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Software QA Tester Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Software QA Tester make? The median Software QA Tester salary in the US is about $109,454 per year (roughly $53.00 an hour), across 183,760 jobs (Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $62,300 in West Virginia to $128,740 in California. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Software QA Tester salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| California | $128,740 | 27,710 |
| Washington | $128,480 | 7,970 |
| Colorado | $123,690 | 5,110 |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 | 6,640 |
| Virginia | $121,590 | 10,160 |
| New York | $121,240 | 10,460 |
| New Jersey | $119,470 | 6,550 |
| New Mexico | $116,580 | 450 |
| Maryland | $111,100 | 5,880 |
| Oregon | $108,440 | 1,840 |
| New Hampshire | $107,100 | 770 |
| Delaware | $106,060 | 520 |
| Illinois | $104,910 | 6,530 |
| Montana | $103,930 | 150 |
| District of Columbia | $103,340 | 760 |
| Georgia | $103,040 | 7,110 |
| Hawaii | $102,930 | 0 |
| Texas | $101,850 | 19,590 |
| Rhode Island | $101,790 | 400 |
| Minnesota | $101,700 | 2,630 |
| Alabama | $101,500 | 1,760 |
| Arizona | $100,650 | 3,890 |
| North Carolina | $100,390 | 8,890 |
| Florida | $100,210 | 10,320 |
| Michigan | $98,720 | 3,480 |
| Nebraska | $98,010 | 1,240 |
| Ohio | $98,000 | 4,400 |
| Connecticut | $97,740 | 1,160 |
| South Carolina | $97,500 | 1,740 |
| Kansas | $94,490 | 1,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,030 | 4,530 |
| Tennessee | $91,040 | 1,530 |
| Wisconsin | $89,400 | 3,800 |
| Iowa | $88,590 | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $87,020 | 1,610 |
| Maine | $86,050 | 390 |
| Missouri | $85,530 | 2,930 |
| North Dakota | $83,920 | 200 |
| Utah | $82,100 | 2,600 |
| Mississippi | $79,890 | 350 |
| Kentucky | $79,100 | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $77,700 | 1,620 |
| Vermont | $76,580 | 170 |
| South Dakota | $68,120 | 220 |
| Louisiana | $66,810 | 450 |
| West Virginia | $62,300 | 390 |
| Idaho | — | 560 |
| Nevada | — | 1,270 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Software QA Tester make?
- A Software QA Tester makes a median of about $109,454 per year in the US (roughly $53.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $62,300 in West Virginia to $128,740 in California depending on the state.
- What is the average Software QA Tester salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Software QA Tester salary in the US is about $109,454 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 183,760 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Software QA Testers the most?
- California has the highest median Software QA Tester salary at $128,740 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Software QA Testers the least?
- West Virginia has the lowest median at $62,300 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, code 15-1253). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.