Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary in the U.S.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the U.S. earn a median of $104,300 a year ($50.14 an hour), based on BLS data for 186,740 workers.
Pay ranges from $61,440 for the lowest-paid 10% to $167,010 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $111,490, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for software quality assurance analysts and testers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $61,440 | $29.54 |
| 25th percentile | $80,310 | $38.61 |
| Median | $104,300 | $50.14 |
| 75th percentile | $133,180 | $64.03 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $167,010 | $80.29 |
| Average (mean) | $111,490 | $53.60 |
Half of software quality assurance analysts and testers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,691.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,345.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,011.54 |
| Weekly | $2,005.77 |
| Hourly | $50.14 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $128,740 | 27,710 |
| Washington | $128,480 | 7,970 |
| Colorado | $123,690 | 5,110 |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 | 6,640 |
| Virginia | $121,590 | 10,160 |
| New York | $121,240 | 10,460 |
| New Jersey | $119,470 | 6,550 |
| New Mexico | $116,580 | 450 |
| Maryland | $111,100 | 5,880 |
| Oregon | $108,440 | 1,840 |
| New Hampshire | $107,100 | 770 |
| Delaware | $106,060 | 520 |
| Illinois | $104,910 | 6,530 |
| Montana | $103,930 | 150 |
| District of Columbia | $103,340 | 760 |
| Georgia | $103,040 | 7,110 |
| Hawaii | $102,930 | n/a |
| Texas | $101,850 | 19,590 |
| Rhode Island | $101,790 | 400 |
| Minnesota | $101,700 | 2,630 |
| Alabama | $101,500 | 1,760 |
| Arizona | $100,650 | 3,890 |
| North Carolina | $100,390 | 8,890 |
| Florida | $100,210 | 10,320 |
| Michigan | $98,720 | 3,480 |
| Nebraska | $98,010 | 1,240 |
| Ohio | $98,000 | 4,400 |
| Connecticut | $97,740 | 1,160 |
| South Carolina | $97,500 | 1,740 |
| Kansas | $94,490 | 1,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,030 | 4,530 |
| Tennessee | $91,040 | 1,530 |
| Wisconsin | $89,400 | 3,800 |
| Iowa | $88,590 | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $87,020 | 1,610 |
| Maine | $86,050 | 390 |
| Missouri | $85,530 | 2,930 |
| North Dakota | $83,920 | 200 |
| Utah | $82,100 | 2,600 |
| Mississippi | $79,890 | 350 |
| Kentucky | $79,100 | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $77,700 | 1,620 |
| Vermont | $76,580 | 170 |
| South Dakota | $68,120 | 220 |
| Louisiana | $66,810 | 450 |
| West Virginia | $62,300 | 390 |
| Puerto Rico | $61,690 | 270 |
Best-paying metro areas for software quality assurance analysts and testers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $166,530 | 6,480 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $147,520 | 400 |
| Boulder, CO | $136,410 | 500 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $134,630 | 5,880 |
| Greeley, CO | $134,350 | 60 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $133,970 | 100 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $130,710 | 170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,540 | 11,460 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $129,880 | 2,670 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $129,690 | 6,650 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $128,860 | 80 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $128,520 | 610 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $128,010 | 80 |
| Bozeman, MT | $127,590 | 50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,350 | 8,460 |
Metro areas with the most software quality assurance analysts and testers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 11,460 | $130,540 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,840 | $103,210 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 8,460 | $126,350 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,200 | $122,210 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 6,650 | $129,690 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 6,480 | $166,530 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 6,050 | $122,210 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,880 | $134,630 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,270 | $105,800 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,010 | $105,580 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 3,900 | $81,990 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 3,620 | $123,690 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 3,340 | $103,070 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,160 | $100,740 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,670 | $129,880 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $135,980 | $65.38 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $61,860 | $29.74 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $105,850 | $50.89 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,580 | $56.05 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $99,130 | $47.66 |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 | $62.11 |
| Computer Network Architect | $134,050 | $64.45 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $76,220 | $36.64 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $104,000 | $50.00 |
| Computer Programmer | $100,390 | $48.26 |
| Web Developer | $92,650 | $44.54 |
| Database Administrator | $104,620 | $50.30 |
| Database Architect | $139,500 | $67.07 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $140,300 | $67.45 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-1253. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software quality assurance analysts and testers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for software quality assurance analysts and testers in the U.S. is $104,300 a year, or $50.14 an hour. Pay ranges from $61,440 for the lowest-paid 10% to $167,010 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid software quality assurance analysts and testers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of software quality assurance analysts and testers in the U.S. earn at least $167,010 a year. The top 25% earn $133,180 or more.
What is the starting pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $61,440 a year, and a quarter of software quality assurance analysts and testers earn $80,310 or less.
How many software quality assurance analysts and testers work in the U.S.?
About 186,740 software quality assurance analysts and testers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.