How to hire a software test analyst

How to hire a software test analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step software test analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a software test analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new software test analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a software test analyst do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your software test analyst job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a software test analyst for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A software test analyst's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, software test analysts from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of software test analyst salaries for various roles:

   Type of Software Test Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Software Test Analyst		$29-48
   Quality Assurance Engineer	A Quality Assurance Engineer's role is to oversee the overall production and ensure that the product is cost-efficient and aligns with the company's standards. The responsibility mainly revolves around conducting activities that examine and scrutinize the condition of a product or service to identify issues and come up with possible solutions to resolve the issue or attain stronger customer satisfaction... Show more	$29-52
   Quality Assurance Team Leader	A quality assurance (QA) team leader is a professional who is responsible for managing a team of engineers from the quality assurance department of an organization to participate in the overall QA planning and activities. QA team leaders are required to play the key role as a member of the project management team to ensure that the product exceeded user expectations... Show more	$36-60

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Test Scripts
   • Test Results
   • Regression
   • QA
   • Java
   • SQL Server
   • Selenium
   • Jira
   • Test Scenarios
   • Back-End
   • User Acceptance
   • Status Reports
   • Test Data
   • Data Integrity

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the reporting of bugs in QC and preparation of various reports as part of daily monitoring.
   • Update data content records with the team site interface, generate HTML, and create editions for the QA environment.
   • Execute SQL queries to conduct back-end testing.
   • Perform UI testing and browser compatibility testing.
   • Develop HTML and JavaScript tools which are used for testing.
   • Attend daily scrum meetings and track progress of the module.

   More software test analyst duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your software test analyst job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A software test analyst salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, software test analysts' average salary in oklahoma is 32% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level software test analysts earn 39% less than senior-level software test analysts.
   • Certifications. A software test analyst with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a software test analyst's salary.

   Average software test analyst salary

   $78,713yearly

   $37.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level software test analyst salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average software test analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$91,499	$44
   2	New Jersey	$90,112	$43
   3	Utah	$89,721	$43
   4	California	$85,964	$41
   5	New Hampshire	$85,648	$41
   6	Maryland	$82,259	$40
   7	Massachusetts	$81,868	$39
   8	North Carolina	$80,946	$39
   9	New York	$78,824	$38
   10	Wisconsin	$77,849	$37
   11	Colorado	$77,749	$37
   12	Michigan	$77,656	$37
   13	Arizona	$77,509	$37
   14	Oregon	$77,442	$37
   15	Illinois	$75,720	$36
   16	Iowa	$74,790	$36
   17	Tennessee	$72,930	$35
   18	Ohio	$72,734	$35
   19	Georgia	$72,462	$35
   20	Mississippi	$70,849	$34

   Average software test analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	IDEXX	$94,992	$45.67
   2	State Street	$87,999	$42.31	21
   3	SAS Institute	$86,817	$41.74	29
   4	Dell	$86,081	$41.39	3
   5	Fidelity National Information Solutions	$83,037	$39.92	41
   6	Xerox	$82,402	$39.62	1
   7	IBM	$81,014	$38.95	40
   8	Xerox State Healthcare LLC	$80,966	$38.93
   9	U.S. Bank	$80,690	$38.79	25
   10	HCL Global Systems	$80,668	$38.78
   11	FIS	$80,652	$38.77	17
   12	Kforce	$80,356	$38.63	89
   13	Pace Inc	$80,195	$38.56	2
   14	Columbia Sportswear	$79,999	$38.46	1
   15	TAD PGS	$79,935	$38.43	5
   16	Nes Holdings	$79,741	$38.34
   17	Sena	$79,615	$38.28
   18	Responsive Media Tech Services	$79,607	$38.27
   19	Peraton	$79,500	$38.22	69
   20	GRSi	$79,493	$38.22

4. Writing a software test analyst job description

   A software test analyst job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a software test analyst job description:

   Software test analyst job description example

   The Software Test Analyst will develop and execute automated/manual test scripts for Black Knight's Optimal Blue division. Also provides quality practices, quality audits and software measurements to product development or operations teams within the division and to clients.
   RESPONSIBILITIES
   Develops, maintains, and upgrades automated test scripts, utilities, simulators, data sets and other programmatic test tools required to execute test plans.Perform usability testing for total system performance, reliability, scalability, and security.Effectively communicates testing activities and findings in oral and written forms.Controls and manages own daily test activities.Provides internal quality assurance.Supports Test Lead to identify risks and develops mitigation strategies.Organizes and maintains the test script library.Performs other related duties as assigned.
   
   MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
   Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education, training, or work experience.Requires 6+ years of software testing experience.Experience working with Microsoft technologies such as .NET and C#.Experience in API testing using Postman.
   
   PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
   Knowledge of methods, tools, and technology used in software testing.Experience with MS SQL Server.Experience in Team Foundation Server (TFS)/Azure DevOps.Knowledge of defect management and manual testing tools to create and support a defect-free application.Acceptance, white box, black box, integration, system, and user acceptance testing (UAT) experience.Knowledge of the basic principles, processes, phases, and roles of application development methodologies.Skill in understanding and focusing on the clients' needs.Ability to work in an agile development environment where developers and testing personnel work closely together to ensure requirements are met or exceeded.Ability to deliver results under pressure.Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing to technical and non-technical audiences.
   
   EEO Statement:
   
   Black Knight is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, and protected veteran or military family status. Our employees' diversity is our strength, and when we embrace our differences, it makes us better and brighter. Black Knight's commitment to inclusion is at the core of who we are, and motivates us in how we do business each and every day.
   
   Location:
   Plano, TX
   
   Time Type:
   Full time

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right software test analyst for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with software test analysts they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit software test analysts who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your software test analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit software test analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit software test analysts, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview software test analyst candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new software test analyst

   Once you have selected a candidate for the software test analyst position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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