Software QA & Testers vs Computer Support Specialists
Median pay is about $42k higher for Software QA & Testers. The usual entry education is bachelor's for Software QA & Testers and some college for Computer Support Specialists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Software QA & Testers | Computer Support Specialists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $104,300, higher | $61,860 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $80,310, higher | $49,000 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $133,180, higher | $79,040 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +5.7% Growing fast, higher | -3.5% Declining |
| Openings a year | 10,700 | 39,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Some college |
| Difficulty modeled | 2 / 5 | 1.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Very high | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 100th pct | 80th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Software QA & Testers
- Monitoring
Only Computer Support Specialists
- Active Learning
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, critical thinking, writing.
More comparisons
Compare Software QA & Testers with
Compare Computer Support Specialists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.