15 Series · SOC 15-1253
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $104,300
- Median / year
- $167,010
- Top 10% earn
- +10%
- Growth '23–'33
- 186,740
- US workers
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers professionals earn a median $104,300/year ($50.14/hr) nationally. The salary ranges from $61,440 (10th percentile) to $167,010 (90th percentile). Employment is projected to grow10% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than average. The highest-paying state is California at $128,740. Approximately 186,740 people work in this role across the U.S. Entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Workplace safety grade: A (Very Safe).
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (SOC 15-1253) pays a national median of $104,300 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $61,440 at the 10th percentile to $167,010 at the 90th, with a mean of $111,490 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 186,740 Americans work in this occupation across 47 reporting states and 248 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +10% change in employment from 2023 to 2033, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 14,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $128,740, which is +23% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $166,530 — metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand.
BLS OEWS May 2025 186,740 jobs Median $104,300/yr
Median Salary
$104,300
per year
Median Hourly
$50.14/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$111,490
average
Employment
186,740
jobs nationwide
This occupation vs. all-occupations US median ($63,000) 52.1%
All-occ US median
Bar fills relative to a $200K reference ceiling. Marker shows the all-occupations US median for context — anything to the right of it earns above the typical American worker.
Job Outlook (2023–2033)
Projected Growth
+10%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
14,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2023–2033
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
1/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Speaking 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Writing 3.8
Monitoring 3.6
Programming 3.6
Complex Problem Solving 3.4
Quality Control Analysis 3.4
Systems Evaluation 3.3
Knowledge Areas
Computers and Electronics 4.4
English Language 3.8
Mathematics 3.3
Engineering and Technology 3.3
Design 3.0
Education and Training 2.9
Customer and Personal Service 2.7
Administration and Management 2.5
Administrative 2.4
Telecommunications 2.2
Key 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.
- ▸ Create or maintain databases of known test defects.
- ▸ Develop or specify standards, methods, or procedures to determine product quality or release readiness.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$61,440
25th Percentile
$80,310
Median
$104,300
75th Percentile
$133,180
90th Percentile
$167,010
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 47 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $128,740 | +23% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $128,480 | +23% above national |
| 3 | Colorado | $123,690 | +19% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $122,210 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Virginia | $121,590 | +17% above national |
| 6 | New York | $121,240 | +16% above national |
| 7 | New Jersey | $119,470 | +15% above national |
| 8 | New Mexico | $116,580 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Maryland | $111,100 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $108,440 | +4% above national |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $107,100 | +3% above national |
| 12 | Delaware | $106,060 | +2% above national |
| 13 | Illinois | $104,910 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Montana | $103,930 | same as national |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $103,340 | 1% below national |
| 16 | Georgia | $103,040 | 1% below national |
| 17 | Hawaii | $102,930 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Texas | $101,850 | 2% below national |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $101,790 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $101,700 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Alabama | $101,500 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Arizona | $100,650 | 3% below national |
| 23 | North Carolina | $100,390 | 4% below national |
| 24 | Florida | $100,210 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Michigan | $98,720 | 5% below national |
| 26 | Nebraska | $98,010 | 6% below national |
| 27 | Ohio | $98,000 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Connecticut | $97,740 | 6% below national |
| 29 | South Carolina | $97,500 | 7% below national |
| 30 | Kansas | $94,490 | 9% below national |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $93,030 | 11% below national |
| 32 | Tennessee | $91,040 | 13% below national |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $89,400 | 14% below national |
| 34 | Iowa | $88,590 | 15% below national |
| 35 | Indiana | $87,020 | 17% below national |
| 36 | Maine | $86,050 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Missouri | $85,530 | 18% below national |
| 38 | North Dakota | $83,920 | 20% below national |
| 39 | Utah | $82,100 | 21% below national |
| 40 | Mississippi | $79,890 | 23% below national |
| 41 | Kentucky | $79,100 | 24% below national |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $77,700 | 26% below national |
| 43 | Vermont | $76,580 | 27% below national |
| 44 | South Dakota | $68,120 | 35% below national |
| 45 | Louisiana | $66,810 | 36% below national |
| 46 | West Virginia | $62,300 | 40% below national |
| 47 | Puerto Rico | $61,690 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 248 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $166,530 | +60% above national |
| 2 | Lexington Park, MD | $147,520 | +41% above national |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $136,410 | +31% above national |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $134,630 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Greeley, CO | $134,350 | +29% above national |
| 6 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $133,970 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $130,710 | +25% above national |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,540 | +25% above national |
