Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California
Want to work as a Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California? Here’s what the data says. Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.
What do Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Make in California?
For software quality assurance analysts and testers working in California, the typical annual salary is $127,010 per year (or about $61.06/hour).Earnings range from $63,460 at the 10th percentile to $197,400 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $63,460 | $30.51 |
| 25th percentile | $86,490 | $41.58 |
| Median (50th) | $127,010 | $61.06 |
| 75th percentile | $164,520 | $79.10 |
| 90th percentile | $197,400 | $94.90 |
The job concentration index in California nationwide is 1.35, indicating that software quality assurance analysts and testers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, software quality assurance analysts and testers earn a median of $80,062 per year ($38.49/hour), higher than the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 277,861 software quality assurance analysts and testers in the U.S.. In California alone, approximately 31,530 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,720 software quality assurance analysts and testers.
Top California Metros for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
The largest metro-area employers of software quality assurance analysts and testers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 7,910 | $139,580 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 7,590 | $165,700 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,560 | $106,400 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,260 | $109,590 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 870 | $111,040 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 560 | $102,600 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 280 | $105,660 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 210 | $101,840 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 130 | $97,990 |
| Fresno, CA | 110 | $97,150 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 100 | $106,750 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 100 | $126,730 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 80 | $102,480 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 60 | $105,620 |
| Vallejo, CA | 40 | $107,650 |
| Chico, CA | 30 | $98,470 |
| Modesto, CA | 30 | $106,600 |
| Salinas, CA | 30 | $98,020 |
Top States for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Employment
View the states that employ the most software quality assurance analysts and testers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 31,530 |
| Texas | 19,300 |
| Florida | 12,080 |
| New York | 11,140 |
| Virginia | 9,880 |
| Washington | 9,220 |
| Georgia | 7,830 |
| Massachusetts | 7,650 |
| North Carolina | 7,280 |
| New Jersey | 6,930 |
| Illinois | 6,800 |
| Maryland | 6,340 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,690 |
| Colorado | 5,580 |
| Utah | 4,300 |
| Ohio | 4,000 |
| Wisconsin | 3,820 |
| Arizona | 3,680 |
| Michigan | 3,500 |
| Oregon | 3,010 |
Highest-Paying States for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
The highest-paying states for software quality assurance analysts and testers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $128,270 |
| California | $127,010 |
| Virginia | $123,270 |
| Maryland | $122,310 |
| Colorado | $114,600 |
| New Jersey | $111,790 |
| District of Columbia | $110,130 |
| New Hampshire | $110,020 |
| New York | $108,800 |
| Utah | $107,170 |
Skills
The most important software quality assurance analysts and testers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for software quality assurance analysts and testers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, software quality assurance analysts and testers typically:
- Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
- Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
- Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
- Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
- Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
- Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
- Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.
- Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
- Create or maintain databases of known test defects.
- Develop or specify standards, methods, or procedures to determine product quality or release readiness.
- Monitor bug resolution efforts and track successes.
- Update automated test scripts to ensure currency.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Processing Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Thinking Creatively
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, AJAX, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2, Amazon Redshift, Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation, Amazon Web Services AWS software, Ansible software, Apache Cassandra, Apache Hadoop, Apache Hive In-demand technologies: Amazon Web Services AWS software, Apache JMeter, Appium
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Computer Information Systems
- Computer Science
- Computer Programming
- Computer Systems Analysis
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Engineering
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Related Careers
Other careers like software quality assurance analysts and testers include:
- Quality Control Systems Managers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Database Administrators
- Database Architects
- Data Warehousing Specialists
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Also Known As
Application Integrator, Applications Analyst, Applications Quality Assurance Specialist (Applications QA Specialist), Applications Software Engineering Information Technology Specialist (Applications Software Engineering IT Specialist), Applications System Analyst, Applications Tester, Automation Specialist, Automation Tester, Beta Tester, Bug Bounty Hunter, Computer Consultant, Data Modeler, Game Tester, IT Performance Analyst (Information Technology Performance Analyst), Implementation Specialist.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 15-1253.00