SOC 15-1253 · Computer and mathematical
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers prevailing wage by area
At Level II this ranges from $129,022 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA down to $69,181 in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, a spread of $59,841 on the same job.
What this occupation covers
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.
Occupation definition from oes_soc_occs.csv, OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip.
Every area with a surveyed figure
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98,322 | $129,022 | $159,744 | $190,445 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $80,579 | $108,472 | $136,344 | $164,237 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $87,506 | $108,347 | $129,189 | $150,030 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81,598 | $108,243 | $134,867 | $161,512 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,323 | $107,349 | $130,354 | $153,379 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $85,800 | $105,851 | $125,902 | $145,954 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $82,846 | $102,294 | $121,763 | $141,211 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $75,338 | $96,824 | $118,290 | $139,776 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $73,424 | $95,992 | $118,539 | $141,107 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $75,670 | $95,285 | $114,899 | $134,514 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $70,325 | $94,827 | $119,330 | $143,832 |
| Richmond, VA | $77,397 | $94,370 | $111,342 | $128,315 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $74,381 | $91,749 | $109,138 | $126,506 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $66,331 | $91,686 | $117,042 | $142,397 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $72,197 | $91,603 | $111,030 | $130,437 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,381 | $90,750 | $107,141 | $123,510 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $74,298 | $90,147 | $105,997 | $121,846 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $70,616 | $90,043 | $109,450 | $128,877 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $70,054 | $88,566 | $107,099 | $125,611 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $72,238 | $88,379 | $104,541 | $120,682 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $69,950 | $87,589 | $105,206 | $122,845 |
| Columbus, OH | $72,093 | $87,152 | $102,190 | $117,250 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $65,749 | $87,090 | $108,451 | $129,792 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $65,104 | $84,947 | $104,770 | $124,613 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $65,520 | $84,157 | $102,773 | $121,410 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $67,163 | $83,990 | $100,818 | $117,645 |
| Rochester, NY | $69,202 | $83,491 | $97,802 | $112,091 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $70,283 | $83,138 | $95,992 | $108,846 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $64,605 | $82,992 | $101,379 | $119,766 |
| Cleveland, OH | $69,285 | $82,950 | $96,637 | $110,302 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $71,573 | $82,451 | $93,330 | $104,208 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $61,838 | $81,474 | $101,109 | $120,744 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $65,125 | $79,726 | $94,328 | $108,930 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $63,045 | $79,643 | $96,262 | $112,861 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,773 | $79,477 | $95,202 | $110,906 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $64,189 | $79,414 | $94,640 | $109,866 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $59,218 | $79,040 | $98,883 | $118,706 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $60,486 | $75,442 | $90,397 | $105,352 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $50,939 | $69,181 | $87,402 | $105,643 |
39 areas, all surveyed for that metropolitan area rather than imputed from a broader geography. 5 of them carry a full breakdown page, selected by filing volume; the rest show their figures here. ALC_Export.csv, wage year 2026-27.
How employers filed for this occupation
Across 3,806 certified H-1B filings in FY2025 Q1 to Q4 that recorded a level, the plurality landed on Level II. The median wage actually offered was $108,974 a year, from 3,921 filings.
| Level | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 270 | 7.1% |
| Level II | 1,763 | 46.3% |
| Level III | 1,041 | 27.4% |
| Level IV | 732 | 19.2% |
LCA disclosure data, FY2025 Q1 to Q4. Certified H-1B filings only.
Work out a specific determination
The level depends on the requirements in the job description rather than the title. Run the worksheet for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers with a specific area, experience requirement and education level.