Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers prevailing wage in Wilmington, NC
Short answer
For software quality assurance analysts and testers in Wilmington, NC, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $20.66 an hour at Level 1 ($42,973 a year) to $47.18 an hour at Level 4 ($98,134 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $29.50 ranks 479 of 530 areas and is 22% below the median area ($37.99).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $20.66 | $42,973 | $3,581 | $826 |
| Level 2 | $29.50 | $61,360 | $5,113 | $1,180 |
| Level 3 | $38.34 | $79,747 | $6,646 | $1,534 |
| Level 4 | $47.18 | $98,134 | $8,178 | $1,887 |
| Published average | $38.43 | $79,934 | $6,661 | $1,537 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$29.50/hr
Prevailing wage for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Wilmington, NC
Cost with payroll costs
$31.76/hr
$29.50 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$37.36/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How Wilmington, NC compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for software quality assurance analysts and testers has a median of $37.99 an hour. Wilmington, NC is at $29.50, which is 22% below that median and ranks 479 of 530. Inside NC, it ranks 18 of 19 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 128% ($26.52 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $55,161 a year.
Other NC areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36.45 | $44.45 | $60.46 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $34.80 | $44.38 | $63.53 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $34.00 | $43.60 | $62.81 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $33.57 | $43.26 | $62.64 |
| Asheville, NC | $35.47 | $42.71 | $57.18 |
| Burlington, NC | $36.43 | $42.70 | $55.23 |
Reading the four levels
In Wilmington, NC, moving a software quality assurance analysts and testers role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $8.84 an hour (43%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $8.84 (30%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $8.84 (23%). The steps are fairly even, so the level filed moves the minimum pay by a similar amount at each rung. At Level 1 the minimum is $3,581 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $8,178.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $29.50
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose software quality assurance analysts and testers Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, NC | $29.60 | +$0.10 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $29.62 | +$0.12 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $29.38 | -$0.12 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $29.65 | +$0.15 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $29.33 | -$0.17 |
| San Angelo, TX | $29.69 | +$0.19 |
NC and this occupation
NC has 19 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for software quality assurance analysts and testers is $38.59 an hour, and Wilmington, NC is below it. The highest area in NC is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $44.45, and the lowest is Fayetteville, NC at $29.00.
Among IT occupations here
In Wilmington, NC, software quality assurance analysts and testers ranks 12 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is computer and information research scientists at $55.19 an hour and the lowest is computer user support specialists at $24.23.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $61,360 a year, or $5,113 a month gross, for work in Wilmington, NC.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $29.50 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in Wilmington, NC
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $32.53 | $39.60 | $53.73 |
| Information Security Analysts | $32.76 | $45.62 | $71.35 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $46.73 | $55.19 | $72.10 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $22.72 | $30.07 | $44.77 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $20.14 | $24.23 | $32.40 |
| Computer Network Architects | $35.30 | $45.39 | $65.57 |
| Database Administrators | $44.47 | $47.78 | $54.39 |
| Database Architects | $36.47 | $46.57 | $66.76 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $25.11 | $33.57 | $50.49 |
| Computer Programmers | $20.49 | $29.07 | $46.24 |
| Software Developers | $36.77 | $47.46 | $68.85 |
| Web Developers | $18.34 | $28.11 | $47.64 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $18.34 | $27.71 | $46.46 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $31.39 | $41.82 | $62.67 |
| Data Scientists | $30.79 | $41.22 | $62.07 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Wilmington, NC?
$20.66, $29.50, $38.34 and $47.18 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $38.43, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Wilmington, NC?
$26.52 more an hour, or $55,161 more a year (128% above Level 1).
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