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Best states for a software quality engineer
Quoted expert
Jared Wilson
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for software quality engineers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for software quality engineer jobs.Our research shows that California is the best state in the country for software quality engineers.
California is the best state for jobs for software quality engineers, and Oklahoma is the worst. The most common pay in California is $121,584, while the median pay in Oklahoma is $68,062.We found that the Midwest is best for software quality engineers, and the West is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for software quality engineer jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.
10 best states for software quality engineers in 2025
1. California
Total software quality engineer jobs: 16,666 Average annual salary: $121,584 Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
2. Washington
Total software quality engineer jobs: 5,355 Average annual salary: $111,389 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location Quotient: 2.14
3. Oregon
Total software quality engineer jobs: 1,961 Average annual salary: $98,923 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
4. Maryland
Total software quality engineer jobs: 3,160 Average annual salary: $96,642 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
5. Wyoming
Total software quality engineer jobs: 203 Average annual salary: $88,349 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
6. Vermont
Total software quality engineer jobs: 319 Average annual salary: $87,511 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
7. Idaho
Total software quality engineer jobs: 469 Average annual salary: $92,518 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
8. Arizona
Total software quality engineer jobs: 1,767 Average annual salary: $89,850 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
9. Montana
Total software quality engineer jobs: 337 Average annual salary: $88,555 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
10. Utah
Total software quality engineer jobs: 1,562 Average annual salary: $83,165 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
Software quality engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a software quality engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a software quality engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $121,584 | $86,000 | 39,536,653 | 16,666 |
| 2 | Washington | $111,389 | $81,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,355 |
| 3 | Oregon | $98,923 | $72,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,961 |
| 4 | Maryland | $96,642 | $72,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,160 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $88,349 | $65,000 | 579,315 | 203 |
| 6 | Vermont | $87,511 | $67,000 | 623,657 | 319 |
| 7 | Idaho | $92,518 | $67,000 | 1,716,943 | 469 |
| 8 | Arizona | $89,850 | $65,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,767 |
| 9 | Montana | $88,555 | $65,000 | 1,050,493 | 337 |
| 10 | Utah | $83,165 | $60,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,562 |
| 11 | Nevada | $93,465 | $66,000 | 2,998,039 | 519 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $85,664 | $66,000 | 755,393 | 258 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $83,338 | $63,000 | 1,342,795 | 616 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $85,858 | $64,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,080 |
| 15 | New York | $86,774 | $65,000 | 19,849,399 | 4,138 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $86,599 | $65,000 | 693,972 | 802 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $85,200 | $64,000 | 3,588,184 | 994 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $83,664 | $63,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,333 |
| 19 | Delaware | $81,618 | $61,000 | 961,939 | 530 |
| 20 | Alaska | $88,960 | $71,000 | 739,795 | 190 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $78,451 | $59,000 | 10,273,419 | 3,210 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $80,471 | $61,000 | 4,454,189 | 930 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $82,747 | $62,000 | 869,666 | 227 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $77,442 | $58,000 | 1,059,639 | 586 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $81,245 | $61,000 | 1,815,857 | 298 |
| 26 | Ohio | $79,466 | $60,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,532 |
| 27 | Virginia | $79,069 | $59,000 | 8,470,020 | 4,239 |
| 28 | Texas | $77,758 | $57,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,484 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $79,264 | $59,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,696 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $77,134 | $59,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,170 |
| 31 | Michigan | $76,573 | $58,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,095 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $79,178 | $59,000 | 2,984,100 | 407 |
| 33 | Indiana | $74,016 | $56,000 | 6,666,818 | 2,024 |
| 34 | Colorado | $76,160 | $56,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,259 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $77,828 | $59,000 | 5,024,369 | 959 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $75,986 | $57,000 | 1,920,076 | 603 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $74,263 | $56,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,579 |
| 38 | Illinois | $76,318 | $58,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,360 |
| 39 | Maine | $75,861 | $58,000 | 1,335,907 | 332 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $73,699 | $54,000 | 2,088,070 | 571 |
| 41 | Georgia | $75,061 | $56,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,638 |
| 42 | Kansas | $69,236 | $52,000 | 2,913,123 | 865 |
| 43 | Alabama | $69,130 | $52,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,181 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $68,180 | $51,000 | 3,004,279 | 738 |
| 45 | Iowa | $70,775 | $53,000 | 3,145,711 | 878 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $68,904 | $52,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,271 |
| 47 | Missouri | $68,332 | $51,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,479 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $70,318 | $52,000 | 4,684,333 | 560 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $70,549 | $56,000 | 1,427,538 | 206 |
| 50 | Florida | $69,845 | $51,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,738 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $68,062 | $51,000 | 3,930,864 | 521 |
Highest paying states for software quality engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Software Quality Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $121,584 |
| 2 | Washington | $111,389 |
| 3 | Oregon | $98,923 |
| 4 | Maryland | $96,642 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $88,349 |
| 6 | Vermont | $87,511 |
| 7 | Idaho | $92,518 |
| 8 | Arizona | $89,850 |
| 9 | Montana | $88,555 |
| 10 | Utah | $83,165 |
| 11 | Nevada | $93,465 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $85,664 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $83,338 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $85,858 |
| 15 | New York | $86,774 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $86,599 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $85,200 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $83,664 |
| 19 | Delaware | $81,618 |
| 20 | Alaska | $88,960 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $78,451 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $80,471 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $82,747 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $77,442 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $81,245 |
| 26 | Ohio | $79,466 |
| 27 | Virginia | $79,069 |
| 28 | Texas | $77,758 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $79,264 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $77,134 |
| 31 | Michigan | $76,573 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $79,178 |
| 33 | Indiana | $74,016 |
| 34 | Colorado | $76,160 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $77,828 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $75,986 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $74,263 |
| 38 | Illinois | $76,318 |
| 39 | Maine | $75,861 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $73,699 |
| 41 | Georgia | $75,061 |
| 42 | Kansas | $69,236 |
| 43 | Alabama | $69,130 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $68,180 |
| 45 | Iowa | $70,775 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $68,904 |
| 47 | Missouri | $68,332 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $70,318 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $70,549 |
| 50 | Florida | $69,845 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $68,062 |
Expert opinions on the best states for software quality engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for software quality engineers to find work opportunities?
Jared Wilson
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, East Tennessee State University
Within the field of land surveying and related employment opportunities, work is available. However, in my experience, work may not be in the exact location a person wishes to live. So, a move may be necessary, or potentially traveling to where the work is located. Should a graduate, or person for that matter, want to work, work is available.
Software quality engineer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025