Career profile · 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.
What the work can involve
- Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
- Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
- Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
- Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
- Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
- Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Writing
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Working with Computers
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Processing Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
- Computer and Information Sciences, General463 institutions →
- Information Technology449 institutions →
- Informatics13 institutions →
- Computer Programming/Programmer, General436 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Specific Applications159 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification34 institutions →
- Computer Game Programming22 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Specific Platforms10 institutions →
- Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst54 institutions →
- Computer Science329 institutions →
- Computer Engineering Technology/Technician79 institutions →
- Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician95 institutions →
- Computer Software Technology/Technician21 institutions →
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 47.1%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 81.8%08/2022 · sample 33 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 90.9%08/2022 · sample 33 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 93.9%08/2022 · sample 33 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Continually or almost continually | 70.6%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 75.8%08/2022 · sample 33 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Never | 44.1%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Time Pressure | Once a week or more but not every day | 41.2%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 87.9%08/2022 · sample 33 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 91.2%08/2022 · sample 34 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Access software: Citrix cloud computing software, PuTTY
- Accounting software: Tax software
- Administration software: Software distribution management software
- Analytical or scientific software: Data analysis software, Dynamic modeling software, IBM SPSS Statistics, MathWorks Simulink
- Application server software: Atlassian Bitbucket, Docker, GitHub, GitLab
- Backup or archival software: Backup and archival software, Veritas NetBackup
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: IBM Cognos Impromptu, MicroStrategy, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Qlik Tech QlikView
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox, Google Drive, Slack
- Cloud-based management software: Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation, IBM WebSphere, Splunk Enterprise
- Clustering software: VMware
- Communications server software: IBM Domino
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD, Bentley MicroStation, Dassault Systemes CATIA
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for software quality assurance analysts and testers
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 48 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $101,500 | $48.80 | 1,760 |
| Arizona | $100,650 | $48.39 | 3,890 |
| California | $128,740 | $61.89 | 27,710 |
| Colorado | $123,690 | $59.47 | 5,110 |
| Connecticut | $97,740 | $46.99 | 1,160 |
| Delaware | $106,060 | $50.99 | 520 |
| District of Columbia | $103,340 | $49.68 | 760 |
| Florida | $100,210 | $48.18 | 10,320 |
| Georgia | $103,040 | $49.54 | 7,110 |
| Hawaii | $102,930 | $49.49 | Not published |
| Idaho | Not published | Not published | 560 |
| Illinois | $104,910 | $50.44 | 6,530 |
| Indiana | $87,020 | $41.84 | 1,610 |
| Iowa | $88,590 | $42.59 | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $94,490 | $45.43 | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $79,100 | $38.03 | 890 |
| Louisiana | $66,810 | $32.12 | 450 |
| Maine | $86,050 | $41.37 | 390 |
| Maryland | $111,100 | $53.41 | 5,880 |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 | $58.76 | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $98,720 | $47.46 | 3,480 |
| Minnesota | $101,700 | $48.89 | 2,630 |
| Mississippi | $79,890 | $38.41 | 350 |
| Missouri | $85,530 | $41.12 | 2,930 |
| Montana | $103,930 | $49.97 | 150 |
| Nebraska | $98,010 | $47.12 | 1,240 |
| Nevada | Not published | Not published | 1,270 |
| New Hampshire | $107,100 | $51.49 | 770 |
| New Jersey | $119,470 | $57.44 | 6,550 |
| New Mexico | $116,580 | $56.05 | 450 |
| New York | $121,240 | $58.29 | 10,460 |
| North Carolina | $100,390 | $48.27 | 8,890 |
| North Dakota | $83,920 | $40.35 | 200 |
| Ohio | $98,000 | $47.12 | 4,400 |
| Oklahoma | $77,700 | $37.36 | 1,620 |
| Oregon | $108,440 | $52.13 | 1,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,030 | $44.73 | 4,530 |
| Rhode Island | $101,790 | $48.94 | 400 |
| South Carolina | $97,500 | $46.88 | 1,740 |
| South Dakota | $68,120 | $32.75 | 220 |
| Tennessee | $91,040 | $43.77 | 1,530 |
| Texas | $101,850 | $48.97 | 19,590 |
| Utah | $82,100 | $39.47 | 2,600 |
| Vermont | $76,580 | $36.82 | 170 |
| Virginia | $121,590 | $58.46 | 10,160 |
| Washington | $128,480 | $61.77 | 7,970 |
| West Virginia | $62,300 | $29.95 | 390 |
| Wisconsin | $89,400 | $42.98 | 3,800 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 258 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
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Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 15-1253.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.