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Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $104,300 Median per year · $50.14/hr Most earn $61,440–$167,010

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
  • Plan test schedules or strategies in accordance with project scope or delivery dates.
  • Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
  • Collaborate with field staff or customers to evaluate or diagnose problems and recommend possible solutions.
  • Install and configure recreations of software production environments to allow testing of software performance.
  • Conduct software compatibility tests with programs, hardware, operating systems, or network environments.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 10,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Computer systems design and related services29.9%
  • Software publishers8.8%
  • Management of companies and enterprises5.1%
  • Computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services4.2%
  • Credit intermediation and related activities4.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Software QA Analysts and Testers usually need a bachelor's degree and about 1 to 2 years of related work, often starting as a junior tester. Most people reach this role in roughly 5 to 6 years after high school, counting college.

  1. Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or information technology

    4 years

    You learn how software is built, tested, and documented, which gives you the foundation employers look for in QA candidates.

  2. Junior QA Tester

    1-2 years

    You run test cases, log bugs in a tracking system, and learn how defects are reported and fixed, building the experience this career expects.

  3. Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester

    Ongoing

    You design and run tests, document defects, keep a database of known problems, and give input on requirements and design reviews.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior QA Analyst

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on harder test planning, mentor junior testers, and own testing for larger projects or whole product areas.

  2. Information Security Engineer

    4-6 years of experience first

    If you enjoy finding weaknesses, you can move toward security work by learning security tools and threat analysis to protect systems from attack.

  3. Software Developer

    Several years of QA plus coding practice of experience first

    Strong coding skills let you move from finding bugs to fixing them, which usually means building more programming experience and projects.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take computer science or programming classesLearning to code and read code helps you understand what testers look for and how bugs happen.
  • Join a coding or robotics clubWorking on a team project teaches you to find and fix problems, which is the core of QA work.
  • Try a free coding practice site or intro courseRegular practice builds the logic skills you will use to write test cases.
  • Get a starter job in retail, tech support, or a help deskCustomer-facing jobs teach you to spot problems, describe them clearly, and work with people who are frustrated by bugs.
  • Use and review apps and games carefullyNoticing what breaks in an app and writing it down is practice for the detail-focused thinking QA requires.

In college

  • Major in computer science, software engineering, or ITThese majors cover programming, software testing, and project work that QA employers look for.
  • Take a software testing or quality assurance courseA course on test design and bug tracking gives you vocabulary and methods you can show in interviews.
  • Seek a QA or software testing internshipHands-on testing experience on a real product is one of the best ways to get your first job.
  • Work a campus IT or help desk jobCampus tech support jobs build troubleshooting skills and show employers you can handle real users.
  • Join a student coding or programming clubClub projects let you practice testing your own code and working in a team, and they give you things to talk about in interviews.

Tips for getting started

  • Learn to write clear bug reports. Practice describing a problem with exact steps, expected results, and actual results, since this skill shows up in every QA job.
  • Build a small portfolio. Test a free open-source app or write test scripts for a class project, and keep notes on the bugs you find.
  • Get comfortable with basic coding and testing tools. Learning a language like Python or JavaScript and a bug tracker like Jira will make you a stronger candidate.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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