not just tasks. That said, pressure is more manageable in teams with clear escalation routes, realistic staffing levels and a culture that supports quality decisions when they are unpopular.