Software Quality Assurance Analysts earn an average annual salary of $133,790, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only. The field combines competitive compensation with strong employment opportunities, making it an attractive career path.

Key Statistics

31,530
2023 Workforce
40.0
Average Age
$133,790
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Software Quality Assurance Analysts workforce.

Employment Over Time

31,530 Workforce in 2023

The Software Quality Assurance Analysts workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$133,790 Average Wage

In 2023, Software Quality Assurance Analysts earned an average of $133,790.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Salary distribution for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Employment Growth Projections

-2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

102,492 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: -13.9%

88,289 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: -25.8%

This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Software Quality Assurance Analysts and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Software Quality Assurance Analysts employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Wage Trends by Industry

0.5% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 27,930 employees, $137,226 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 7,590 employees, $170,285 avg wage
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 4,790 employees, $112,051 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 4,540 employees, $137,279 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 3,270 employees, $150,185 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 2,780 employees, $112,405 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 2,260 employees, $118,310 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 870 employees, $116,574 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 560 employees, $108,953 avg wage
  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 280 employees, $121,525 avg wage
  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 210 employees, $119,697 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Diversity

Demographic information on Software Quality Assurance Analysts in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Software Quality Assurance Analysts in 2023 was 31,530 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Software Quality Assurance Analysts in 2023 were Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems.

Common majors for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Software Quality Assurance Analysts workers.

Education level distribution for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Skills

Software Quality Assurance Analysts need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening, Writing.

Required skills for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Software Quality Assurance Analysts include Computers and Electronics, English Language, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Design.

Knowledge areas required for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Software Quality Assurance Analysts include Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning.

Required abilities for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

Daily Activities

Software Quality Assurance Analysts spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Processing Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.

Most important work activities for Software Quality Assurance Analysts.

About

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

The average yearly wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts was $133,790 in 2023.

SOC Code

15-1253 - Software Quality Assurance Analysts

Insights and Analysis

High earnings profile: Software Quality Assurance Analysts reports an average salary of $133,790, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 31,530 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -2.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.