Best cities for a software test engineer
The best cities for software test engineers are San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, and Santa Ana, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for software test engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for software test engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a software test engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for software test engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for software test engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a software test engineer. While the absolute best city for software test engineers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for software test engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a software test engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for software test engineers in 2025
1. San Francisco, CA
Software test engineer jobs in San FranciscoTotal software test engineer jobs: 242 Average annual salary: $115,955 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location quotient: 22.30 2. San Jose, CA
Software test engineer jobs in San JoseTotal software test engineer jobs: 51 Average annual salary: $115,549 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location quotient: 35.59 3. Santa Ana, CA
Software test engineer jobs in Santa AnaTotal software test engineer jobs: 86 Average annual salary: $99,713 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 77.16 4. Long Beach, CA
Software test engineer jobs in Long BeachTotal software test engineer jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $100,112 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 21.99 5. Irvine, CA
Software test engineer jobs in IrvineTotal software test engineer jobs: 177 Average annual salary: $99,471 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location quotient: 29.01 6. San Diego, CA
Software test engineer jobs in San DiegoTotal software test engineer jobs: 156 Average annual salary: $97,601 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location quotient: 49.28 7. Bakersfield, CA
Software test engineer jobs in BakersfieldTotal software test engineer jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $107,616 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location quotient: 11.88 8. Seattle, WA
Software test engineer jobs in SeattleTotal software test engineer jobs: 242 Average annual salary: $96,143 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location quotient: 12.83 9. Fremont, CA
Software test engineer jobs in FremontTotal software test engineer jobs: 41 Average annual salary: $115,615 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location quotient: 9.13 10. Anaheim, CA
Software test engineer jobs in AnaheimTotal software test engineer jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $100,001 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 11.49
Choose from 10+ customizable software test engineer resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use software test engineer resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your software test engineer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for software test engineers
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Irvine, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Fremont, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- (242 software test engineer jobs)
- (51 software test engineer jobs)
- (86 software test engineer jobs)
- (30 software test engineer jobs)
- (177 software test engineer jobs)
- (156 software test engineer jobs)
- (12 software test engineer jobs)
- (242 software test engineer jobs)
- (41 software test engineer jobs)
- (13 software test engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a software test engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $115,955 | $82,000 | 870,887 | 242 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $115,549 | $82,000 | 1,025,350 | 51 |
| 3 | Santa Ana, CA | $99,713 | $72,000 | 334,217 | 86 |
| 4 | Long Beach, CA | $100,112 | $73,000 | 470,130 | 30 |
| 5 | Irvine, CA | $99,471 | $72,000 | 266,122 | 177 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | $97,601 | $71,000 | 1,406,630 | 156 |
| 7 | Bakersfield, CA | $107,616 | $77,000 | 376,380 | 12 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $96,143 | $70,000 | 704,352 | 242 |
| 9 | Fremont, CA | $115,615 | $82,000 | 233,136 | 41 |
| 10 | Anaheim, CA | $100,001 | $73,000 | 351,043 | 13 |
| 11 | Durham, NC | $76,248 | $59,000 | 263,016 | 66 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $76,979 | $57,000 | 947,890 | 211 |
| 13 | Scottsdale, AZ | $80,001 | $59,000 | 246,645 | 26 |
| 14 | Oakland, CA | $115,736 | $82,000 | 420,005 | 13 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh, PA | $74,358 | $57,000 | 303,625 | 75 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $76,286 | $59,000 | 458,880 | 59 |
| 17 | Plano, TX | $75,020 | $57,000 | 286,057 | 182 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $77,042 | $57,000 | 1,492,510 | 60 |
| 19 | Chandler, AZ | $79,725 | $59,000 | 247,477 | 18 |
| 20 | Sacramento, CA | $113,421 | $81,000 | 495,234 | 25 |
| 21 | Cleveland, OH | $72,785 | $56,000 | 385,809 | 30 |
| 22 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,226 | $73,000 | 3,976,322 | 120 |
| 23 | Henderson, NV | $86,707 | $62,000 | 292,969 | 3 |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA | $76,951 | $59,000 | 1,567,872 | 56 |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV | $87,585 | $63,000 | 632,912 | 21 |
| 26 | Houston, TX | $76,098 | $57,000 | 2,303,482 | 193 |
| 27 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,028 | $59,000 | 1,615,017 | 61 |
| 28 | Greensboro, NC | $75,636 | $59,000 | 287,027 | 11 |
| 29 | Mesa, AZ | $79,737 | $59,000 | 484,587 | 5 |
| 30 | Louisville, KY | $69,731 | $54,000 | 597,337 | 49 |
| 31 | Irving, TX | $75,391 | $57,000 | 238,289 | 70 |
| 32 | Cincinnati, OH | $70,020 | $55,000 | 298,800 | 54 |
| 33 | Jersey City, NJ | $84,067 | $64,000 | 264,152 | 99 |
| 34 | Dallas, TX | $75,401 | $57,000 | 1,317,929 | 94 |
| 35 | Detroit, MI | $73,698 | $57,000 | 672,795 | 20 |
| 36 | Charlotte, NC | $74,367 | $58,000 | 842,051 | 100 |
| 37 | Saint Paul, MN | $72,167 | $57,000 | 302,398 | 56 |
| 38 | Saint Louis, MO | $69,639 | $54,000 | 311,404 | 70 |
| 39 | Boston, MA | $84,671 | $65,000 | 673,184 | 102 |
| 40 | Stockton, CA | $114,382 | $81,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 41 | Reno, NV | $89,998 | $65,000 | 245,255 | 1 |
| 42 | Atlanta, GA | $71,386 | $56,000 | 472,522 | 122 |
| 43 | North Las Vegas, NV | $87,449 | $63,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 44 | Fort Worth, TX | $75,715 | $58,000 | 854,113 | 21 |
| 45 | Omaha, NE | $70,985 | $56,000 | 446,970 | 48 |
| 46 | Milwaukee, WI | $68,578 | $54,000 | 595,047 | 50 |
| 47 | Fresno, CA | $112,889 | $80,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 48 | Anchorage, AK | $79,908 | $66,000 | 298,192 | 9 |
| 49 | El Paso, TX | $79,727 | $59,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 50 | Glendale, AZ | $80,048 | $59,000 | 245,895 | - |
Highest paying cities for software test engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. software test engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo, CA | $115,993 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $96,143 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $84,671 |
| 4 | Middletown, NJ | $84,114 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $81,523 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $78,004 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $77,042 |
| 8 | Allentown, PA | $76,805 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $76,248 |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, UT | $75,482 |
| 11 | Boulder, CO | $74,860 |
| 12 | Warren, MI | $73,800 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $72,434 |
| 14 | Alpharetta, GA | $71,558 |
| 15 | Bellevue, NE | $70,979 |
| 16 | Overland Park, KS | $70,557 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $69,639 |
| 18 | Melbourne, FL | $65,723 |
Software test engineer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for software test engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025