Salary distribution
Where California software quality assurance analysts and testers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $86,490 and $164,520, with a median of $127,010.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $139,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 57 | $94,162 |
| Level II — qualified | 175 | $129,792 |
| Level III — experienced | 141 | $164,763 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 117 | $175,088 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | Software Development Engineer - Test | 42 | $165,422 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Quality Assurance Engineer III | 41 | $145,100 |
| COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | Mgr. JC50 - Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | 32 | $115,680 |
| Google LLC | Test Engineer | 21 | $198,000 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | Software Engineering SMTS | 21 | $161,138 |
| ServiceNow, Inc. | Senior Software Quality Engineer | 20 | $163,613 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | QA Engineering Lead | 19 | $200,000 |
| Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. | Product Engineer | 18 | $96,023 |
| HCL AMERICA INC | Senior Test Lead | 14 | $127,807 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Project Delivery Senior Analyst | 12 | $101,900 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Engineer, QA II at Netskope, Inc.$140,000Santa ClaraDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501634
- SOFTWARE ENGINEER at AI TECHNOLOGIES LLC$94,162SANTA CLARADecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501706
- Senior Validation & Tools Engineer at Also, Inc.$200,000Palo AltoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502529
- Vehicle Development Engineer, Vehicle Test at Lucid USA, Inc.$113,277NewarkDecided Dec 30, 2025I-202-25356-501234
- Site Reliability Engineer - Sr. Consultant level at Visa Technology & Operations LLC$169,100Foster CityDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502960
- Software QA Manager at Motorola Solution, Inc.$132,912CULVERDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502590
- Sr Mgr JC45-Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers at COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP$119,954LathropDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503303
- Sr Mgr JC45-Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers at COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP$201,053Santa ClaraDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503362
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 381 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $152,300.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 51 | $152,300 |
| Quality Assurance Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 47 | $133,000 |
| Test Engineer | Google LLC | 40 | $137,949 |
| Software Quality Engineer | ServiceNow, Inc. | 33 | $145,092 |
| QA Engineer | ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC. | 33 | $129,792 |
| Software Development Engineer in Test | TikTok Inc. | 28 | $129,792 |
| Software Test Engineer | VERSA NETWORKS, INC. | 27 | $132,912 |
| Software QA Engineer | Cisco Systems, Inc. | 27 | $163,613 |
| Software Quality Assurance Engineer | Nokia of America Corporation | 26 | $130,000 |
| Quality Engineer | City National Bank | 25 | $145,000 |
| Staff Engineer | Lucid USA, Inc. | 23 | $163,613 |
| Mgr. JC50 - Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | 21 | $119,954 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 999 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $130,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | 616 | $130,000 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 172 | $165,422 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 89 | $134,992 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 63 | $156,304 |
| Finance and insurance | Visa Technology & Operations LLC | 50 | $152,950 |
| Healthcare | Exact Sciences Corporation | 3 | $143,969 |
| Real estate | Turo, Inc. | 2 | $164,900 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. | 1 | $132,912 |
| Energy and utilities | S&C ELECTRIC COMPANY | 1 | $175,960 |
| Transportation and logistics | GORI COMPANY LLC | 1 | $115,000 |
| Education | Attainment Holdco LLC | 1 | $129,792 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.4 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Problem Sensitivity
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
- 02
Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
- 03
Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
- 04
Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
- 05
Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
- 06
Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
- 07
Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.
- 08
Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+10.0%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for software quality assurance analysts and testers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$165,700
- San Francisco$139,580
- Sacramento$111,040
- San Diego$109,590
- Los Angeles$106,400
- Riverside$102,600
Compare Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California is $127,010.
- How does California compare to the national median for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?
- The California median is +19.0% versus the BLS national figure of $106,735.
- What is the salary range for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $63,460 and the 90th-percentile at $197,400, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 10.0% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.