| 9 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $129,880 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $129,690 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $128,860 | +24% above national |
| 12 | Colorado Springs, CO | $128,520 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $128,010 | +23% above national |
| 14 | Bozeman, MT | $127,590 | +22% above national |
| 15 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,350 | +21% above national |
| 16 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $125,680 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $124,400 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $124,040 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $123,690 | +19% above national |
| 20 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $122,980 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $122,210 | +17% above national |
| 22 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $122,210 | +17% above national |
| 23 | Rochester, MN | $120,630 | +16% above national |
| 24 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $120,210 | +15% above national |
| 25 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $119,020 | +14% above national |
| 26 | Vallejo, CA | $115,710 | +11% above national |
| 27 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $115,000 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Asheville, NC | $114,510 | +10% above national |
| 29 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $113,680 | +9% above national |
| 30 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $113,140 | +8% above national |
| 31 | Punta Gorda, FL | $112,240 | +8% above national |
| 32 | Santa Fe, NM | $111,360 | +7% above national |
| 33 | Dover, DE | $111,270 | +7% above national |
| 34 | Charlottesville, VA | $111,060 | +6% above national |
| 35 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $110,800 | +6% above national |
| 36 | Kenosha, WI | $110,770 | +6% above national |
| 37 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $110,640 | +6% above national |
| 38 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $109,760 | +5% above national |
| 39 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $109,540 | +5% above national |
| 40 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $108,590 | +4% above national |
| 41 | Albuquerque, NM | $108,230 | +4% above national |
| 42 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $108,040 | +4% above national |
| 43 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $107,950 | +3% above national |
| 44 | Worcester, MA | $107,370 | +3% above national |
| 45 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $107,350 | +3% above national |
| 46 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $107,140 | +3% above national |
| 47 | Richmond, VA | $106,300 | +2% above national |
| 48 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $106,080 | +2% above national |
| 49 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $105,970 | +2% above national |
| 50 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $105,800 | +1% above national |
| 51 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $105,720 | +1% above national |
| 52 | Huntsville, AL | $105,610 | +1% above national |
| 53 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $105,580 | +1% above national |
| 54 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $105,270 | +1% above national |
| 55 | Binghamton, NY | $105,170 | +1% above national |
| 56 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $105,080 | +1% above national |
| 57 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $105,000 | +1% above national |
| 58 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $104,410 | same as national |
| 59 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $104,250 | same as national |
| 60 | Bellingham, WA | $103,280 | 1% below national |
| 61 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $103,210 | 1% below national |
| 62 | Columbus, OH | $103,110 | 1% below national |
| 63 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $103,070 | 1% below national |
| 64 | Columbus, GA-AL | $102,890 | 1% below national |
| 65 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $102,750 | 1% below national |
| 66 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $102,740 | 1% below national |
| 67 | Springfield, MA | $102,730 | 2% below national |
| 68 | Ogden, UT | $102,540 | 2% below national |
| 69 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $102,420 | 2% below national |
| 70 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $102,390 | 2% below national |
| 71 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $102,340 | 2% below national |
| 72 | Lynchburg, VA | $102,250 | 2% below national |
| 73 | Cleveland, OH | $102,190 | 2% below national |
| 74 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $102,130 | 2% below national |
| 75 | Boise City, ID | $102,110 | 2% below national |
| 76 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $102,110 | 2% below national |
| 77 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $102,090 | 2% below national |
| 78 | Bloomington, IL | $102,070 | 2% below national |
| 79 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $101,880 | 2% below national |
| 80 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,720 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $101,710 | 2% below national |
| 82 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $101,510 | 3% below national |
| 83 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $101,490 | 3% below national |
| 84 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $101,140 | 3% below national |
| 85 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $100,740 | 3% below national |
| 86 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $100,710 | 3% below national |
| 87 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $100,690 | 3% below national |
| 88 | Tucson, AZ | $100,650 | 3% below national |
| 89 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $100,450 | 4% below national |
| 90 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $100,280 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Dubuque, IA | $100,170 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Savannah, GA | $100,170 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Reno, NV | $100,130 | 4% below national |
