Technology · 24 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Software Quality Assurance Analyst (2024)

The median Software Quality Assurance Analyst salary is $232,120 in Seattle, WA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Phoenix, AZ offers the best purchasing power at $161,966 adjusted.

$141,648

National Median

$232,120

Highest City

$97,090

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th–90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	Seattle, WA	$232,120	$114,160 – $245,621	149.4	$155,368	2,070
2	San Jose, CA	$191,880	$117,020 – $258,281	195.8	$97,998	2,190
3	Portland, OR	$169,510	$112,110 – $354,108	130.1	$130,292	650
4	San Francisco, CA	$168,820	$86,290 – $271,354	179.6	$93,998	1,860
5	Boston, MA	$167,300	$103,280 – $263,877	152.1	$109,993	1,520
6	New York, NY	$166,080	$98,030 – $270,270	187.2	$88,718	1,430
7	Phoenix, AZ	$163,100	$107,940 – $297,765	100.7	$161,966	210
8	Salt Lake City, UT	$160,550	$60,580 – $193,910	101.4	$158,333	80
9	Washington, DC	$156,360	$100,670 – $238,056	152.8	$102,330	3,150
10	Los Angeles, CA	$149,070	$76,110 – $218,960	166	$89,801	1,120
11	Chicago, IL	$135,120	$47,810 – $210,040	107.3	$125,927	230
12	Minneapolis, MN	$131,810	$89,620 – $172,590	106.2	$124,115	50
13	Miami, FL	$131,190	$82,260 – $212,350	123.1	$106,572	110
14	Tampa, FL	$127,430	$78,410 – $174,240	99.6	$127,942	150
15	Detroit, MI	$125,820	$103,650 – $175,280	95.1	$132,303	120
16	San Diego, CA	$124,790	$75,350 – $186,780	160.2	$77,896	1,570
17	Philadelphia, PA	$124,680	$82,620 – $165,360	118.4	$105,304	330
18	Raleigh, NC	$124,490	$124,490 – $157,990	99.8	$124,739	0
19	Atlanta, GA	$124,150	$63,080 – $200,800	99.2	$125,151	100
20	Austin, TX	$112,760	$77,990 – $182,680	103	$109,476	340
21	Denver, CO	$111,930	$97,460 – $164,700	112.8	$99,229	0
22	Houston, TX	$102,820	$63,960 – $168,980	96.5	$106,549	580
23	Charlotte, NC	$100,670	$79,670 – $172,890	96.7	$104,105	120
24	Dallas, TX	$97,090	$65,860 – $208,270	104.1	$93,266	870

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Software Quality Assurance Analyst paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Phoenix, AZ	$161,966	$163,100	100.7
2	Salt Lake City, UT	$158,333	$160,550	101.4
3	Seattle, WA	$155,368	$232,120	149.4
4	Detroit, MI	$132,303	$125,820	95.1
5	Portland, OR	$130,292	$169,510	130.1
6	Tampa, FL	$127,942	$127,430	99.6
7	Chicago, IL	$125,927	$135,120	107.3
8	Atlanta, GA	$125,151	$124,150	99.2
9	Raleigh, NC	$124,739	$124,490	99.8
10	Minneapolis, MN	$124,115	$131,810	106.2
11	Boston, MA	$109,993	$167,300	152.1
12	Austin, TX	$109,476	$112,760	103
13	Miami, FL	$106,572	$131,190	123.1
14	Houston, TX	$106,549	$102,820	96.5
15	Philadelphia, PA	$105,304	$124,680	118.4
16	Charlotte, NC	$104,105	$100,670	96.7
17	Washington, DC	$102,330	$156,360	152.8
18	Denver, CO	$99,229	$111,930	112.8
19	San Jose, CA	$97,998	$191,880	195.8
20	San Francisco, CA	$93,998	$168,820	179.6
21	Dallas, TX	$93,266	$97,090	104.1
22	Los Angeles, CA	$89,801	$149,070	166
23	New York, NY	$88,718	$166,080	187.2
24	San Diego, CA	$77,896	$124,790	160.2

Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA pays the highest median Software Quality Assurance Analyst salary at $232,120. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Phoenix, AZ offers the most purchasing power at $161,966 adjusted.

The national median Software Quality Assurance Analyst salary is $141,648 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $97,090 to $232,120 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above — cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.