Best Software Quality Assurance Analyst programs in Virginia, ranked by enrollment
Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
67 schools in Virginia run programs that feed this job, graduating 8,337 people a year. The job pays a median of $121,590 in Virginia across about 10,160 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Virginia that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
11 programs in Virginia that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Virginia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Virginia page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0101In Virginia → | 4,329 | 51.9% | 42 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 2 | CIP 11.0103In Virginia → | 1,985 | 23.8% | 16 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 3 | CIP 11.0701In Virginia → | 1,045 | 12.5% | 36 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 4 | CIP 14.0901In Virginia → | 618 | 7.4% | 11 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 5 | CIP 11.0202In Virginia → | 107 | 1.3% | 2 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 6 | CIP 15.1202In Virginia → | 107 | 1.3% | 1 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 7 | CIP 11.0201In Virginia → | 66 | 0.8% | 2 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 8 | CIP 14.0903In Virginia → | 60 | 0.7% | 2 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 9 | CIP 11.0104In Virginia → | 12 | 0.1% | 1 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 10 | CIP 15.1201In Virginia → | 7 | 0.1% | 1 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 11 | CIP 11.0501In Virginia → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $51,805 | $46,000 |
Top 25 schools in Virginia
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 23 of the 67 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · 5 feeder programs | 1,569 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $78,800 | 68% | — | 87% |
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,357 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $96,432 | 86% | — | 55% |
| 3 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,162 | Information Technology | $39,679 | 33% | — | — |
| 4 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 759 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $98,067 | 96% | — | 17% |
| 5 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 314 | Information Technology | $56,258 | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 6 | Washington University of Science and Technology Alexandria, VA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 304 | Information Technology | — | 67% | — | 7% |
| 7 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 269 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $84,338 | 63% | — | 93% |
| 8 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 255 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $64,530 | 46% | — | 90% |
| 9 | ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 252 | Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician | $51,369 | 42% | $21,909 | 75% |
| 10 | Strayer University - Virginia Arlington, VA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 201 | Information Technology | $67,315 | 36% | — | — |
| 11 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 195 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $81,761 | 80% | — | 72% |
| 12 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 162 | Computer Science | $84,956 | 89% | — | 34% |
| 13 | Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 134 | Computer Science | — | 32% | — | — |
| 14 | Brightpoint Community College Chester, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 104 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $40,984 | 38% | — | — |
| 15 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 92 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | — | 32% | — | — |
| 16 | Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 84 | Computer Science | $72,128 | 72% | — | 86% |
| 17 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 82 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $76,301 | 66% | — | 80% |
| 18 | University of North America Fairfax, VA Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 81 | Information Technology | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | Virginia Peninsula Community College Hampton, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 68 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | — | 34% | — | — |
| 20 | Marymount University Arlington, VA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 66 | Information Technology | $68,364 | 54% | $25,803 | 93% |
| 21 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 54 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | — | 38% | — | 88% |
| 22 | Laurel Ridge Community College Middletown, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 49 | Computer Science | — | 45% | — | — |
| 23 | Virginia Western Community College Roanoke, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 49 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | — | 40% | — | — |
| 24 | Virginia State University Petersburg, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 45 | Computer Science | — | 39% | — | 89% |
| 25 | Piedmont Virginia Community College Charlottesville, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 38 | Computer and Information Sciences, General | — | 39% | — | — |
All 67 schools in Virginia
Every school in Virginia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | Fairfax | Public | 1,569 | 5 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg | Public | 1,357 | 3 |
| Northern Virginia Community College | Annandale | Public | 1,162 | 3 |
| University of Virginia - Main Campus | Charlottesville | Public | 759 | 2 |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg | Private not-for-profit | 314 | 4 |
| Washington University of Science and Technology | Alexandria | Private for-profit | 304 | 1 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond | Public | 269 | 3 |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk | Public | 255 | 2 |
| ECPI University | Virginia Beach | Private for-profit | 252 | 3 |
| Strayer University - Virginia | Arlington | Private for-profit | 201 | 1 |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg | Public | 195 | 2 |
| William & Mary | Williamsburg | Public | 162 | 2 |
| Tidewater Community College | Norfolk | Public | 134 | 2 |
| Brightpoint Community College | Chester | Public | 104 | 3 |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Richmond | Public | 92 | 2 |
What software quality assurance analysts and testers earn in Virginia
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $104,300. Virginia pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Virginia employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Virginia
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers page.
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.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Virginia
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
Common questions
Answers for people weighing software quality assurance analysts and testers programs in Virginia.
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 and Information Sciences, General, which awarded 4,329 degrees in Virginia in 2024-25, 51.9% 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 11 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer and Information Sciences, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 8,337 people a year in Virginia.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers earn in Virginia?+
The median is $121,590 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 16.6% above the U.S. median of $104,300. 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 in Virginia?+
67 institutions in Virginia reported graduates from at least one of the 11 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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