| 94 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $100,050 | 4% below national |
| 95 | Utica-Rome, NY | $99,880 | 4% below national |
| 96 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $99,670 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Roanoke, VA | $99,600 | 5% below national |
| 98 | Omaha, NE-IA | $99,580 | 5% below national |
| 99 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $99,400 | 5% below national |
| 100 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $99,340 | 5% below national |
| 101 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $99,250 | 5% below national |
| 102 | Gainesville, GA | $99,100 | 5% below national |
| 103 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $98,870 | 5% below national |
| 104 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $98,720 | 5% below national |
| 105 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $98,690 | 5% below national |
| 106 | Akron, OH | $98,600 | 5% below national |
| 107 | Spartanburg, SC | $98,350 | 6% below national |
| 108 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $98,270 | 6% below national |
| 109 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $98,190 | 6% below national |
| 110 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $98,120 | 6% below national |
| 111 | Syracuse, NY | $97,950 | 6% below national |
| 112 | Bend, OR | $97,870 | 6% below national |
| 113 | Madison, WI | $97,840 | 6% below national |
| 114 | Rochester, NY | $97,840 | 6% below national |
| 115 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $97,830 | 6% below national |
| 116 | Montgomery, AL | $97,750 | 6% below national |
| 117 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $97,720 | 6% below national |
| 118 | Fayetteville, NC | $97,520 | 7% below national |
| 119 | Salem, OR | $97,520 | 7% below national |
| 120 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $97,470 | 7% below national |
| 121 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $97,390 | 7% below national |
| 122 | Ann Arbor, MI | $97,250 | 7% below national |
| 123 | Jacksonville, FL | $97,030 | 7% below national |
| 124 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $96,960 | 7% below national |
| 125 | Springfield, IL | $96,800 | 7% below national |
| 126 | Peoria, IL | $96,700 | 7% below national |
| 127 | Ames, IA | $96,560 | 7% below national |
| 128 | Corpus Christi, TX | $96,530 | 7% below national |
| 129 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $96,320 | 8% below national |
| 130 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $96,160 | 8% below national |
| 131 | Rockford, IL | $96,020 | 8% below national |
| 132 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $95,990 | 8% below national |
| 133 | Warner Robins, GA | $95,890 | 8% below national |
| 134 | New Haven, CT | $95,700 | 8% below national |
| 135 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $95,680 | 8% below national |
| 136 | Eau Claire, WI | $95,600 | 8% below national |
| 137 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $95,280 | 9% below national |
| 138 | Ithaca, NY | $94,990 | 9% below national |
| 139 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $94,970 | 9% below national |
| 140 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $94,800 | 9% below national |
| 141 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $94,590 | 9% below national |
| 142 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $94,590 | 9% below national |
| 143 | Midland, TX | $94,500 | 9% below national |
| 144 | Fresno, CA | $94,350 | 10% below national |
| 145 | Toledo, OH | $94,160 | 10% below national |
| 146 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $93,690 | 10% below national |
| 147 | State College, PA | $93,680 | 10% below national |
| 148 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $93,540 | 10% below national |
| 149 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $93,510 | 10% below national |
| 150 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $93,450 | 10% below national |
| 151 | Lincoln, NE | $92,710 | 11% below national |
| 152 | El Paso, TX | $92,150 | 12% below national |
| 153 | Green Bay, WI | $92,120 | 12% below national |
| 154 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $92,050 | 12% below national |
| 155 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $91,520 | 12% below national |
| 156 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $91,150 | 13% below national |
| 157 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $91,040 | 13% below national |
| 158 | Appleton, WI | $90,890 | 13% below national |
| 159 | Lancaster, PA | $90,540 | 13% below national |
| 160 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $90,520 | 13% below national |
| 161 | Wichita, KS | $90,130 | 14% below national |
| 162 | Tallahassee, FL | $90,040 | 14% below national |
| 163 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $89,500 | 14% below national |
| 164 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $89,190 | 14% below national |
| 165 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $89,060 | 15% below national |
| 166 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $88,780 | 15% below national |
| 167 | Tulsa, OK | $88,680 | 15% below national |
| 168 | Topeka, KS | $88,590 | 15% below national |
| 169 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $87,950 | 16% below national |
| 170 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $87,940 | 16% below national |
| 171 | Mobile, AL | $87,910 | 16% below national |
| 172 | Modesto, CA | $87,650 | 16% below national |
| 173 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $87,270 | 16% below national |
| 174 | Columbia, SC | $86,320 | 17% below national |
| 175 | Wilmington, NC | $86,200 | 17% below national |
| 176 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $86,130 | 17% below national |
| 177 | Knoxville, TN | $85,970 | 18% below national |
| 178 | Greenville, NC | $85,930 | 18% below national |
| 179 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $85,910 | 18% below national |
| 180 | Fargo, ND-MN | $85,670 | 18% below national |
| 181 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $85,610 | 18% below national |
