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Job outlook for consultants-software tester in the United States
Consultant-software tester job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected consultant-software tester job growth rate is 21% from 2018-2028.
About 284,100 new jobs for consultants-software tester are projected over the next decade.
Consultant-software tester salaries have increased 10% for consultants-software tester in the last 5 years.
There are over 52,074 consultants-software tester currently employed in the United States.
There are 134,996 active consultant-software tester job openings in the US.
The average consultant-software tester salary is $99,356.
Are consultant-software tester jobs in demand?
Consultant-software tester job and salary trends over time
Consultant-software tester jobs over time
Consultant-software tester job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52,074 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 49,740 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 37,524 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 24,066 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 19,930 | 0.01% |
Average consultant-software tester salary over time
Consultant-software tester salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $99,356 | $47.77 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $96,082 | $46.19 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $93,907 | $45.15 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $92,076 | $44.27 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $89,995 | $43.27 | +1.5% |
Consultant-software tester jobs by state
Most common states for consultants-software tester
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 424 | 61% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 317 | 36% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,460 | 33% |
| 4 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 611 | 29% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,862 | 27% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 244 | 25% |
| 7 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 442 | 24% |
| 8 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 323 | 24% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,975 | 23% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 139 | 22% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 226 | 21% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,183 | 20% |
| 13 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 991 | 20% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 960 | 20% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 584 | 19% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,060 | 18% |
| 17 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,028 | 18% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 105 | 18% |
| 19 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 667 | 17% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 222 | 17% |
Most common cities for consultants-software tester
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City | 1 | 3% | $118,166 |
| 2 | Costa Mesa | 1 | 1% | $110,679 |
| 3 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $94,651 |
| 4 | San Mateo | 1 | 1% | $118,194 |
| 5 | Stamford | 1 | 1% | $94,656 |
| 6 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $92,861 |
| 7 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $97,258 |
| 8 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $92,378 |
| 9 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $92,994 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $83,932 |
| 11 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $111,420 |
| 12 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $89,285 |
| 13 | Minneapolis | 1 | 0% | $94,876 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $99,198 |
| 15 | Sacramento | 1 | 0% | $117,375 |
| 16 | San Jose | 1 | 0% | $117,930 |
| 17 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $91,275 |
Consultant-Software Tester job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of consultant-software tester experts
Eastern Washington University
Gannon University
Auburn University at Montgomery
Allegheny College
Saint Xavier University
Taylor University
John Brown University
Rider University
Union University
Seminole State College of Florida
Harding University
Dan Tappan
Eastern Washington University
Computer Software And Media Applications
What will help Consultants-Software Tester increase their earning potential?
Dan Tappan: There's not much room for salary negotiation as a new graduate with no experience. Every CS graduate shares roughly the same required background. What often distinguishes one applicant from another, or boosts the salary, is non-required experience with personal projects, contributions to open-source development, and so on. This shows not only applications of the required background, but also the initiative to learn and do more than is expected for the degree.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Consultants-Software Tester to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Computing is ubiquitous, and with more industries moving to remote work, location is becoming less critical. If the internet reaches a place reliably, computing jobs can be located there.
How do you envision technology impacting Consultants-Software Tester in the next 5 years?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Breadth and depth: Computing is becoming more like engineering; where the value of the product, its lifetime risks, costs, and benefits are more critical than just it's roll-out. So the engineering competencies that have always been a part of computing will become more central. Computing is also expanding; the role of data and the shift of once-research technologies (like machine learning) into production applications will continue to require computing graduates to broaden their base and continue as learners. This will cause shifts in what is considered 'fundamental' and the need for professionals to continue to hone and redevelop their technical skill sets.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Consultants-Software Tester?
Dr. Semih Dinc: I personally think there may be a positive impact of this pandemic for CS graduates in medium/long term. Even if many companies have frozen or slowed down their hiring process now, I believe this is a temporary decision. There is still a big need for new CS graduates in the industry. And to me it is more clear that people realized they can work remotely for many CS related positions. This means that many companies can cut their physical office budgets and hire more remote people. One of the factors for our students is the challenges/expenses of the city they would work. Some of them do not want to move to big cities. I am assuming with more remote working opportunities graduates will have more options.
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorAllegheny College
Department of Computer Science and Affiliated Faculty in Integrative Informatics
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Consultant-Software Tester job market given the pandemic?
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.: Pandemic has accelerated social connectivity trends using technology, including technology for remote work, and e-learning, and technology to make e-commerce more comfortable and faster. I foresee these accelerated technology trends to continue, even after the pandemic, and therefore job markets in these areas to continue to grow. Another big surge we have seen is in data analytics, which has been increasing over the last decade, and COVID-19 has spotlighted this field. I expect data analyst jobs to continue to be in demand and to grow. Also, the pandemic showed us the interconnectedness of technology with other areas. As the need to develop better solutions to fight various diseases heightens, for example, I expect jobs in biotech to grow.
