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How Much Does a Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester Make?

A software quality assurance analyst and tester in the US earns a median salary of $104,300 a year, or $50.14 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $111,490, and the middle half earn between $80,310 and $133,180.

Median a year $104,300
Median an hour $50.14
Median a month $8,692
Average a year $111,490

Software quality assurance analyst and tester pay range

What software quality assurance analysts and testers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $61,440 $29.54
25th $80,310 $38.61
Median (50th) $104,300 $50.14
75th $133,180 $64.03
90th (top 10%) $167,010 $80.29

The median is 105% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 186,740 people work as software quality assurance analysts and testers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,006
Every two weeks
$4,012
Twice a month
$4,346
A month
$8,692

At the median salary, before tax.

Software quality assurance analyst and tester salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays software quality assurance analysts and testers the most, at $131,260 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $131,260 $128,740 27,710 After tax
Washington $131,090 $128,480 7,970 After tax
Maryland $123,410 $111,100 5,880 After tax
Colorado $123,340 $123,690 5,110 After tax
New York $122,950 $121,240 10,460 After tax
New Mexico $122,520 $116,580 450 After tax
Virginia $121,160 $121,590 10,160 After tax
New Jersey $120,550 $119,470 6,550 After tax
Massachusetts $117,270 $122,210 6,640 After tax
Oregon $115,840 $108,440 1,840 After tax
Delaware $113,340 $106,060 520 After tax
Montana $109,480 $103,930 150 After tax
New Hampshire $108,730 $107,100 770 After tax
Rhode Island $108,720 $101,790 400 After tax
District of Columbia $107,950 $103,340 760 After tax
Illinois $107,950 $104,910 6,530 After tax
Alabama $105,650 $101,500 1,760 After tax
Georgia $105,320 $103,040 7,110 After tax
Hawaii $105,150 $102,930 – After tax
Minnesota $104,720 $101,700 2,630 After tax
Texas $104,660 $101,850 19,590 After tax
Florida $102,560 $100,210 10,320 After tax
North Carolina $102,060 $100,390 8,890 After tax
Arizona $101,790 $100,650 3,890 After tax
Connecticut $98,740 $97,740 1,160 After tax
Nebraska $98,160 $98,010 1,240 After tax
Wisconsin $97,890 $89,400 3,800 After tax
South Carolina $96,910 $97,500 1,740 After tax
Michigan $96,880 $98,720 3,480 After tax
Ohio $95,890 $98,000 4,400 After tax
Missouri $93,990 $85,530 2,930 After tax
Kansas $93,900 $94,490 1,140 After tax
Pennsylvania $93,710 $93,030 4,530 After tax
Tennessee $92,170 $91,040 1,530 After tax
Iowa $91,640 $88,590 1,000 After tax
Indiana $91,470 $87,020 1,610 After tax
Vermont $88,530 $76,580 170 After tax
Utah $87,700 $82,100 2,600 After tax
Maine $85,510 $86,050 390 After tax
Kentucky $84,590 $79,100 890 After tax
Mississippi $83,730 $79,890 350 After tax
North Dakota $83,460 $83,920 200 After tax
Oklahoma $81,720 $77,700 1,620 After tax
West Virginia $74,460 $62,300 390 After tax
South Dakota $73,260 $68,120 220 After tax
Puerto Rico $69,270 $61,690 270
Louisiana $68,800 $66,810 450 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other computer and mathematical jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers” (SOC 15-1253). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a software quality assurance analyst and tester make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a software quality assurance analyst and tester is $50.14, and the average is $53.60. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $29.54 an hour and the top 10% over $80.29.

How much does a software quality assurance analyst and tester make a month?

At the median salary of $104,300, a software quality assurance analyst and tester earns about $8,692 a month before tax, or $4,012 every two weeks.

Which state pays software quality assurance analysts and testers the most?

California has the highest average pay for a software quality assurance analyst and tester, at $131,260 a year. Next are Washington and Maryland. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a software quality assurance analyst and tester?

The lowest-paid 10% of software quality assurance analysts and testers earn less than $61,440 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $80,310. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid software quality assurance analysts and testers make?

The top 10% earn more than $167,010 a year, and the top 25% more than $133,180.