Best cities for a quality assurance tester
The best cities for quality assurance testers are Durham, NC, Cincinnati, OH, and Cleveland, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for quality assurance testers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for quality assurance testers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a quality assurance tester or considering a move, this list of the best cities for quality assurance testers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for quality assurance testers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a quality assurance tester. While the absolute best city for quality assurance testers is Durham, NC, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for quality assurance testers in 2024.
If you're looking for a quality assurance tester job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for quality assurance testers in 2025
1. Durham, NC
Quality assurance tester jobs in DurhamTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $75,133 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location quotient: 20.67 2. Cincinnati, OH
Quality assurance tester jobs in CincinnatiTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $70,783 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 17.19 3. Cleveland, OH
Quality assurance tester jobs in ClevelandTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $72,865 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location quotient: 12.79 4. Charlotte, NC
Quality assurance tester jobs in CharlotteTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 146 Average annual salary: $73,242 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location quotient: 17.25 5. Columbus, OH
Quality assurance tester jobs in ColumbusTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 71 Average annual salary: $71,878 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location quotient: 11.17 6. Pittsburgh, PA
Quality assurance tester jobs in PittsburghTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 62 Average annual salary: $71,905 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location quotient: 14.37 7. Norfolk, VA
Quality assurance tester jobs in NorfolkTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $80,190 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location quotient: 13.57 8. Indianapolis, IN
Quality assurance tester jobs in IndianapolisTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 140 Average annual salary: $67,178 Lowest 10 percent warn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location quotient: 24.90 9. Detroit, MI
Quality assurance tester jobs in DetroitTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $69,473 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location quotient: 8.95 10. Raleigh, NC
Quality assurance tester jobs in RaleighTotal quality assurance tester jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $75,128 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location quotient: 6.99
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Best cities for quality assurance testers
- Durham, NC
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Norfolk, VA
- Indianapolis, IN
- Detroit, MI
- Raleigh, NC
- (48 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (53 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (29 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (146 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (71 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (62 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (14 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (140 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (27 quality assurance tester jobs)
- (26 quality assurance tester jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a quality assurance tester
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham, NC | $75,133 | $55,000 | 263,016 | 48 |
| 2 | Cincinnati, OH | $70,783 | $53,000 | 298,800 | 53 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $72,865 | $54,000 | 385,809 | 29 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $73,242 | $54,000 | 842,051 | 146 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $71,878 | $53,000 | 860,090 | 71 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $71,905 | $53,000 | 303,625 | 62 |
| 7 | Norfolk, VA | $80,190 | $59,000 | 245,115 | 14 |
| 8 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,178 | $50,000 | 855,164 | 140 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $69,473 | $51,000 | 672,795 | 27 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $75,128 | $55,000 | 458,880 | 26 |
| 11 | Madison, WI | $66,674 | $50,000 | 252,551 | 65 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $75,095 | $55,000 | 1,567,872 | 38 |
| 13 | Jersey City, NJ | $80,755 | $60,000 | 264,152 | 60 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $70,886 | $49,000 | 632,912 | 23 |
| 15 | Nashville, TN | $65,830 | $49,000 | 660,388 | 22 |
| 16 | Scottsdale, AZ | $69,896 | $49,000 | 246,645 | 16 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $68,840 | $51,000 | 446,970 | 23 |
| 18 | Fort Worth, TX | $67,673 | $49,000 | 854,113 | 40 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $70,124 | $52,000 | 311,404 | 38 |
| 20 | Plano, TX | $67,759 | $49,000 | 286,057 | 58 |
| 21 | Louisville, KY | $72,843 | $54,000 | 597,337 | 10 |
| 22 | Irving, TX | $67,697 | $49,000 | 238,289 | 71 |
| 23 | Winston-Salem, NC | $74,355 | $55,000 | 242,203 | 3 |
| 24 | San Francisco, CA | $85,753 | $59,000 | 870,887 | 96 |
| 25 | Memphis, TN | $64,592 | $48,000 | 652,717 | 21 |
| 26 | Fort Wayne, IN | $67,860 | $50,000 | 264,488 | 4 |
| 27 | Baltimore, MD | $86,017 | $63,000 | 614,664 | 21 |
| 28 | Chandler, AZ | $69,783 | $49,000 | 247,477 | 10 |
| 29 | Fremont, CA | $85,402 | $59,000 | 233,136 | 18 |
| 30 | Lexington, KY | $73,441 | $55,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 31 | Toledo, OH | $71,722 | $53,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 32 | Dallas, TX | $67,678 | $49,000 | 1,317,929 | 72 |
| 33 | Boston, MA | $79,254 | $58,000 | 673,184 | 47 |
| 34 | Wichita, KS | $72,020 | $53,000 | 389,902 | 2 |
| 35 | Greensboro, NC | $74,626 | $55,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 36 | Phoenix, AZ | $70,007 | $50,000 | 1,615,017 | 57 |
| 37 | Virginia Beach, VA | $80,370 | $59,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 38 | North Las Vegas, NV | $70,619 | $49,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 39 | Minneapolis, MN | $69,847 | $52,000 | 413,651 | 59 |
| 40 | Kansas City, MO | $69,131 | $51,000 | 481,420 | 21 |
| 41 | Chesapeake, VA | $80,047 | $59,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 42 | Reno, NV | $72,717 | $51,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 43 | Henderson, NV | $70,557 | $49,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 44 | Newark, NJ | $80,699 | $60,000 | 281,764 | 7 |
| 45 | Oakland, CA | $85,543 | $59,000 | 420,005 | 4 |
| 46 | Buffalo, NY | $76,540 | $56,000 | 256,902 | 24 |
| 47 | Chicago, IL | $70,619 | $53,000 | 2,704,958 | 142 |
| 48 | San Jose, CA | $85,365 | $59,000 | 1,025,350 | 31 |
| 49 | Lincoln, NE | $68,665 | $51,000 | 280,364 | 4 |
| 50 | Milwaukee, WI | $67,170 | $50,000 | 595,047 | 10 |
Highest paying cities for quality assurance testers
| Rank | City | Avg. quality assurance tester salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $85,753 |
| 2 | Rockville, MD | $85,500 |
| 3 | Glastonbury, CT | $83,893 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $82,024 |
| 5 | Jersey City, NJ | $80,755 |
| 6 | McLean, VA | $80,520 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $79,353 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $79,254 |
| 9 | Redmond, WA | $77,097 |
| 10 | Durham, NC | $75,133 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $75,095 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $72,638 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $71,878 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $70,886 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $70,619 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $70,124 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $70,007 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $69,847 |
| 19 | Livonia, MI | $69,323 |
| 20 | Alpharetta, GA | $68,091 |











