Best degree programs for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, ranked by enrollment
15 college programs and 2,142 schools train Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $104,300 median wage, 186,740 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
15 college programs at 2,142 schools train software quality assurance analysts and testers, graduating 256,276 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Computer Science. The job pays a median of $104,300 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About software quality assurance analysts and testers
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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
15 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0701 | 88,326 | 34.5% | 1,033 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | CIP 11.0101 | 73,454 | 28.7% | 879 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 3 | CIP 11.0103 | 48,440 | 18.9% | 671 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 4 | CIP 14.0901 | 13,854 | 5.4% | 303 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 5 | CIP 11.0201 | 12,592 | 4.9% | 401 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 6 | CIP 14.0903 | 6,640 | 2.6% | 142 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 7 | CIP 11.0104 | 3,531 | 1.4% | 71 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 8 | CIP 11.0501 | 2,995 | 1.2% | 81 | $51,805 | $46,000 |
| 9 | CIP 11.0202 | 2,745 | 1.1% | 131 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 10 | CIP 15.1202 | 1,213 | 0.5% | 67 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 11 | CIP 15.1201 | 951 | 0.4% | 81 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 12 | CIP 11.0204 | 547 | 0.2% | 32 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 13 | CIP 15.1204 | 480 | 0.2% | 27 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 14 | CIP 11.0203 | 451 | 0.2% | 22 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 15 | CIP 11.0205 | 57 | 0.0% | 8 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 5,036 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 94% | — | 14% |
| 2 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 4,970 | Information Technology | 46% | $11,580 | — |
| 3 | DeVry University - Illinois Lisle, IL Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 4,340 | Information Technology | 37% | $32,381 | 98% |
| 4 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 3,425 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 91% | $18,925 | 5% |
| 5 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 3,233 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 43% | $34,565 | 100% |
| 6 | Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 2,650 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | 55% | $6,760 | 96% |
| 7 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 6 feeder programs | 2,219 | Computer Science | 68% | — | 90% |
| 8 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 2,142 | Computer Science | 85% | — | 42% |
| 9 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX Public · 4 feeder programs | 2,141 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 76% | — | 65% |
| 10 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · 3 feeder programs | 2,094 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 61% | — | 72% |
| 11 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 2,046 | Computer Science | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 12 | University of the People Pasadena, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 2,005 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 34% | — | — |
| 13 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,859 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 14 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,841 | Computer Science | 54% | — | 64% |
| 15 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,799 | Computer Science | 83% | — | 50% |
| 16 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,789 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 93% | — | 16% |
| 17 | University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 1,660 | Information Technology | 21% | $15,478 | — |
| 18 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,611 | Computer Science | 89% | — | 45% |
| 19 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,569 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 68% | — | 87% |
| 20 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,568 | Computer Science | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 21 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,539 | Computer Science | 87% | — | 29% |
| 22 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,536 | Computer Science | 69% | — | 80% |
| 23 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,453 | Computer Science | 95% | $17,613 | 9% |
| 24 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,430 | Information Technology | 33% | — | — |
| 25 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,418 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 89% | — | 27% |
| 26 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 1,417 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 80% | $24,886 | 75% |
| 27 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,378 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 78% | — | 40% |
| 28 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,370 | Computer Science | 86% | — | 27% |
| 29 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,357 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 86% | — | 55% |
| 30 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,355 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 91% | — | 24% |
| 31 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,353 | Information Technology | 94% | $23,803 | 12% |
| 32 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 6 feeder programs | 1,349 | Information Technology | 75% | — | 85% |
| 33 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,347 | Computer Science | 85% | — | 39% |
| 34 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,296 | Computer Science | 70% | — | 77% |
| 35 | Florida International University Miami, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,282 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 74% | — | 55% |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,276 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 90% | — | 45% |
| 37 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,255 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 97% | $22,055 | 5% |
| 38 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,246 | Computer Science | 52% | — | 69% |
| 39 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,216 | Computer Science | 85% | — | 42% |
| 40 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,211 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 54% | — | 80% |
