Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
How Much Do Software Quality Assurance Testers Make?
The median software quality assurance tester salary is $114,292 per year as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data covering 67 U.S. metro areas. Pay ranges from $72,400 in the lowest-paying metro to $166,530 in the highest, with a national mean of $115,948 across roughly 132,070 workers.
This page answers a common U.S. wage question: How Much Do Software Quality Assurance Testers Make?. The answer draws on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — the federal survey that captures wages for over 800 occupations across every U.S. metropolitan area. Why BLS OEWS data is the right anchor: alternative wage sources (Glassdoor, levels.fyi, Payscale) are self-reported and skew toward specific roles, industries, or geographies. BLS OEWS is employer-reported, mandatory for businesses above the survey threshold, and uniformly applied across occupations and metros.
The detailed answer below uses the BLS numbers, explains how to read them, and translates the statistical detail into the worker-relevant interpretation of the question.
50th percentile across U.S. metros, employment-weighted
What This Pay Level Means
The 50th percentile (median) is the wage at which half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. It is the right anchor for the typical worker — five-to-ten years of experience, normal scope and seniority, mid-tier employer. Pay above the median requires above-median experience, scope, or employer; pay below means above-median value left on the table.
For new entrants, the 10th percentile (entry-level) is the right benchmark; for early-career workers with 2–5 years, the 25th. For senior specialists and managers, the 75th and 90th percentiles apply. See the related links below for those bands.
Software Quality Assurance Tester Salary Snapshot (2026)
| National Median Salary | $101,943 |
| National Mean Salary | $115,948 |
| Lowest-Paying Metro Median | $72,400 |
| Highest-Paying Metro Median | $166,530 |
| Total U.S. Employment | 132,070 |
| Metro Areas Tracked | 67 |
| SOC Code · Category | 15-1253 · Technology |
Top-Paying Metros at This Level
| Metro | National Pay |
|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $166,530 |
| San Francisco, CA | $134,630 |
| New York, NY | $130,540 |
| Baltimore, MD | $129,880 |
| Seattle, WA | $129,690 |
What the Numbers Tell You
Geographic pay spread for Software Quality Assurance Testers is unusually wide — top metros pay roughly 2.3× what the lowest-paying metros pay, a $94,130 gap. Most of that variation tracks cost of living, regional industry concentration, and the depth of senior workers in each market.
Roughly 132,070 Software Quality Assurance Testers are employed across the metros tracked here — a sizable mid-tier occupation with reliable percentile data.
Other Pay Levels for Software Quality Assurance Testers
Each percentile band targets a distinct experience level — see the dedicated page for your career stage:
- Entry-level software quality assurance tester salary →
- Junior software quality assurance tester salary →
- Senior software quality assurance tester salary →
- Top 10% software quality assurance tester salary →
How This Salary Is Calculated
Wages come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program — an annual survey of about 1.2 million U.S. establishments published by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and Metropolitan Statistical Area. The figure on this page is employment-weighted across 67 BLS-tracked metros for SOC code 15-1253. The mapping from BLS percentiles to experience bands (entry / junior / mid / senior / top 10%) follows the convention used by the U.S. Department of Labor's prevailing wage system. See full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do software quality assurance testers make on average?
The national median software quality assurance tester salary is $101,943 per year as of 2026, with a mean of $115,948. Median pay across 67 BLS-tracked metros ranges from $72,400 to $166,530 depending on location.
What is the salary range for software quality assurance testers?
Median software quality assurance tester pay spans $72,400 to $166,530 across U.S. metros tracked by BLS — a spread of $94,130. Within any single metro, the 10th-to-90th percentile band typically widens that range further.
Where do software quality assurance testers earn the most?
The highest-paying metro for software quality assurance testers tracked here is San Jose, CA at a median of $166,530. Top markets are typically high-cost coastal metros with deep talent pools.
How does software quality assurance tester pay compare to mean salary?
Software Quality Assurance Testers have a median of $101,943 and a mean of $115,948 — a $14,005 difference. When mean exceeds median by more than a few percent, a small group of high earners is pulling the average up.
Where does this software quality assurance tester salary data come from?
Every wage figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — an annual survey of more than 1 million U.S. employers. The data is public domain and the same source the U.S. Department of Labor uses to set H-1B prevailing wages.
The median software quality assurance tester salary is $114,292 per year as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data covering 67 U.S. metro areas. Pay ranges from $72,400 in the lowest-paying metro to $166,530 in the highest, with a national mean of $115,948 across roughly 132,070 workers.