Computer & Math

Software QA & Testers

SOC 15-1253

Hunt for defects in software before users do, by hand and with automated tests.

The job

Median pay

$104k

$80k to $133k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+5.7% projected

Openings a year

11k

BLS projection

Typical education

Bachelor's

Our model

AI displacement risk

Very high

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

4/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

99th pct

More exposed than 99% of occupations · modeled estimate · 93rd pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

43/100

At a glance

The AI read on Software QA & Testers: 99th percentile exposure, very high displacement risk, 4/100 working with AI, tilting toward AI replacing tasks. BLS projects employment to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, 2.0 points above typical growth across the occupations we cover. Roughly 10,700 positions open up annually for Software QA & Testers, counting growth and replacement. The usual way in is a bachelor's degree. At $104,300 a year, median pay runs 55% above the typical occupation we cover, but in line with the Computer & Math median. Set against Computer Programmers (-7.3%), the +5.7% projection here is 13 points higher.

Take the next step

Weigh it against Database AdministratorsPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostCalifornia leads at $129k; all states are listed below Find careers like itOpen the map at Software QA & Testers and explore its neighbours See open jobsSoftware QA & Testers roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Software QA & Testers, who lean most on reading comprehension Real pay & reviewsSelf-reported pay and reviews on Glassdoor

Similar pay in Computer & Math

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Writing
Monitoring

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 50 states and DC. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	27,710	1.5	1.3×	$129k
Texas	19,590	1.4	1.2×	$102k
New York	10,460	1.1	0.9×	$121k
Florida	10,320	1.0	0.9×	$100k
Virginia	10,160	2.5	2.1×	$122k
North Carolina	8,890	1.8	1.5×	$100k
Washington	7,970	2.2	1.9×	$128k
Georgia	7,110	1.5	1.2×	$103k
Massachusetts	6,640	1.8	1.5×	$122k
New Jersey	6,550	1.5	1.3×	$119k

All 50 states and DC

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Illinois	6,530	1.1	0.9×	$105k
Maryland	5,880	2.1	1.8×	$111k
Colorado	5,110	1.8	1.5×	$124k
Pennsylvania	4,530	0.7	0.6×	$93k
Ohio	4,400	0.8	0.7×	$98k
Arizona	3,890	1.2	1.0×	$101k
Wisconsin	3,800	1.3	1.1×	$89k
Michigan	3,480	0.8	0.7×	$99k
Missouri	2,930	1.0	0.8×	$86k
Minnesota	2,630	0.9	0.7×	$102k
Utah	2,600	1.5	1.3×	$82k
Oregon	1,840	0.9	0.8×	$108k
Alabama	1,760	0.8	0.7×	$102k
South Carolina	1,740	0.8	0.6×	$98k
Oklahoma	1,620	0.9	0.8×	$78k
Indiana	1,610	0.5	0.4×	$87k
Tennessee	1,530	0.5	0.4×	$91k
Nevada	1,270	0.8	0.7×	$89k (estimated)
Nebraska	1,240	1.2	1.0×	$98k
Connecticut	1,160	0.7	0.6×	$98k
Kansas	1,140	0.8	0.7×	$94k
Iowa	1,000	0.6	0.5×	$89k
Arkansas	991 (estimated)	0.8 (estimated)	0.6× (estimated)	$81k (estimated)
Kentucky	890	0.4	0.4×	$79k
New Hampshire	770	1.1	0.9×	$107k
Washington DC	760	1.1	0.9×	$103k
Idaho	560	0.7	0.5×	$86k (estimated)
Delaware	520	1.1	0.9×	$106k
Louisiana	450	0.2	0.2×	$67k
New Mexico	450	0.5	0.4×	$117k
Hawaii	434 (estimated)	0.7 (estimated)	0.6× (estimated)	$103k
Rhode Island	400	0.8	0.7×	$102k
Maine	390	0.6	0.5×	$86k
West Virginia	390	0.6	0.5×	$62k
Mississippi	350	0.3	0.3×	$80k
South Dakota	220	0.5	0.4×	$68k
North Dakota	200	0.5	0.4×	$84k
Alaska	195 (estimated)	0.6 (estimated)	0.5× (estimated)	$88k (estimated)
Vermont	170	0.6	0.5×	$77k
Wyoming	157 (estimated)	0.6 (estimated)	0.5× (estimated)	$81k (estimated)
Montana	150	0.3	0.2×	$104k

Top metro areas

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ11,460 jobs · $131k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX8,840 jobs · $103k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV8,460 jobs · $126k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA7,200 jobs · $122k median
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA6,650 jobs · $130k median
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA6,480 jobs · $167k median
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH6,050 jobs · $122k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA5,880 jobs · $135k median

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.