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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

15-1253 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

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.


National estimates for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
Industry profile for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
Geographic profile for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

National estimates for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
196,420 2.0 % $ 50.84 $ 105,750 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 26.69 $ 36.40 $ 47.89 $ 61.38 $ 76.80
Annual Wage (2) $ 55,510 $ 75,710 $ 99,620 $ 127,660 $ 159,740


Industry profile for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 65,310 2.64 $ 48.73 $ 101,350
Software Publishers 19,070 3.11 $ 50.46 $ 104,950
Management of Companies and Enterprises 11,350 0.42 $ 49.85 $ 103,690
Employment Services 10,780 0.27 $ 46.33 $ 96,360
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services 8,440 1.86 $ 54.77 $ 113,920

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers 19,070 3.11 $ 50.46 $ 104,950
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 65,310 2.64 $ 48.73 $ 101,350
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 3,680 2.33 $ 59.57 $ 123,900
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services 8,440 1.86 $ 54.77 $ 113,920
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services 2,980 1.70 (8) (8)

Top paying industries for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Automobile Dealers 50 (7) $ 77.21 $ 160,600
Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media 50 0.47 $ 70.69 $ 147,040
General Merchandise Retailers 290 0.01 $ 67.60 $ 140,600
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 1,730 0.46 $ 62.25 $ 129,470
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 80 0.39 $ 62.16 $ 129,290


Geographic profile for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of software quality assurance analysts and testers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 33,160 1.88 1.42 $ 66.20 $ 137,690
Texas 19,120 1.47 1.11 $ 45.93 $ 95,530
New York 13,070 1.43 1.08 $ 56.80 $ 118,140
Florida 11,460 1.24 0.94 $ 43.14 $ 89,730
Washington 11,440 3.36 2.53 $ 53.55 $ 111,380


Map of location quotient of software quality assurance analysts and testers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 9,170 3.47 2.62 $ 57.63 $ 119,870
Washington 11,440 3.36 2.53 $ 53.55 $ 111,380
Virginia 8,160 2.11 1.59 $ 52.04 $ 108,240
Colorado 5,430 1.96 1.48 $ 52.27 $ 108,720
New Jersey 7,760 1.89 1.42 $ 54.21 $ 112,760


Map of annual mean wages of software quality assurance analysts and testers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 33,160 1.88 1.42 $ 66.20 $ 137,690
Delaware 500 1.10 0.83 $ 57.73 $ 120,070
Maryland 9,170 3.47 2.62 $ 57.63 $ 119,870
New York 13,070 1.43 1.08 $ 56.80 $ 118,140
District of Columbia 780 1.13 0.85 $ 54.82 $ 114,020



Map of employment of software quality assurance analysts and testers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 15,920 1.73 1.30 $ 58.42 $ 121,500
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 10,220 5.01 3.77 $ 54.98 $ 114,370
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 9,270 8.25 6.21 $ 88.53 $ 184,150
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 8,780 2.90 2.18 $ 55.18 $ 114,770
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 8,550 3.57 2.69 $ 67.61 $ 140,630
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,270 2.17 1.64 $ 46.83 $ 97,410
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,590 1.08 0.81 $ 54.29 $ 112,930
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 6,000 1.36 1.02 $ 47.60 $ 99,010
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,220 1.93 1.45 $ 54.62 $ 113,610
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 4,710 3.64 2.74 $ 59.99 $ 124,780


Map of location quotient of software quality assurance analysts and testers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California-Lexington Park, MD 440 9.40 7.07 $ 64.32 $ 133,780
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 9,270 8.25 6.21 $ 88.53 $ 184,150
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 10,220 5.01 3.77 $ 54.98 $ 114,370
Boulder, CO 780 4.07 3.06 $ 51.41 $ 106,930
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 4,710 3.64 2.74 $ 59.99 $ 124,780
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 8,550 3.57 2.69 $ 67.61 $ 140,630
Raleigh, NC 2,280 3.39 2.56 $ 53.33 $ 110,930
Provo-Orem, UT 930 3.27 2.46 $ 37.79 $ 78,590
Austin-Round Rock, TX 3,820 3.25 2.45 $ 46.09 $ 95,860
Huntsville, AL 700 2.93 2.20 $ 49.44 $ 102,840


Map of annual mean wages of software quality assurance analysts and testers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 9,270 8.25 6.21 $ 88.53 $ 184,150
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 8,550 3.57 2.69 $ 67.61 $ 140,630
California-Lexington Park, MD 440 9.40 7.07 $ 64.32 $ 133,780
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 4,710 3.64 2.74 $ 59.99 $ 124,780
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 15,920 1.73 1.30 $ 58.42 $ 121,500
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 70 0.71 0.54 $ 58.07 $ 120,790
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 270 1.29 0.97 $ 58.03 $ 120,700
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 8,780 2.90 2.18 $ 55.18 $ 114,770
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 10,220 5.01 3.77 $ 54.98 $ 114,370
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,220 1.93 1.45 $ 54.62 $ 113,610

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 120 2.44 1.84 $ 41.48 $ 86,270
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 120 0.58 0.44 $ 37.18 $ 77,340
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 120 0.61 0.46 $ 38.87 $ 80,860
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 90 0.22 0.17 $ 34.92 $ 72,640
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 80 0.65 0.49 $ 23.14 $ 48,120

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 120 2.44 1.84 $ 41.48 $ 86,270
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 70 0.75 0.56 $ 47.39 $ 98,560
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 40 0.72 0.54 $ 24.01 $ 49,940
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 80 0.67 0.50 $ 35.42 $ 73,670
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 80 0.65 0.49 $ 23.14 $ 48,120

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.34 0.25 $ 57.05 $ 118,670
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 30 0.60 0.45 $ 49.62 $ 103,210
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 40 0.21 0.16 $ 48.96 $ 101,850
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 70 0.75 0.56 $ 47.39 $ 98,560
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 45.57 $ 94,780


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023