Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: salary, outlook & degrees
Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.
Middle half $80,310–$133,180. 186,740 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
75% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $81,220.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 10,700 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 16% | Computer Science |
| Computer Engineering | 6% | Computer Engineering |
| Electrical Engineering | 6% | Electrical Engineering |
| Computer And Information Systems | 5% | Computer and Information Sciences |
| Business Management And Administration | 4% | Business Administration |
| Management Information Systems And Statistics | 3% | Management Information Systems · Management Science / Analytics |
| Biology | 3% | Biology |
| Psychology | 3% | Psychology |
| Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure | 2% | Kinesiology / Exercise Science · Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies |
| Marketing And Marketing Research | 2% | Marketing · Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| California | $128,740 |
| Washington | $128,480 |
| Colorado | $123,690 |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 |
| Virginia | $121,590 |
| New York | $121,240 |
| New Jersey | $119,470 |
| New Mexico | $116,580 |
| Maryland | $111,100 |
| Oregon | $108,440 |
| New Hampshire | $107,100 |
| Delaware | $106,060 |
| Illinois | $104,910 |
| Montana | $103,930 |
| District of Columbia | $103,340 |
| Georgia | $103,040 |
| Hawaii | $102,930 |
| Texas | $101,850 |
| Rhode Island | $101,790 |
| Minnesota | $101,700 |
| Alabama | $101,500 |
| Arizona | $100,650 |
| North Carolina | $100,390 |
| Florida | $100,210 |
| Michigan | $98,720 |
| Nebraska | $98,010 |
| Ohio | $98,000 |
| Connecticut | $97,740 |
| South Carolina | $97,500 |
| Kansas | $94,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,030 |
| Tennessee | $91,040 |
| Wisconsin | $89,400 |
| Iowa | $88,590 |
| Indiana | $87,020 |
| Maine | $86,050 |
| Missouri | $85,530 |
| North Dakota | $83,920 |
| Utah | $82,100 |
| Mississippi | $79,890 |
| Kentucky | $79,100 |
| Oklahoma | $77,700 |
| Vermont | $76,580 |
| South Dakota | $68,120 |
| Louisiana | $66,810 |
| West Virginia | $62,300 |
| PR | $61,690 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$100,050
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$104,250
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$98,870
- Jacksonville$97,030
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville$105,000
- Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin$124,040
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$100,450
- Tallahassee$90,040
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$126,350
- Richmond$106,300
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$105,970
- Charlottesville$111,060
- Roanoke$99,600
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford$101,510
- Lynchburg$102,250
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$122,210
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$166,530
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$134,630
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$120,210
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$104,410
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$105,720
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$113,680
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara$110,640
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge used
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Conventional (organizing), Realistic (hands-on) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: questions
How much do software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers make?
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers earn a U.S. median $104,300 a year; the middle half earn $80,310 to $133,180 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $73,463 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,700 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a software Quality Assurance Analysts and Tester?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 53% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is computer Science (16%).
How much do software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $100,210 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $104,300 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 15-1253. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/software-quality-assurance-analysts-and-testers.