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What is a senior quality assurance tester and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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It's all about quality for the senior quality assurance tester. They make sure that all of the software products developed by a company pass the highest standards of quality before they go out to clients.

The senior quality assurance tester needs to be an expert in coding languages such as SQL and Javascript as well as testing programs like SoapUI. They are in charge of developing programs that test products automatically. However, their job goes beyond just testing. The senior quality assurance tester also communicates results of the tests to management and clients and leads the whole quality assurance team.

It takes a lot of work to become a senior quality assurance tester. First, a person usually needs a bachelor's degree or even a master's in computer science. They also need to spend years honing their quality assurance skills as a regular tester or analyst before earning a promotion to a more senior position.

ScoreSenior Quality Assurance TesterUS Average
Salary
7.3

Avg. Salary $93,770

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 43.65%

male 56.35%

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

Senior quality assurance tester career paths

Key steps to become a senior quality assurance tester

  1. Explore senior quality assurance tester education requirements

    Most common senior quality assurance tester degrees

    Bachelor's

    65.3 %

    Master's

    21.8 %

    Associate

    6.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior quality assurance tester skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Test Cases7.42%
    QA5.01%
    Regression4.36%
    Test Scripts3.93%
    PL/SQL3.15%
  3. Complete relevant senior quality assurance tester training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior 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 senior quality assurance tester based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior quality assurance tester resumes.
  4. Research senior quality assurance tester duties and responsibilities

    • Manage client expectations, provide clear, and concise communication in timely manner to support customers need through the SDLC.
    • Perform inter-departmental audits documenting ISO compliant results with associate corrective action requests in order to achieve company-wide certification.
    • Involve in creating automation test suites for progression & regression testing in SoapUI.
    • Involve in execution of test cases in test lab - QC (ALM) and track defects.
  5. Get senior quality assurance tester experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior quality assurance tester. The most common roles before becoming a senior quality assurance tester include quality assurance tester, quality assurance analyst team lead and quality assurance engineer.
  6. Prepare your senior quality assurance tester resume

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

    Build a professional senior 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 senior quality assurance tester resume.
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Tester Resume
  7. Apply for senior quality assurance tester jobs

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

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

How did you land your first senior quality assurance tester job

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Average senior quality assurance tester salary

The average senior quality assurance tester salary in the United States is $93,770 per year or $45 per hour. Senior quality assurance tester salaries range between $73,000 and $118,000 per year.

Average senior quality assurance tester salary
$93,770 Yearly
$45.08 hourly

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How do senior quality assurance testers rate their job?

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Senior quality assurance tester reviews

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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.


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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.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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