How long does it take to become a Quality Assurance Tester?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a quality assurance tester. That is the time it takes to learn specific quality assurance tester skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 5 to 7 years years to become a quality assurance tester.

How much do QA testers make?

QA testers make $33 an hour on average. A quality assurance tester can make anywhere from $27-$35 an hour on average, with the pay rate differing between companies. Usually, larger software companies are willing to pay more for quality testing services, whereas smaller companies may opt to pay less per hour since they are still in the starting phases of their production.

Is QA tester a good career?

Yes, QA tester is a good career. A QA tester is a professional responsible for testing software products to ensure they meet the requirements and specifications set by the client or end-user, and it can be a good career choice for those who enjoy problem-solving, have strong analytical skills, and enjoy working in a team environment, with good job prospects, higher than average salary, and potential for growth.

What education do you need to be a quality assurance tester?

The education you need to be a quality assurance tester is a bachelor's degree in computer science or engineering. Other standard degree programs for a quality assurance tester include information systems technology and software engineering.

Why is a quality assurance tester needed?

A quality assurance tester is needed to spot bugs and errors in software early in the development phase. Quality assurance testing plays a crucial role in software development because it saves money and time by ensuring that the software does not have bugs and errors.

How To Become A Quality Assurance Tester: What It Is and Career Path

What is a quality assurance tester and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A quality assurance tester ensures that software products meet the required standards and specifications. They test software applications to identify bugs and other issues that lead to poor user experience or failures. Quality assurance testers work closely with developers and project managers to ensure that software products are delivered on time and within budget. They also document test results and communicate any issues. A quality assurance tester must possess excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

ScoreQuality Assurance TesterUS Average

Salary

5.8

Avg. Salary $74,140

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 38.79%

male 61.21%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

5.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a quality assurance tester?

Pros

Opportunity to work in various industries
Chance to learn new technologies
Possibility of remote work
Chance to improve communication and interpersonal skills
Possibility of working on exciting projects

Cons

Long hours sitting in front of a computer
Need to keep up with changing technology trends
Constant need for attention to detail and accuracy
Potential for conflicts with developers or management
Need to constantly update testing procedures and documentation

Key steps to become a quality assurance tester

Explore quality assurance tester education requirements

Most common quality assurance tester degrees

Bachelor's

65.8 %

Master's

15.9 %

Associate

9.7 %

Start to develop specific quality assurance tester skills

Skills	Percentages
Manual Test Cases	6.15%
Regression	5.82%
Test Scripts	5.02%
Selenium Webdriver	4.36%
Java	3.86%

Complete relevant quality assurance tester training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New quality assurance testers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a quality assurance tester based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real quality assurance tester resumes.

Research quality assurance tester duties and responsibilities

Test UNIX shell scripts as part of the ETL process, automate the process of loading, pulling the data.
Manage departmental inventory and troubleshoot testing, reporting and inventory issues.
Perform functional testing, regression testing and integration testing, and UI testing according to the requirement specification and test plan.
Experience in load and performance testing tool JMeter.

Prepare your quality assurance tester resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your quality assurance tester resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a quality assurance tester resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable quality assurance tester resume templates

Build a professional quality assurance tester resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your quality assurance tester resume.

Apply for quality assurance tester jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a quality assurance tester job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do quality assurance testers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Quality assurance tester reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2020

Pros

I like testing because it can be interesting. Things can change but also stay the same. I like routine but not repetition doing the same thing. Testing isn't the best job but a good job.

Cons

Some things you test can be really picky to pass. It's likely they will always fail the first time. Some test seem to always pass and seek insufficient. I always look at productivity but also efficiency. So if not necessary by customer and always passes I can't see why a part of the test he removed especially if another part of the test will fail if it does. Options I am always open to.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Pros

Working with technology.

Cons

Automated testing is more in demand than manual testing.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

New field to work with compassion.

Cons

Low pay structure as compared to the efforts put in.

What is a quality assurance tester and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a quality assurance tester?

Quality assurance tester career paths

Key steps to become a quality assurance tester

Explore quality assurance tester education requirements

Most common quality assurance tester degrees

Start to develop specific quality assurance tester skills

Complete relevant quality assurance tester training and internships

Research quality assurance tester duties and responsibilities

Prepare your quality assurance tester resume

Choose from 10+ customizable quality assurance tester resume templates

Apply for quality assurance tester jobs

How did you land your first quality assurance tester job

Average quality assurance tester salary

How do quality assurance testers rate their job?

Quality assurance tester reviews

Quality assurance tester FAQs

How long does it take to become a Quality Assurance Tester?

How much do QA testers make?

Is QA tester a good career?

What education do you need to be a quality assurance tester?

Why is a quality assurance tester needed?

Search for quality assurance tester jobs

Quality assurance tester jobs by state