QA Analyst Salary
This is what we do all day: recruit technology and IT professionals.
Technology Headhunters uses BLS OEWS data to answer this pay question. For QA Analyst, this guide uses Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (SOC 15-1253) in the United States. BLS estimates the median wage for that occupation at $104,300 a year, and the middle half of workers earned between $80,310 and $133,180 (BLS OEWS May 2025). BLS does not measure this exact title separately.
Broader occupation
BLS does not report this exact title. The figures shown are for SOC 15-1253, Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. BLS reports Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers as a broader occupation. It does not separate QA Analyst, technology stack, seniority, certifications or employer sector. These figures are not a title-specific offer range.
BLS publishes one set of figures for SOC 15-1253. Other titles in our taxonomy map to it and show the same numbers. Percentiles describe all workers in the occupation. They are not experience levels.
| Measure | Per year |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,440 |
| 25th percentile | $80,310 |
| Median | $104,300 |
| 75th percentile | $133,180 |
| 90th percentile | $167,010 |
| Mean | $111,490 |
| Measure | Per hour |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29.54 |
| 25th percentile | $38.61 |
| Median | $50.14 |
| 75th percentile | $64.03 |
| 90th percentile | $80.29 |
| Mean | $53.60 |
Only a cell carrying the source's # marker is displayed as "or more." The May 2025 release notes define that marker as $239,200 a year or $115.00 an hour or greater. This is a lower bound for marked cells, not a universal wage ceiling. Published numeric values, including values above those amounts, are retained unchanged. Suppressed or unavailable cells are not assigned a wage.
BLS estimates 186,740 people work in this occupation nationally.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $100,050 | $71,540 to $128,220 | 1,960 | 0.58 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $98,870 | $77,820 to $125,930 | 1,930 | 1.11 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $104,250 | $77,610 to $124,260 | 1,940 | 1.15 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $110,800 | $86,710 to $135,910 | 1,760 | 1.97 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,540 | $99,990 to $159,140 | 11,460 | 1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,540 | $99,990 to $159,140 | 11,460 | 1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $103,210 | $81,980 to $127,610 | 8,840 | 1.82 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $105,580 | $83,310 to $130,920 | 5,010 | 0.93 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 15-1253 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, the United States. Released 2026-05-15. The source index links to the release workbooks; it is not a link to an individual wage row. Methodology and mapping notes.
These are published government statistical wage estimates, not observed individual offers or a separate technology-title survey. A broader occupation or proxy is not separate pay data for your job title.
Recruiter's read
Qualitative hiring context. Not BLS data.
The figures describe Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, not a separately measured QA Analyst title. Confirm the systems, users and escalation responsibilities this person will own. Write down the work location and attendance policy. Discuss equity and RSUs separately; this guide adds no premium for them.
Questions answered by BLS data
What is the median pay for QA Analyst?
BLS reports a median of $104,300 a year for SOC 15-1253, Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, in the United States (May 2025). Half of workers earned less and half earned more.
What is the pay range for QA Analyst?
10% of workers in this occupation earned less than $61,440. 10% earned more than $167,010.
How many QA Analyst jobs are there?
BLS estimates 186,740 workers in SOC 15-1253 nationally in May 2025.
Does BLS publish this exact job title?
Not exactly. QA Analyst is shown using SOC 15-1253, Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, a broader occupation. BLS reports Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers as a broader occupation. It does not separate QA Analyst, technology stack, seniority, certifications or employer sector. These figures are not a title-specific offer range.
Which of our target metros reports the highest median for QA Analyst?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ , at $130,540 a year (May 2025).
Are percentiles the same as experience levels?
No. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than that amount. BLS does not report pay by experience.
Related roles
Download the source data for this role (CSV) · Methodology
What changed between the published releases?
These are BLS survey estimates for SOC 15-1253, Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. They are not a projection or a comparison of the same individual workers.
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $102,610 |
| May 2025 | $104,300 |
How do published wages differ by industry?
