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The average salary for a Manager of Software Quality Assurance stands at $122,736 annually, which translates to approximately $59 per hour. This figure varies significantly based on factors such as experience, geographic location, and industry. For instance, managers in technology hubs like San Francisco or New York often earn higher salaries due to the demand for skilled professionals.
States such as California and Washington offer some of the highest salaries, reflecting the cost of living and the concentration of tech companies. Meanwhile, regions with a lower cost of living may present different salary scales, which can still be competitive depending on the job market.
Industries such as Information Technology, Finance, and Healthcare tend to offer the most lucrative positions for Software Quality Assurance Managers. Each sector demands a unique skill set, contributing to variations in pay. As you consider your career path, it's beneficial to explore these opportunities and assess where your skills align.
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The average manager, software quality assurance salary in California, Washington, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average manager, software quality assurance salary states are Colorado, Missouri, and Maine.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $147,645 | $70.98 |
| 2 | Washington | $134,348 | $64.59 |
| 3 | Nevada | $126,496 | $60.82 |
| 4 | Oregon | $127,776 | $61.43 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $121,506 | $58.42 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $133,197 | $64.04 |
| 7 | Utah | $115,236 | $55.40 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $109,656 | $52.72 |
| 9 | Alaska | $131,334 | $63.14 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $110,627 | $53.19 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $124,280 | $59.75 |
| 12 | Maryland | $122,555 | $58.92 |
| 13 | Vermont | $113,540 | $54.59 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $116,035 | $55.79 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $112,761 | $54.21 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $110,056 | $52.91 |
| 17 | Idaho | $115,079 | $55.33 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $106,904 | $51.40 |
| 19 | Arizona | $113,552 | $54.59 |
| 20 | Virginia | $113,286 | $54.46 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $117,757 | $56.61 |
| 22 | New York | $120,938 | $58.14 |
| 23 | Delaware | $112,633 | $54.15 |
| 24 | Texas | $110,943 | $53.34 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $114,298 | $54.95 |
| 26 | Ohio | $103,139 | $49.59 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $108,645 | $52.23 |
| 28 | Montana | $112,708 | $54.19 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $112,789 | $54.23 |
| 30 | Alabama | $109,858 | $52.82 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $106,781 | $51.34 |
| 32 | Indiana | $105,046 | $50.50 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $105,394 | $50.67 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $101,980 | $49.03 |
| 35 | Michigan | $106,786 | $51.34 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $100,254 | $48.20 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $106,548 | $51.23 |
| 38 | Florida | $107,894 | $51.87 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $100,754 | $48.44 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $97,774 | $47.01 |
| 41 | Maine | $98,316 | $47.27 |
| 42 | Missouri | $99,082 | $47.64 |
| 43 | Connecticut | $102,415 | $49.24 |
| 44 | Kansas | $103,407 | $49.71 |
| 45 | Illinois | $102,352 | $49.21 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $101,024 | $48.57 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $100,548 | $48.34 |
| 48 | Colorado | $100,136 | $48.14 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $95,564 | $45.94 |
| 50 | Georgia | $100,427 | $48.28 |
| 51 | Iowa | $97,788 | $47.01 |
The highest-paying cities for managers, software quality assurance are Napa, CA, Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa, CA | $158,702 | $76.30 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $135,672 | $65.23 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $127,194 | $61.15 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $125,453 | $60.31 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $121,112 | $58.23 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $113,777 | $54.70 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $112,798 | $54.23 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $111,147 | $53.44 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $107,296 | $51.58 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $107,078 | $51.48 |
