Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

15-1253

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.

Median annual wage

$104,300

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Projected change

5.7%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Annual openings

10.7k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

National employment

186,740

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$104,300

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Mean annual wage

$111,490

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Hourly median wage

$50.14

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Hourly mean wage

$53.60

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

10th percentile annual wage

$61,440

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

25th percentile annual wage

$80,310

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

75th percentile annual wage

$133,180

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

90th percentile annual wage

$167,010

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

National employment

186,740

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1253

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

5.7%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Average annual openings

10.7k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

Bachelor's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

On-the-job training

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1253

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

4 raw · CX scale
75% relative

Relative scale: 75% · raw 4 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Time pressure

3.9 raw · CX scale
72% relative

Relative scale: 72% · raw 3.88 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Spend time standing

1.9 raw · CX scale
24% relative

Relative scale: 24% · raw 1.94 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Exposed to contaminants

1.2 raw · CX scale
4% relative

Relative scale: 4% · raw 1.18 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1.1 raw · CX scale
2% relative

Relative scale: 2% · raw 1.09 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

1.2 raw · CX scale
4% relative

Relative scale: 4% · raw 1.15 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Reading comprehension

4.1 raw · LV scale
59% relative

Relative scale: 59% · raw 4.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Active listening

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Speaking

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Critical thinking

3.9 raw · LV scale
55% relative

Relative scale: 55% · raw 3.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Writing

3.9 raw · LV scale
55% relative

Relative scale: 55% · raw 3.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Monitoring

3.8 raw · LV scale
54% relative

Relative scale: 54% · raw 3.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Active learning

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Science

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Dependability

2.4 raw · WI scale
90% relative

Relative scale: 90% · raw 2.39 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Attention to detail

3 raw · WI scale
100% relative

Relative scale: 100% · raw 3 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Stress tolerance

1.1 raw · WI scale
68% relative

Relative scale: 68% · raw 1.09 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

Cooperation

1.2 raw · WI scale
70% relative

Relative scale: 70% · raw 1.2 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 15-1253.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 15-1253 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 15-1253 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 15-1253.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Median pay

$139,500

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1243

Growth

9.4%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1243

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15-1242

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Median pay

$104,620

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1242

Growth

-0.1%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1242

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15-1212

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Median pay

$129,180

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1212

Growth

21%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1212

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Median pay

$134,050

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 15-1241

Growth

7.7%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 15-1241

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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.