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Job outlook for software quality assurances in the United States
Software quality assurance job and salary trends over time
Software quality assurance jobs over time
Software quality assurance job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 205,399 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 196,533 | 0.06% |
| 2019 | 142,960 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 95,092 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 78,748 | 0.02% |
Average software quality assurance salary over time
Software quality assurance salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $92,629 | $44.53 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $89,577 | $43.07 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $87,549 | $42.09 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $85,842 | $41.27 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $83,902 | $40.34 | +1.5% |
Software quality assurance jobs by state
Most common states for software quality assurances
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 399 | 57% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,521 | 34% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 328 | 34% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 192 | 31% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,486 | 29% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 887 | 29% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 386 | 29% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 299 | 28% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 208 | 28% |
| 10 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,618 | 27% |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,438 | 25% |
| 12 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 221 | 25% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 9,536 | 24% |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,630 | 24% |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,360 | 24% |
| 16 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 979 | 24% |
| 17 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 633 | 22% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 127 | 22% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,196 | 21% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 160 | 21% |
Most common cities for software quality assurances
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clearfield | 1 | 3% | $89,983 |
| 2 | Oak Ridge | 1 | 3% | $70,265 |
| 3 | Sunnyvale | 3 | 2% | $117,818 |
| 4 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $64,206 |
| 5 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $90,849 |
Software Quality Assurance job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of software quality assurance experts
Nova Southeastern University
Texas A&M University San Antonio
Mount St. Joseph University
University of Phoenix - Maryland Campus
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Gannon University
Murray State University
Montana State University
Allegheny College
Saint Xavier University
Taylor University
John Brown University
Rider University
Union University
Defiance College
Seminole State College of Florida
Harding University
Junping Sun Ph.D.
ProfessorNova Southeastern University
Computer Software And Media Applications
What Software Quality Assurance 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.
Izzat Alsmadi
Associate ProfessorTexas A&M University San Antonio
Computer Science
What Software Quality Assurance skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Izzat Alsmadi: With the quick and rapid evolution language models, they are expected to be great assets in accelerating many jobs. Its important for new graduates to be aware of such models or tools and how they can be used
Programming skills will still be important but languages will be more mature and graduates need to be aware of the different available tools and resources online and how they can be used
Rebecca Allen
Mount St. Joseph University
Special Education And Teaching
What general advice would you give to a Software Quality Assurance?
Rebecca Allen: AI, for sure. I have heard it said that AI might not replace humans, rather humans who know how to use AI well may replace humans who don't.
Anmol Dash
Adjunct Professor in Information Systems + Software Engineer (My full time job)University of Phoenix - Maryland Campus
Computer/Information Technology Administration And Management
What will help Software Quality Assurances increase their earning potential?
Anmol Dash: As a graduate beginning the career, you should understand that there is a lot of things that you don't/can't know. There will be many times where you feel very behind, and incur imposter syndrome, but just know that everyone goes through the same things. Also in your career don't be afraid to take risks, and try different things when your managers ask for volunteers, this will only improve your skillset and make you a more rounded Engineer.
Travis Mandel Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Hawaii at Hilo
Department of Computer Science
What soft skills should all Software Quality Assurances possess?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: Although computer science seems like a highly technical field, soft skills are really what differentiates software engineers. One of the most important qualities of any software engineer is explaining their code clearly at various levels of technical depth and explaining why certain design decisions were made. You could write code that does amazing things, but if that code consists of snippets you pasted from StackOverflow without really fully understanding them, it will be a huge headache for anyone who needs to come into the codebase later and maintain or update it.
Another one is asking the right questions. Imagine you are dropped into a huge codebase and asked to add a new feature (very common!). There's no time to understand everything that is going on, but on the other hand, you need to understand enough of the code to do your task effectively, which involves asking questions. A failure to ask questions will likely result in you wasting a huge amount of time working on something that is ultimately not useful, for instance, re-implementing a complex function that already exists somewhere in the codebase.
