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Job outlook for senior software testers in the United States
Senior software tester job and salary trends over time
Senior software tester jobs over time
Senior software tester job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 158,656 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 151,544 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 102,883 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 73,324 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 60,721 | 0.02% |
Average senior software tester salary over time
Senior software tester salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $88,967 | $42.77 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $86,035 | $41.36 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $84,088 | $40.43 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $82,448 | $39.64 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $80,585 | $38.74 | +1.5% |
Senior software tester jobs by state
Most common states for senior software testers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 503 | 72% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 3,064 | 41% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,561 | 37% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 336 | 35% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 354 | 33% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,324 | 32% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 993 | 32% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,617 | 31% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,876 | 31% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 188 | 30% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,464 | 26% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 9,342 | 24% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 323 | 24% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 138 | 24% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,306 | 23% |
| 16 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 657 | 23% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 240 | 23% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 455 | 22% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 163 | 22% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,667 | 19% |
Most common cities for senior software testers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio | 3 | 0% | $74,614 |
| 2 | Arlington | 1 | 0% | $91,202 |
| 3 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $85,813 |
Senior Software Tester job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior software tester experts
Widener University
Siena College
University of Maine
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
California State University - Sacramento
Brigham Young University - Idaho
Nova Southeastern University
Carnegie Mellon University
Seminole State College of Florida
Eastern Washington University
Gannon University
The University of the South
Indiana University Bloomington
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Adam Roth: I recommend that students start by identifying a specific skill in demand within your field, such as data analysis or social media marketing, and focus on developing expertise in that area. Research salary ranges and living costs in particular areas where you’re interested in working to ensure your compensation aligns with the local market. Always negotiate a salary and consider other aspects of the offer, such as funds for continuing education, technology and more. Continuing to network and establish demand for your services is essential; attend industry events, join professional associations, and engage with professionals in your field. Never miss an opportunity to reach out to and check in with your professional contacts. Pursue additional learning opportunities and education, such as certifications or advanced degrees, to provide a competitive advantage and increase your earning potential over time.
Tongyang Yang Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Economics and Business AnalyticsWidener University
Business/Commerce
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tongyang Yang Ph.D.: The rise of AI has brought many opportunities for the professions like business analysts in terms of AI integration. Businesses will need analysts who can bridge the gap between AI and human needs and focus on more strategic areas like identifying ethical considerations of AI implementation, developing plans to mitigate AI bias, and designing human-AI collaboration workflows. For people who are interested in entering this profession, I would suggest adapting your skillset to include AI understanding, data storytelling, and strategic thinking to be well-positioned in the future.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: As a Computer Science graduate, it’s vital to work on independent projects outside of course projects or assigned tasks. This allows you to apply your knowledge and explore new areas and opportunities. Showcasing these projects in a digital portfolio provides a visual and tangible representation of your skills and growth. Emphasizing your attention to clean coding and documentation reflects your professionalism and attention to detail. The field is vast and rapidly evolving, so stay curious, keep learning, and enjoy your professional journey. Avoid getting caught up in fleeting trends. Understanding the difference between work, job, and career is crucial; find work and jobs that contribute to your long-term career aspirations while steadily maintaining your focus on your career goals. In addition, being aware of the organization’s environment and culture at the workplace you intend to work at is important. Familiarize yourself with workplace methodologies like Agile, Just-In-Time (JIT), DevOps, Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Feature-Driven Development (FDD), Extreme Programming (XP), Rapid Application Development (RAD), and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) (to name a few). Each organization will have its unique blend of these elements, and knowing what works best for you will help you thrive in your chosen career path. Remember, the key to success in this dynamic field is continuous learning and adaptation.
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: To optimize your earning potential in the field of Computer Science, it’s important to establish a solid educational foundation and master widely-used programming languages and technologies. Internships offer invaluable hands-on experience, and obtaining industrial certifications in specialized areas can significantly increase your marketability. Cultivating a robust professional network and honing your salary negotiation skills are also key. It’s important to stay updated with the latest technological advancements, salary trends, and consider focusing on a niche area in high demand. From the outset of your career conversations, it’s beneficial to communicate clear salary expectations. Conduct thorough research on the current market rates for the role you’re targeting to ensure your expectations are realistic. Understanding your worth in the market is crucial, and you should aim for a salary that not only reflects your skills and experience but also keeps you motivated and invested in your work. Remember, while salary is a significant factor, aspects like work-life balance and job satisfaction also play a vital role in your overall career satisfaction. Aim for a win-win salary negotiation where both you and your employer feel the compensation is fair and equitable.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Sunita Goel PhD: Great. Will send you the responses soon. Please let me know the latest deadline by which you need them.
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sunita Goel PhD: Great. Will send you the responses soon. Please let me know the latest deadline by which you need them.
What will help Senior Software Testers increase their earning potential?
