Software quality assurance analysts and testers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,440 | $29.54 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $104,300 | $50.14 |
| Mean (average) | $111,490 | $53.60 |
| 90th percentile | $167,010 | $80.29 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Software quality assurance analysts and testers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $101,500 | $62,670 | $162,600 | 1,760 | 0.69 |
| Arizona | $100,650 | $63,920 | $143,000 | 3,890 | 1 |
| California | $128,740 | $65,890 | $201,070 | 27,710 | 1.27 |
| Colorado | $123,690 | $79,780 | $172,930 | 5,110 | 1.48 |
| Connecticut | $97,740 | $46,080 | $153,990 | 1,160 | 0.57 |
| Delaware | $106,060 | $76,750 | $143,880 | 520 | 0.9 |
| District of Columbia | $103,340 | $65,210 | $144,820 | 760 | 0.9 |
| Florida | $100,210 | $57,970 | $150,620 | 10,320 | 0.87 |
| Georgia | $103,040 | $68,130 | $141,760 | 7,110 | 1.21 |
| Hawaii | $102,930 | $76,370 | $130,860 | ||
| Idaho | Data unavailable | 560 | 0.54 | ||
| Illinois | $104,910 | $65,480 | $150,620 | 6,530 | 0.89 |
| Indiana | $87,020 | $56,900 | $130,970 | 1,610 | 0.42 |
| Iowa | $88,590 | $55,640 | $126,290 | 1,000 | 0.53 |
| Kansas | $94,490 | $57,050 | $133,590 | 1,140 | 0.66 |
| Kentucky | $79,100 | $44,290 | $128,340 | 890 | 0.37 |
| Louisiana | $66,810 | $36,890 | $115,330 | 450 | 0.19 |
| Maine | $86,050 | $45,730 | $123,360 | 390 | 0.51 |
| Maryland | $111,100 | $77,270 | $171,810 | 5,880 | 1.77 |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 | $68,050 | $168,000 | 6,640 | 1.52 |
| Michigan | $98,720 | $52,460 | $135,830 | 3,480 | 0.66 |
| Minnesota | $101,700 | $66,090 | $137,310 | 2,630 | 0.74 |
| Mississippi | $79,890 | $45,770 | $126,740 | 350 | 0.25 |
| Missouri | $85,530 | $55,030 | $141,350 | 2,930 | 0.83 |
| Montana | $103,930 | $50,380 | $170,620 | 150 | 0.24 |
| Nebraska | $98,010 | $64,750 | $131,490 | 1,240 | 1.01 |
| Nevada | Data unavailable | 1,270 | 0.68 | ||
| New Hampshire | $107,100 | $56,190 | $160,190 | 770 | 0.94 |
| New Jersey | $119,470 | $70,150 | $168,680 | 6,550 | 1.27 |
| New Mexico | $116,580 | $77,760 | $160,430 | 450 | 0.43 |
| New York | $121,240 | $58,180 | $182,910 | 10,460 | 0.9 |
| North Carolina | $100,390 | $61,190 | $148,710 | 8,890 | 1.5 |
| North Dakota | $83,920 | $63,060 | $106,000 | 200 | 0.39 |
| Ohio | $98,000 | $60,340 | $130,100 | 4,400 | 0.66 |
| Oklahoma | $77,700 | $46,950 | $121,970 | 1,620 | 0.79 |
| Oregon | $108,440 | $57,640 | $184,060 | 1,840 | 0.78 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,030 | $58,970 | $133,120 | 4,530 | 0.62 |
| Puerto Rico | $61,690 | $36,980 | $106,040 | 270 | 0.24 |
| Rhode Island | $101,790 | $80,220 | $136,590 | 400 | 0.66 |
| South Carolina | $97,500 | $50,070 | $135,390 | 1,740 | 0.63 |
| South Dakota | $68,120 | $47,670 | $104,840 | 220 | 0.4 |
| Tennessee | $91,040 | $61,580 | $125,760 | 1,530 | 0.39 |
| Texas | $101,850 | $59,010 | $153,380 | 19,590 | 1.16 |
| Utah | $82,100 | $45,960 | $134,940 | 2,600 | 1.25 |
| Vermont | $76,580 | $60,480 | $144,890 | 170 | 0.45 |
| Virginia | $121,590 | $78,820 | $169,200 | 10,160 | 2.06 |
| Washington | $128,480 | $74,180 | $202,730 | 7,970 | 1.87 |
| West Virginia | $62,300 | $37,050 | $127,210 | 390 | 0.46 |
| Wisconsin | $89,400 | $62,460 | $161,500 | 3,800 | 1.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 10,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Computer and Information Sciences, General CIP 11.0101
- Information Technology CIP 11.0103
- Informatics CIP 11.0104
- Computer Programming/Programmer, General CIP 11.0201
- Computer Programming, Specific Applications CIP 11.0202
- Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification CIP 11.0203
- Computer Game Programming CIP 11.0204
- Computer Programming, Specific Platforms CIP 11.0205
- Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst CIP 11.0501
- Computer Science CIP 11.0701
- Computer Engineering, General CIP 14.0901
- Computer Software Engineering CIP 14.0903
- Computer Engineering Technology/Technician CIP 15.1201
- Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician CIP 15.1202
- Computer Software Technology/Technician CIP 15.1204
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
- Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
- Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
- Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
- Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
- Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
- Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.
- Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
Technology skills
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (in demand)
- Atlassian JIRA (in demand)
- C# (in demand)
- C++ (in demand)
- Git (in demand)
- GitHub (in demand)
- JavaScript (in demand)
- Jenkins CI (in demand)
- Linux (in demand)
- Microsoft Azure software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Oracle Java (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- Selenium (in demand)
- Structured query language SQL (in demand)
Transferable skills for career changers: Programming, Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Operations Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Automation Tester, Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst), Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst), Quality Assurance Engineer (QA Engineer), Quality Engineer, Software Quality Assurance Analyst (SQA Analyst), Software Quality Assurance Engineer (SQA Engineer), Software Quality Engineer, Software Test Engineer, Test Engineer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make?
The national median annual wage for software quality assurance analysts and testers was $104,300 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $61,440 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $167,010. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do software quality assurance analysts and testers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is software quality assurance analysts and testers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of software quality assurance analysts and testers to change +5.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 10,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay software quality assurance analysts and testers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($128,740), Washington ($128,480), Colorado ($123,690). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.