What are the best companies to work for a Consultant-Software Tester?
James Vanderhyde: The best companies to work for are companies that respect you as a person and not just a cog in the machine. They are inclusive, and they recognize and appreciate diversity. They have a track record of handling sick leave and family leave as needed. They will not expect you to eat dinner in your office and then go back to work after an already long day. All software companies experience crunch times around release dates, but the best companies do not experience constant crunch. That is a sign of poor management. The best companies will give you challenging problems to work on and reward innovation.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Consultants-Software Tester in the next 5 years?
James Vanderhyde: There has been a steady increase in software and IT jobs for the last 20 years, and this is not going to slow down any time soon. In the next 5 years, demand will increase, particularly in software development and cybersecurity. The technology field changes so quickly that beyond 5 years, it is difficult to make predictions. That is why we thoroughly prepare our computer science and information systems students for technology changes and career shifts to discover the best in themselves and to be prepared to meet the demand and excel within the field.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Consultants-Software Tester to find work opportunities?
James Vanderhyde: Any big city will have lots of opportunities for computing, software, and IT work. Silicon Valley and the rest of the west coast are the most famous, but innovation is happening everywhere around the country and around the world, including here in Chicago. Chicago tech companies have hired our students upon graduation, and likewise, our graduates have found success and gratification in the field.
Dr. Jonathan Geisler
Associate ProfessorTaylor University
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Consultants-Software Tester in the next 5 years?
Dr. Jonathan Geisler: There will be a continued increase in demand for computer engineering
graduates as computers become more heavily integrated into the fabric
of our lives. Things like self-driving cars, the Internet of Things, and
mobile computing will become more commonplace and increase the demand for engineering talent; the long-term trend of using smartphones and web-based applications will not slow, leading to an increase in the
demand for computing talent.
How do you envision technology impacting Consultants-Software Tester in the next 5 years?
Dr. Ted Junseok Song: The question is not whether technology will advance or not. It is, rather, how it will advance. Professionals in the industry need to be equipped to see the customers' demand and where our society is headed. I would recommend college students to be interested in broad topics apart from topics in their major. Well-rounded people will have more opportunities to impact the future.
Dr. Howard Rees
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Information SystemsRider University
Information systems
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Consultants-Software Tester?
Dr. Howard Rees: We're moving into a volatile time for the economy, and planning for an uncertain future is what big companies are concerned with. In many ways, the pandemic and concerns over future pandemics that we now know can be globally devastating will be a boon for CS and IT graduates. Face to face business interactions and transactions will be dramatically reduced, both in the short term and in the long run, as there will be a need to hedge against future pandemics. Everything changes from production and operations to supply chain and risk management and diversification to the nature of "office work." And all of that must be underpinned by computer technology: communications, security, data analytics. These are trends that have been developing for the past few decades but the pandemic will accelerate them, and that's all useful, if you're a CS or IT graduate with a broad base of knowledge, which provides you the freedom to adapt.
What general advice would you give to a Consultant-Software Tester?
Brian Glas: Build relationships: Different technologies will interest and challenge you, but throughout your career, you'll find that it's the relationships that are the most important. This is harder to grasp earlier in your career, but much easier to understand after 15-20 years.
Gain different perspectives: Spend time with people in other roles that your job interacts with, and gain a solid understanding of how they view things; this is most valuable for career progression and understanding of how your work fits into the big picture.
Craig Tidwell Ph.D.
Professor/Program ManagerSeminole State College of Florida
Center for Information Technology
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Consultants-Software Tester in the next 3-5 years?
Craig Tidwell Ph.D.: Understanding cloud technologies such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google are needed. Since many organizations have a hybrid structure, where they have internal and external cloud technologies, learning how to integrate them with existing technologies is critical.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Consultants-Software Tester?
Craig Tidwell Ph.D.: Many I.T. employees already have the option to work remotely (telecommute), but this will become even more important with the Coronavirus challenges. Employees must be able to work remotely and be organized and self-directed. Employers are looking for teleworkers that can work on a task from anywhere.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Consultants-Software Tester in the next 3-5 years?
Frank McCown Ph.D.: Software continues to move to mobile devices and the web and away from desktop applications. The pandemic has encouraged growth in applications that make in-person transactions go away, and that trend will likely continue. Obviously AI-enabled or assisted applications will continue to grow.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Consultants-Software Tester?
Frank McCown Ph.D.: Many companies have changed their hiring practices. It's not unusual for a new graduate to jump straight into remote work. I predict the move from in-person work to remote work is only going to accelerate as we get more comfortable with it. Once the pandemic dies down, and economic uncertainties start to go away, companies that had been on hiring freezes will likely jump back in, creating a strong market for graduates.