How do you envision technology impacting Software Quality Assurances in the next 5 years?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Breadth and depth: Computing is becoming more like engineering; where the value of the product, its lifetime risks, costs, and benefits are more critical than just it's roll-out. So the engineering competencies that have always been a part of computing will become more central. Computing is also expanding; the role of data and the shift of once-research technologies (like machine learning) into production applications will continue to require computing graduates to broaden their base and continue as learners. This will cause shifts in what is considered 'fundamental' and the need for professionals to continue to hone and redevelop their technical skill sets.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Software Quality Assurances to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Computing is ubiquitous, and with more industries moving to remote work, location is becoming less critical. If the internet reaches a place reliably, computing jobs can be located there.
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceMurray State University
Computer Science and Information Systems
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Software Quality Assurances?
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.: A bachelor's degree in computer science is extremely valuable. It has been and continues to be one of the most valuable college degrees a student can pursue. I really think all areas of computing are in demand, but web and mobile computing might be one of the strongest. Some employers do like to see extra certifications in addition to the bachelor's degree. There are literally hundreds of certifications available in the computing industry. They all vary in the required amount of time, effort, and money. I think anything that can set a candidate apart from other candidates is valuable, and that includes any certification. I would not recommend investing thousands of dollars into additional certifications after completing a bachelor's degree, but I don't think it's a bad idea for students to pursue one of the free or lower-cost certifications that are available - especially those students who might not have strong internship experience, extracurricular activities, projects, etc. to put on their resumes. I think anything DevOps related or cloud-based like Amazon's AWS or Microsoft's Azure are especially valuable right now.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Software Quality Assurance job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Brock LaMeres Ph.D.: Businesses that do primarily computer-based work have not been impacted by COVID as much as trade-based businesses. They have figured out how to continue operations with the majority of their employees working from home. I feel like the types of jobs that people will hire into will have a significant "work-at-home" component. There will also be a surge in businesses trying to provide the resources for work-at-home employees.
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorAllegheny College
Department of Computer Science and Affiliated Faculty in Integrative Informatics
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Software Quality Assurance job market given the pandemic?
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.: Pandemic has accelerated social connectivity trends using technology, including technology for remote work, and e-learning, and technology to make e-commerce more comfortable and faster. I foresee these accelerated technology trends to continue, even after the pandemic, and therefore job markets in these areas to continue to grow. Another big surge we have seen is in data analytics, which has been increasing over the last decade, and COVID-19 has spotlighted this field. I expect data analyst jobs to continue to be in demand and to grow. Also, the pandemic showed us the interconnectedness of technology with other areas. As the need to develop better solutions to fight various diseases heightens, for example, I expect jobs in biotech to grow.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Software Quality Assurances in the next 3-5 years?
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.: In the next few years, technologies related to artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud computing, container-orchestration systems, and cybersecurity will continue to become more important and prominent. These technologies have the foundation to improve the quality of life in terms of health, education, fighting misinformation, creating better connections, fighting climate change, etc. IoT with smart devices connected online will continue to rise, thus producing more data, which will necessitate AI, data analytics, and security solutions. Additionally, I foresee 5G technology to play an essential role in the next few years, as e-commerce expands into autonomous delivery services. In the software engineering field, to enable fast, secure, and connected software development, technologies allowing to automate a part of that process, such as version control, containerization, and Kubernetes, will also become increasingly important.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Software Quality Assurances in the next 5 years?
James Vanderhyde: There has been a steady increase in software and IT jobs for the last 20 years, and this is not going to slow down any time soon. In the next 5 years, demand will increase, particularly in software development and cybersecurity. The technology field changes so quickly that beyond 5 years, it is difficult to make predictions. That is why we thoroughly prepare our computer science and information systems students for technology changes and career shifts to discover the best in themselves and to be prepared to meet the demand and excel within the field.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Software Quality Assurances to find work opportunities?
James Vanderhyde: Any big city will have lots of opportunities for computing, software, and IT work. Silicon Valley and the rest of the west coast are the most famous, but innovation is happening everywhere around the country and around the world, including here in Chicago. Chicago tech companies have hired our students upon graduation, and likewise, our graduates have found success and gratification in the field.
What are the best companies to work for a Software Quality Assurance?