These national rows describe private establishments in BLS four-digit industry groups. Industry names are shown as BLS publishes them. They do not include government establishments. An industry figure is still an occupation estimate, not local pay for this exact title.
View the published industry table
| Industry | NAICS | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $83,920 | $112,270 | $133,730 | $115,290 | 170 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $97,400 | $125,450 | $132,680 | $118,660 | 70 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $60,830 | $60,830 | $67,320 | $68,080 | 70 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $72,170 | $103,770 | $113,980 | $96,200 | 190 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 323100 | $63,890 | $83,780 | $100,720 | $84,840 | 100 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $79,380 | $98,480 | $135,960 | $103,530 | 90 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 325400 | $82,840 | $105,010 | $122,050 | $107,340 | 420 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $67,670 | $103,870 | $110,450 | $91,130 | 60 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $82,040 | $105,820 | $131,580 | $106,310 | 180 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $88,440 | $114,530 | $135,590 | $115,130 | 440 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $74,210 | $105,660 | $129,910 | $102,030 | 210 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | $109,390 | $136,530 | $166,820 | $139,780 | 1500 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 334200 | $95,480 | $124,690 | $137,680 | $116,900 | 940 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 334300 | $86,020 | $104,320 | $134,540 | $112,280 | 210 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 334400 | $118,250 | $157,980 | $175,650 | $151,910 | 2410 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $94,980 | $122,610 | $137,550 | $119,220 | 2880 |
| Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 334600 | $86,060 | $171,410 | $200,080 | $149,390 | Not published by BLS |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 335300 | $90,670 | $98,180 | $122,130 | $104,240 | 80 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $67,640 | $97,190 | $135,400 | $101,470 | 150 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $105,910 | $160,680 | $167,370 | $140,790 | 340 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $90,190 | $113,540 | $139,590 | $115,830 | 160 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $105,020 | $135,150 | $173,690 | $145,300 | 4060 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $82,420 | $104,940 | $132,820 | $109,840 | 70 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 339100 | $103,230 | $128,650 | $137,180 | $125,700 | 860 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $65,930 | $81,300 | $102,240 | $84,860 | 400 |
| Automobile Dealers | 441100 | $72,070 | $133,850 | $158,760 | $124,650 | 60 |
| Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers | 441300 | $43,960 | $49,360 | $65,330 | $63,460 | 60 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers | 449100 | $62,680 | $97,030 | $118,020 | $94,760 | 40 |
| Electronics and Appliance Retailers | 449200 | $104,350 | $104,360 | $137,830 | $117,780 | Not published by BLS |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | 456100 | $75,400 | $105,610 | $135,080 | $106,350 | 110 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | 459900 | $86,260 | $121,550 | $140,610 | $110,860 | 120 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 481100 | $134,160 | $144,010 | $170,040 | $149,030 | 40 |
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation | 481200 | $71,410 | $71,820 | $79,800 | $77,110 | Not published by BLS |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $91,500 | $117,360 | $166,930 | $123,400 | 50 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $79,430 | $108,690 | $130,320 | $111,140 | 50 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | 488500 | $83,850 | $105,810 | $127,490 | $106,540 | 210 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 492100 | $90,820 | $114,130 | $134,630 | $116,020 | 60 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $77,490 | $97,190 | $124,300 | $98,170 | 250 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | 512100 | $61,970 | $76,630 | $133,680 | $98,620 | 360 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | 513100 | $97,220 | $126,470 | $140,560 | $122,450 | 940 |
| Software Publishers | 513200 | $74,120 | $101,070 | $135,360 | $109,480 | 16710 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations | 516100 | $93,240 | $113,420 | $128,220 | $112,740 | 40 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers | 516200 | $101,030 | $130,900 | $163,160 | $130,280 | 1640 |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | 518200 | $81,640 | $104,220 | $133,900 | $113,940 | 7950 |
| Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | 519200 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS | 1470 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank | 521100 | $108,360 | $127,760 | $159,160 | $135,460 | 370 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) | 5220A1 | $83,430 | $105,140 | $130,820 | $110,310 | 7250 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 522200 | $85,970 | $118,360 | $134,740 | $117,200 | 1580 |
| Insurance Carriers | 524100 | $79,850 | $101,530 | $123,780 | $100,950 | 7110 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | 524200 | $79,920 | $100,200 | $125,480 | $100,710 | 2780 |
| Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds | 525100 | $70,080 | $86,170 | $99,310 | $92,010 | 50 |
| Other Investment Pools and Funds | 525900 | $58,200 | $61,860 | $74,130 | $77,760 | Not published by BLS |
| Legal Services | 541100 | $62,620 | $80,880 | $109,470 | $93,560 | 170 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $75,610 | $97,490 | $129,600 | $103,790 | 2280 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $83,870 | $110,420 | $139,200 | $118,610 | 4410 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $94,820 | $110,640 | $137,390 | $111,570 | 40 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $75,830 | $99,960 | $128,850 | $105,650 | 57200 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $77,390 | $103,440 | $127,670 | $104,590 | 6630 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $102,070 | $129,800 | $160,310 | $130,470 | 4970 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | 541800 | $85,920 | $102,010 | $142,600 | $113,600 | 500 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $91,190 | $111,100 | $117,160 | $106,750 | 2170 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 551100 | $95,480 | $107,990 | $134,560 | $121,240 | 10290 |
| Office Administrative Services | 561100 | $82,290 | $106,030 | $129,660 | $107,440 | 880 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | $83,540 | $95,330 | $95,380 | $90,450 | Not published by BLS |
| Employment Services | 561300 | $72,570 | $102,200 | $129,710 | $105,280 | 8050 |
| Business Support Services | 561400 | $58,600 | $89,180 | $120,720 | $90,380 | 750 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | 561500 | $108,580 | $128,920 | $145,690 | $131,600 | 700 |
| Investigation and Security Services | 561600 | $54,210 | $96,340 | $122,840 | $89,110 | 210 |
| Other Support Services | 561900 | $54,960 | $61,340 | $109,560 | $80,450 | Not published by BLS |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 562200 | $97,470 | $97,470 | $126,620 | $111,890 | 40 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $119,760 | $139,710 | $139,710 | $132,910 | Not published by BLS |
| Offices of Physicians | 621100 | $84,960 | $106,040 | $128,880 | $108,890 | 130 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 621300 | $59,370 | $108,630 | $156,040 | $109,140 | 100 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 621400 | $62,660 | $86,880 | $122,400 | $91,810 | 230 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | 621500 | $83,530 | $96,740 | $122,970 | $104,220 | 510 |
| Home Health Care Services | 621600 | $71,370 | $98,390 | $120,810 | $94,880 | 70 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | 621900 | $93,990 | $111,470 | $150,180 | $118,040 | 200 |
| Individual and Family Services | 624100 | $61,090 | $86,270 | $99,990 | $84,100 | 80 |
What should you check outside the wage figure?
For this technology hire, compare the cash work covered by the occupation before judging an offer. Keep nonproduction bonuses separate. Discuss equity and RSUs separately; no stock value is added to these wages.
OEWS includes commissions and production bonuses, but excludes nonproduction bonuses and employer benefits. It is neither pure base salary nor total compensation.
Remote pay bands are an employer decision. These figures have no remote-work or cost-of-living adjustment. The published metro and state rows describe the BLS area, not a remote candidate's personal pay expectations.
Compare all published metro medians for this occupation · Read the mapping and data method
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 15-1253 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, the United States. Released 2026-05-15. The source index links to the release workbooks; it is not a link to an individual wage row. Methodology and mapping notes.
These are published government statistical wage estimates, not observed individual offers or a separate technology-title survey. A broader occupation or proxy is not separate pay data for your job title.