Sunita Goel PhD: Great. Will send you the responses soon. Please let me know the latest deadline by which you need them.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Dr. Ryan LaRochelle Ph.D.: Be flexible. Today's job market is not the same as the one that your parents or grandparents entered into. It's unlikely that you'll be with the same company for your entire working career, so look at every experience as a potential opportunity to learn and explore. Also, the work environment you're joining is more important than the job title and position description. Do some research about what it's like to work at the place that is looking to hire you, and don't be afraid to reach out to current employees to get some candid feedback. Your job title and job description is much easier to change or renegotiate over time, but it's really hard to completely transform a toxic organizational culture and environment.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Oliver Keys Jr: The power of mentorships and networking early in your career will be beneficial in the long run. Also, understanding that professional skills can be half the battle. Showing up on time, dressing appropriately, and communicating effectively can be challenging for some students. Internships and externships are great for students to get technical and professional experience.
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Olawale PhD, PMP: - Get one or two mentors within and outside the organization you would be working at. Be willing to seek and take on new projects and learn new things that will help you to grow and develop your capacity and leadership abilities.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Kin Chung Kwan: Computer science is rapidly growing, with new technologies emerging daily. The desired skill set can vary from year to year. We should always stay updated on the latest global developments and prepare to learn something new. Keeping your skills up-to-date and aligning them with the current needs of employers and target customers is crucial to maximizing salary potential.
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Prof. Kim Jovanovich P.E.: Attached please see the responses to your interview questions. I hope this sheds some light on the questions you asked!
What will help Senior Software Testers increase their earning potential?
Kevin Kimball: Continue learning and make social connections within your employer’s umbrella, within your profession and within your larger community. The ones who have significant earnings upside are the ones who can sell the business and be connectors between people.
Junping Sun Ph.D.
ProfessorNova Southeastern University
Computer Software And Media Applications
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Junping Sun Ph.D.: Computer Science and its applications in various fields are very dynamic and constantly evolving, and anyone in the fields needs to prepare to be adaptive by lifelong learning.
What will help Senior Software Testers increase their earning potential?
Joseph Taylor: The role of a Business Analyst can vary greatly from company to company, and even from department to department, so it is very important to look at the details of a particular position that you are applying for. One common factor from all Business Analyst is that they are generally expected to make sense of data, and to be effective communicators that can apply insights to real-world problems.
What will help Senior Software Testers increase their earning potential?
Jonathan Aldrich: Be open to new experiences and focus on learning from them. A degree in computing gives you a foundation but there will be new challenges in every job; always be thinking about what you can do to become more effective at your tasks.
What Senior Software Tester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeannine Berge: Know your own competitive advantage and value. It’s important to do your research and have a clear understanding of how you immediately impact the organization. When you receive an offer, talk with someone in your campus career center who can help you review all elements of the offer and provide guidance in how to proceed. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. While salary negotiation should be first priority to maximize long-term earning potential, salary is not always negotiable in an entry-level role, especially if the company is hiring many people for the same title. However, students can also negotiate elements beyond salary. For example, negotiating an early performance review can also speed up the timeline to higher salary potential.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Holger Findling: Most companies have a fixed range in salary for new hires. There is very limited space to negotiate a higher pay. It used to be a standard practice not to stay more than three years with a company because salary increases are associated with labor grade ranges. A larger salary increase can be realized by moving to a different company. Typically, 5% increase vs 3% salary increase. However, a programmer needs to continue studying in the field of interest. Earn a master's degree. Be the best you can be!
Dan Tappan
Eastern Washington University
Computer Software And Media Applications
What will help Senior Software Testers 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.
What will help Senior Software Testers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Derek DiMatteo: Thanks for reaching out. Yes, I can try to provide some answers to your questions. What made you think of asking someone at Gannon?
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Christopher Wayne FACHE, MBA, MS: While both healthcare administrative and medical roles are projected to grow I think the top new grads will have a minor in areas such as finance, information technology, marketing and many others. However, subject matter expertise is just the price of admission, so be sure to take full advantage of your degree program and ongoing education to appreciate the importance of learning so many other skills likely available to you such as sales and marketing, how to build consensus/facilitate, problem solve, writing and public speaking. These will be the skills that can lead to leadership opportunities if that’s something of interest.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Software Tester?
Lyle Ford: Having a broad base of skills, both technical and interpersonal are very valuable. Often, physics majors are hired to be problem solvers and each problem has its own set of unique conditions that may require a different set of skills to solve. The ability to be an effective team member is vital and proof of that will make you stand out. Evidence of independent work is also helpful so highlight and research or internship experiences you have had.
What will help Senior Software Testers increase their earning potential?
Lyle Ford: Computer skills (programming, working effectively with AI, and the like) will be important as the world continues to automate. The ability to design, build, and repair electronic and electromechanical systems will also be important for the same reason.