| 41 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 1,200 | Computer Science | 75% | $19,899 | 55% |
| 42 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,166 | Computer Science | 53% | — | 55% |
| 43 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,162 | Information Technology | 33% | — | — |
| 44 | New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,141 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 73% | — | 65% |
| 45 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN Public · 6 feeder programs | 1,135 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 40% | — | — |
| 46 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · 6 feeder programs | 1,133 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | 45% | — | — |
| 47 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,062 | Information Technology | 50% | $11,672 | 99% |
| 48 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,049 | Computer Science | 83% | — | 60% |
| 49 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,047 | Computer Science | 93% | — | 11% |
| 50 | Stanford University Stanford, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1,018 | Computer Science | 92% | $12,032 | 4% |
What software quality assurance analysts and testers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128,740 | 27,710 | 1.27× | 199 | 29,594 |
| Texas | $101,850 | 19,590 | 1.16× | 117 | 19,102 |
| New York | $121,240 | 10,460 | 0.90× | 123 | 15,683 |
| Florida | $100,210 | 10,320 | 0.87× | 80 | 13,732 |
| Illinois | $104,910 | 6,530 | 0.89× | 86 | 13,478 |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 | 6,640 | 1.52× | 61 | 10,838 |
| North Carolina | $100,390 | 8,890 | 1.50× | 94 | 10,776 |
| Georgia | $103,040 | 7,110 | 1.21× | 53 | 10,581 |
| Utah | $82,100 | 2,600 | 1.25× | 20 | 9,092 |
| Virginia | $121,590 | 10,160 | 2.06× | 67 | 8,337 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,030 | 4,530 | 0.62× | 107 | 8,001 |
| Arizona | $100,650 | 3,890 | 1.00× | 34 | 7,961 |
| Missouri | $85,530 | 2,930 | 0.83× | 48 | 7,516 |
| Kentucky | $79,100 | 890 | 0.37× | 34 | 7,051 |
| Ohio | $98,000 | 4,400 | 0.66× | 75 | 6,767 |
| Indiana | $87,020 | 1,610 | 0.42× | 42 | 5,912 |
| New Jersey | $119,470 | 6,550 | 1.27× | 48 | 5,847 |
| Michigan | $98,720 | 3,480 | 0.66× | 62 | 5,811 |
| Maryland | $111,100 | 5,880 | 1.77× | 39 | 5,310 |
| Colorado | $123,690 | 5,110 | 1.48× | 26 | 4,920 |
| New Hampshire | $107,100 | 770 | 0.94× | 16 | 4,457 |
| Washington | $128,480 | 7,970 | 1.87× | 45 | 4,079 |
| Alabama | $101,500 | 1,760 | 0.69× | 45 | 3,734 |
| Wisconsin | $89,400 | 3,800 | 1.08× | 42 | 3,255 |
| Minnesota | $101,700 | 2,630 | 0.74× | 53 | 3,153 |
| Idaho | — | 560 | 0.54× | 10 | 3,140 |
| Tennessee | $91,040 | 1,530 | 0.39× | 47 | 2,792 |
| Connecticut | $97,740 | 1,160 | 0.57× | 19 | 2,455 |
| Oregon | $108,440 | 1,840 | 0.78× | 27 | 2,352 |
| Iowa | $88,590 | 1,000 | 0.53× | 36 | 1,967 |
| Oklahoma | $77,700 | 1,620 | 0.79× | 40 | 1,947 |
| Nebraska | $98,010 | 1,240 | 1.01× | 18 | 1,716 |
| Louisiana | $66,810 | 450 | 0.19× | 26 | 1,497 |
| South Carolina | $97,500 | 1,740 | 0.63× | 31 | 1,447 |
| Mississippi | $79,890 | 350 | 0.25× | 24 | 1,058 |
| District of Columbia | $103,340 | 760 | 0.90× | 9 | 1,049 |
| Kansas | $94,490 | 1,140 | 0.66× | 22 | 1,003 |
| Nevada | — | 1,270 | 0.68× | 7 | 905 |
| Rhode Island | $101,790 | 400 | 0.66× | 10 | 838 |
| New Mexico | $116,580 | 450 | 0.43× | 18 | 772 |
| West Virginia | $62,300 | 390 | 0.46× | 25 | 687 |
| Delaware | $106,060 | 520 | 0.90× | 5 | 585 |
| Hawaii | $102,930 | — | — | 9 | 492 |
| South Dakota | $68,120 | 220 | 0.40× | 11 | 462 |
| Vermont | $76,580 | 170 | 0.45× | 9 | 412 |
| Maine | $86,050 | 390 | 0.51× | 12 | 274 |
| North Dakota | $83,920 | 200 | 0.39× | 11 | 259 |
| Montana | $103,930 | 150 | 0.24× | 13 | 239 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- 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.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Writing3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies2.9
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics4.4
- English Language3.8
- Mathematics3.3
- Engineering and Technology3.3
- Design3.0
- Education and Training2.9
Abilities
- Oral Expression4.0
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.9
- Getting Information4.7
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
- Processing Information4.4
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.4
- Analyzing Data or Information4.3
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Software Quality Assurance Analyst
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 15 majors mapped to Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers15 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0101Computer and Information Sciences, General
- 11.0103Information Technology
- 11.0104Informatics
- 11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
- 11.0202Computer Programming, Specific Applications
- 11.0203Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
- 11.0204Computer Game Programming
- 11.0205Computer Programming, Specific Platforms
- 11.0501Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 14.0901Computer Engineering, General
- 14.0903Computer Software Engineering
- 15.1201Computer Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.1202Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician
- 15.1204Computer Software Technology/Technician
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Software Quality Assurance Analyst?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 88,326 degrees in 2024-25, 34.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Software Quality Assurance Analyst?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 15 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer and Information Sciences, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 256,276 people a year.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers earn?+
The median is $104,300 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $61,440 at the 10th percentile to $167,010 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for software quality assurance analysts and testers growing?+
BLS projects a +10.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 14,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
2,142 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 15 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do software quality assurance analysts and testers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Software Test Engineer, Software Quality Engineer, Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst), Software Quality Assurance Engineer (SQA Engineer) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1253.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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