James Vanderhyde: The best companies to work for are companies that respect you as a person and not just a cog in the machine. They are inclusive, and they recognize and appreciate diversity. They have a track record of handling sick leave and family leave as needed. They will not expect you to eat dinner in your office and then go back to work after an already long day. All software companies experience crunch times around release dates, but the best companies do not experience constant crunch. That is a sign of poor management. The best companies will give you challenging problems to work on and reward innovation.
Dr. Jonathan Geisler
Associate ProfessorTaylor University
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
What are the best companies to work for a Software Quality Assurance?
Dr. Jonathan Geisler: The best companies to work for are the ones that are responsive to both their customers' and employees' needs. They are the ones that have tried to be proactive during the pandemic and not just survive until everything got "back to normal." They know that a damaged workforce leads to a damaged company, and so they provide good management, encouraging everyone to be healthy mentally and physically.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Software Quality Assurances in the next 5 years?
Dr. Jonathan Geisler: There will be a continued increase in demand for computer engineering
graduates as computers become more heavily integrated into the fabric
of our lives. Things like self-driving cars, the Internet of Things, and
mobile computing will become more commonplace and increase the demand for engineering talent; the long-term trend of using smartphones and web-based applications will not slow, leading to an increase in the
demand for computing talent.
How do you envision technology impacting Software Quality Assurances in the next 5 years?
Dr. Ted Junseok Song: The question is not whether technology will advance or not. It is, rather, how it will advance. Professionals in the industry need to be equipped to see the customers' demand and where our society is headed. I would recommend college students to be interested in broad topics apart from topics in their major. Well-rounded people will have more opportunities to impact the future.
Dr. Howard Rees
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Information SystemsRider University
Information systems
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Software Quality Assurances?
Dr. Howard Rees: We're moving into a volatile time for the economy, and planning for an uncertain future is what big companies are concerned with. In many ways, the pandemic and concerns over future pandemics that we now know can be globally devastating will be a boon for CS and IT graduates. Face to face business interactions and transactions will be dramatically reduced, both in the short term and in the long run, as there will be a need to hedge against future pandemics. Everything changes from production and operations to supply chain and risk management and diversification to the nature of "office work." And all of that must be underpinned by computer technology: communications, security, data analytics. These are trends that have been developing for the past few decades but the pandemic will accelerate them, and that's all useful, if you're a CS or IT graduate with a broad base of knowledge, which provides you the freedom to adapt.
What general advice would you give to a Software Quality Assurance?
Brian Glas: Build relationships: Different technologies will interest and challenge you, but throughout your career, you'll find that it's the relationships that are the most important. This is harder to grasp earlier in your career, but much easier to understand after 15-20 years.
Gain different perspectives: Spend time with people in other roles that your job interacts with, and gain a solid understanding of how they view things; this is most valuable for career progression and understanding of how your work fits into the big picture.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Software Quality Assurances?
Aaron Napierala: I think the pandemic's lasting impact on graduates will be decisive in preparing them for careers in technology. A recent graduate of mine just completed training for a new position with a company, completely remote. It was the first time the company had ever done anything like this before. It was a success, and the graduate raves at the entire process. The pandemic is forcing companies to scrutinize how they operate, to ensure the best possible outcome, for whatever it is they are doing. Once they see the success of being able to accomplish something more efficiently, or they are more cost-effective, they may continue on this path. Why would a company post their ad locally and interview a handful of candidates, when they can open up access globally and draw from a much larger pool? So for graduates just now entering the workforce, they have a distinct advantage: having access to technology for the majority of their lives and just coming out of situations that were forced on them to communicate remotely.
Craig Tidwell Ph.D.
Professor/Program ManagerSeminole State College of Florida
Center for Information Technology
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Software Quality Assurances?
Craig Tidwell Ph.D.: Many I.T. employees already have the option to work remotely (telecommute), but this will become even more important with the Coronavirus challenges. Employees must be able to work remotely and be organized and self-directed. Employers are looking for teleworkers that can work on a task from anywhere.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Software Quality Assurances?
Frank McCown Ph.D.: Many companies have changed their hiring practices. It's not unusual for a new graduate to jump straight into remote work. I predict the move from in-person work to remote work is only going to accelerate as we get more comfortable with it. Once the pandemic dies down, and economic uncertainties start to go away, companies that had been on hiring freezes will likely jump back in, creating a strong market for graduates.