| 182 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $85,550 | 18% below national |
| 183 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $85,290 | 18% below national |
| 184 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $84,920 | 19% below national |
| 185 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $84,270 | 19% below national |
| 186 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $84,150 | 19% below national |
| 187 | Bismarck, ND | $83,920 | 20% below national |
| 188 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $83,700 | 20% below national |
| 189 | Gainesville, FL | $83,620 | 20% below national |
| 190 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $83,330 | 20% below national |
| 191 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $83,290 | 20% below national |
| 192 | Evansville, IN | $83,250 | 20% below national |
| 193 | Waco, TX | $83,150 | 20% below national |
| 194 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $83,010 | 20% below national |
| 195 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $82,940 | 20% below national |
| 196 | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,900 | 21% below national |
| 197 | Birmingham, AL | $82,060 | 21% below national |
| 198 | Abilene, TX | $81,990 | 21% below national |
| 199 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $81,990 | 21% below national |
| 200 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $81,950 | 21% below national |
| 201 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $81,630 | 22% below national |
| 202 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $81,390 | 22% below national |
| 203 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $80,940 | 22% below national |
| 204 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $80,840 | 22% below national |
| 205 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $80,280 | 23% below national |
| 206 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $79,840 | 23% below national |
| 207 | Fort Wayne, IN | $79,710 | 24% below national |
| 208 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $79,580 | 24% below national |
| 209 | Paducah, KY-IL | $79,340 | 24% below national |
| 210 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $79,180 | 24% below national |
| 211 | Reading, PA | $79,140 | 24% below national |
| 212 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $79,040 | 24% below national |
| 213 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $78,890 | 24% below national |
| 214 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $78,850 | 24% below national |
| 215 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $78,800 | 24% below national |
| 216 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $78,590 | 25% below national |
| 217 | Lafayette, LA | $78,370 | 25% below national |
| 218 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $77,990 | 25% below national |
| 219 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $77,950 | 25% below national |
| 220 | Oklahoma City, OK | $77,700 | 26% below national |
| 221 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $77,490 | 26% below national |
| 222 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $76,430 | 27% below national |
| 223 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $76,180 | 27% below national |
| 224 | Jefferson City, MO | $75,620 | 27% below national |
| 225 | Columbia, MO | $75,520 | 28% below national |
| 226 | Iowa City, IA | $75,330 | 28% below national |
| 227 | Wausau, WI | $74,840 | 28% below national |
| 228 | York-Hanover, PA | $74,390 | 29% below national |
| 229 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $73,740 | 29% below national |
| 230 | Logan, UT-ID | $73,290 | 30% below national |
| 231 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $72,400 | 31% below national |
| 232 | Jackson, MS | $71,530 | 31% below national |
| 233 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $71,100 | 32% below national |
| 234 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $69,990 | 33% below national |
| 235 | Winston-Salem, NC | $69,390 | 33% below national |
| 236 | Florence, SC | $67,430 | 35% below national |
| 237 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $65,800 | 37% below national |
| 238 | Elizabethtown, KY | $65,710 | 37% below national |
| 239 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $63,230 | 39% below national |
| 240 | San Angelo, TX | $62,400 | 40% below national |
| 241 | Charleston, WV | $62,300 | 40% below national |
| 242 | Springfield, MO | $61,600 | 41% below national |
| 243 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $61,540 | 41% below national |
| 244 | Ocala, FL | $61,070 | 41% below national |
| 245 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $59,310 | 43% below national |
| 246 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $52,120 | 50% below national |
| 247 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $48,910 | 53% below national |
| 248 | Morgantown, WV | $39,060 | 63% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 15 (computer and mathematical) with comparable pay and career paths.
Salary Guides
Primary source data
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers make? ▼
The median annual salary for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers is $104,300 ($50.14/hour). The salary range spans from $61,440 at the 10th percentile to $167,010 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers at $128,740/year, which is +23% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers is Bachelor's degree.
How dangerous is being a Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers? ▼
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.2 per 100 workers.
Is Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers a good career? ▼
Employment for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers is projected to grow 10% from 2023 to 2033, which is much faster than average. About 14,000 openings are projected each year.
How does Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay vary by state? ▼
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $128,740/year, while Vermont pays the least at $76,580/year. BLS data covers 47 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $166,530/year. BLS reports wage data for 248 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.