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Quality assurance analyst: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$104,300median pay per year, or $50.14 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $61,440lowest 10% earn less
  2. $80,31025th percentile
  3. $104,300median
  4. $133,18075th percentile
  5. $167,010top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Software quality assurance analysts and testers had a median pay of $104,300 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the rate for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.7%[2]
Openings per year
10,700[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do quality assurance analysts make?

The median wage was $104,300 a year, or $50.14 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $111,490 a year, or $53.60 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $61,440, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $80,310[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $133,180, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $167,010[4]. BLS does not publish a starting salary. It publishes percentile boundaries[9].

Per hour, the 10th percentile was $29.54, the 25th was $38.61, the 75th was $64.03 and the 90th was $80.29[10].

These wages cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

Among 45 states and DC with published data, California had the highest median at $128,740, then Washington at $128,480, Colorado at $123,690, Massachusetts at $122,210 and Virginia at $121,590[12]. West Virginia had the lowest listed median at $62,300[12].

The states with the most jobs were California (27,710), Texas (19,590), New York (10,460), Florida (10,320) and Virginia (10,160)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $166,530[14]. Lexington Park, MD followed at $147,520, then Boulder, CO at $136,410[14]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the most jobs at 11,460, then Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX at 8,840[15].

Show median pay in 45 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$128,74027,710
Washington$128,4807,970
Colorado$123,6905,110
Massachusetts$122,2106,640
Virginia$121,59010,160
New York$121,24010,460
New Jersey$119,4706,550
New Mexico$116,580450
Maryland$111,1005,880
Oregon$108,4401,840
New Hampshire$107,100770
Delaware$106,060520
Illinois$104,9106,530
Montana$103,930150
District of Columbia$103,340760
Georgia$103,0407,110
Hawaii$102,930n/a
Texas$101,85019,590
Rhode Island$101,790400
Minnesota$101,7002,630
Alabama$101,5001,760
Arizona$100,6503,890
North Carolina$100,3908,890
Florida$100,21010,320
Michigan$98,7203,480
Nebraska$98,0101,240
Ohio$98,0004,400
Connecticut$97,7401,160
South Carolina$97,5001,740
Kansas$94,4901,140
Pennsylvania$93,0304,530
Tennessee$91,0401,530
Wisconsin$89,4003,800
Iowa$88,5901,000
Indiana$87,0201,610
Maine$86,050390
Missouri$85,5302,930
North Dakota$83,920200
Utah$82,1002,600
Mississippi$79,890350
Kentucky$79,100890
Oklahoma$77,7001,620
Vermont$76,580170
South Dakota$68,120220
Louisiana$66,810450
West Virginia$62,300390

How to become a quality assurance analyst

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training typical[7]. The training details below come from a handbook profile that covers a wider group of occupations, including software developers[16].

In an O*NET survey of 34 workers, 50% said a bachelor's degree is required, 26% said an associate's degree, 9% said a postsecondary certificate and 9% said some college courses[19]. The handbook adds that some employers prefer a master's degree for developer jobs[20].

Useful skills named in the handbook include analytical, communication, creative, detail-oriented, interpersonal and problem-solving skills[21][22][23][24][25][26].

What quality assurance analysts do

O*NET describes the job as developing and running software tests to find problems and their causes, then reporting defects to developers[27]. Common tasks include:

Workers report titles such as QA analyst, QA engineer, automation tester and software quality engineer[29].

Where they work

The handbook says software work is usually teamwork, so these workers sit on teams with others who design, build and program software[30]. It also says most of these workers work full time[31]. In 2025, 30% worked in computer systems design and related services, the largest employer group listed[32]. Both points describe the wider handbook group[16].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 187,600 to 198,200 jobs, a gain of 10,600[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include the self-employed, so they differ from the 186,740 wage and salary jobs in the wage survey[33][2].

About 10,700 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings come from workers who leave or switch occupations as well as from new jobs[6]. Each year 1.8% of workers leave the labor force and 3.2% move to a different occupation[34].

BLS names one factor that holds the share of testers down. Some testing tasks move to software developers as companies build testing into development, and artificial intelligence automates some tasks[35].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is well above the all-occupation median, with a wide spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile[1][4][5]. The usual entry route is a bachelor's degree, with no related experience typical[7]. Growth is faster than for all occupations, though BLS notes that some testing tasks are shifting to developers and automation[2][3][35]. The facts here do not cover tuition, certifications or program length.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a quality assurance analyst make an hour?
The median was $50.14 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $53.60[1][8].
What degree do you need to be a quality assurance analyst?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7].
Is quality assurance in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 10,700 openings a year[2][3][6].
What is the highest paying state for quality assurance analysts?
California had the highest state median at $128,740, then Washington at $128,480[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the US was $104,300 per year and $50.14 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers is projected to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 187,600 to 198,200 jobs (a change of +10,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: 10th percentile $61,440, 25th percentile $80,310, 75th percentile $133,180, 90th percentile $167,010. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 10,700 openings for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers was $111,490 per year and $53.60 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: 10th percentile $29.54, 25th percentile $38.61, 75th percentile $64.03, 90th percentile $80.29. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers jobs: California 27,710; Texas 19,590; New York 10,460; Florida 10,320; Virginia 10,160. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $166,530; Lexington Park, MD $147,520; Boulder, CO $136,410; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $134,630; Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $133,970; Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $130,710; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $130,540; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $129,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 11,460 (median $130,540); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,840 (median $103,210); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 8,460 (median $126,350); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,200 (median $122,210); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 6,650 (median $129,690); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 6,480 (median $166,530). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers" covers Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. O*NET 15-1253.00 survey of workers (34 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 50%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 26%, Post-Secondary Certificate 9%, Some College Courses 9% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. O*NET description of Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. O*NET OnLine
  28. O*NET task list for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. O*NET OnLine
  29. O*NET 15-1253.00 sample job titles reported by workers: 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. O*NET OnLine
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers in 2025: Computer systems design and related services 30%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 186,740 people were employed as Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: 1.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: Occupational substitution, capital/labor substitution - share decreases as some tasks move to software developers as companies increasingly integrate their testing into their software development processes, and as some testing tasks are automated by artificial intelligence (AI). BLS Employment Projections
  36. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.