| 11 | Greenville, SC | $105,110 | $50.53 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $102,969 | $49.50 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $102,418 | $49.24 |
| 14 | Chattanooga, TN | $102,180 | $49.13 |
| 15 | Bentonville, AR | $100,387 | $48.26 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $100,180 | $48.16 |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $99,895 | $48.03 |
A manager, software quality assurance's salary ranges from $92,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $163,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $163,000 | $13,583 | $78 |
| 75th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| Average | $122,736 | $10,228 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $105,000 | $8,750 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
The highest paying types of managers, software quality assurance are quality assurance director, software engineering manager, and software development manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Manager | $109,886 | $9,157 | $52.83 | 38,547 |
| Test Manager | $92,297 | $7,691 | $44.37 | 27,489 |
| Software Tester | $78,580 | $6,548 | $37.78 | 208,853 |
| Software Engineering Manager | $140,929 | $11,744 | $67.75 | 262,296 |
| Software Development Manager | $134,747 | $11,229 | $64.78 | 265,464 |
| Quality Assurance Team Leader | $97,476 | $8,123 | $46.86 | 131,886 |
Top companies hiring managers, software quality assurance now:
Manager, software quality assurance salaries at Google and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average manager, software quality assurance salary at companies like 8x8 and Sony Interactive Entertainment America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $181,484 | $87.25 | |
| 2 | Apple | $168,923 | $81.21 |
| 3 | 8x8 | $166,070 | $79.84 |
| 4 | Sony Interactive Entertainment America | $162,398 | $78.08 |
| 5 | NVIDIA | $160,228 | $77.03 |
| 6 | Foundation Medicine | $159,814 | $76.83 |
| 7 | Palo Alto Networks | $157,597 | $75.77 |
| 8 | Alibris | $156,647 | $75.31 |
| 9 | Fortinet | $155,583 | $74.80 |
| 10 | Amazon | $154,548 | $74.30 |
| 11 | PlayStation | $154,236 | $74.15 |
| 12 | NetApp | $153,104 | $73.61 |
| 13 | Starbucks | $151,929 | $73.04 |
| 14 | Shutterfly | $151,179 | $72.68 |
| 15 | VMware | $149,960 | $72.10 |
| 16 | ServiceNow | $149,768 | $72.00 |
| 17 | Tesla | $148,984 | $71.63 |
| 18 | Nokia | $148,745 | $71.51 |
| 19 | A10 Networks | $147,176 | $70.76 |
| 20 | GoDaddy | $145,207 | $69.81 |
The average manager, software quality assurance salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail | $129,405 | $62.21 |
| 2 | Start-up | $128,530 | $61.79 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $128,476 | $61.77 |
| 4 | Technology | $124,773 | $59.99 |
| 5 | Health Care | $119,293 | $57.35 |
| 6 | Professional | $114,239 | $54.92 |
The average manager, software quality assurance salary has risen by $20,091 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average manager, software quality assurance earned $102,645 annually, but today, they earn $122,736 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for managers, software quality assurance over the last decade.
Compare manager, software quality assurance salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare manager, software quality assurance salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $123,000 | $59.01 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $119,000 | $57.06 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $116,000 | $55.77 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $114,000 | $54.68 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $111,000 | $53.45 | +1.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research & Diagnostic Systems | Software Quality Assurance Manager | San Jose, CA | 06/29/2025 | $115,100 |
| T-Mobile Usa | Software Quality Assurance Manager-Testing | Overland Park, KS | 06/27/2025 | $136,600 |
| Bio-Techne | Software Quality Assurance Manager | San Jose, CA | 06/26/2025 | $115,100 |
| Peraton | Software Quality Assurance, Manager | Sierra Vista, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $86,000 |
| T-Mobile | Software Quality Assurance Manager-Testing | Frisco, TX | 06/14/2025 | $136,600 |
| Vital Connect | Software QA Manager | Ione, CA | 05/21/2025 | $165,000 |
| Allegion | Software Quality Assurance Manager | Golden, CO | 04/29/2025 | $131,000 |
| Mercury Insurance Group | Manager Software QA | California, MD | 04/15/2025 | $105,245 |
| T-Mobile Usa | Software Quality Assurance Manager-Testing | Overland Park, KS | 03/30/2025 | $136,600 |
| 1Lt | Manager, Software Quality Assurance | Tustin, CA | 03/28/2025 | $97,340 |
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