Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary
The median pay for a software quality assurance analysts and testers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is $129,880/year ($62.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $124,299 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,857/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About software quality assurance analysts and testers
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson sits well above the national pay line for software quality assurance analysts and testers, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $104K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,857/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson offers a genuinely strong financial position for software quality assurance analysts and testerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park | $148K | $146K |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $86K | $91K |
| Charleston | $62K | $70K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $126K | $116K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $129K | +23% | 27,710 |
| Washington | $128K | +23% | 7,970 |
| Colorado | $124K | +19% | 5,110 |
| Massachusetts | $122K | +17% | 6,640 |
| Virginia | $122K | +17% | 10,160 |
| New York | $121K | +16% | 10,460 |
| New Jersey | $119K | +15% | 6,550 |
| New Mexico | $117K | +12% | 450 |
| Maryland | $111K | +7% | 5,880 |
| Oregon | $108K | +4% | 1,840 |
| New Hampshire | $107K | +3% | 770 |
| Delaware | $106K | +2% | 520 |
| Illinois | $105K | +1% | 6,530 |
| Montana | $104K | -0% | 150 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | -1% | 760 |
| Georgia | $103K | -1% | 7,110 |
| Hawaii | $103K | -1% | N/A |
| Texas | $102K | -2% | 19,590 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | -2% | 400 |
| Minnesota | $102K | -2% | 2,630 |
| Alabama | $102K | -3% | 1,760 |
| Arizona | $101K | -3% | 3,890 |
| North Carolina | $100K | -4% | 8,890 |
| Florida | $100K | -4% | 10,320 |
| Michigan | $99K | -5% | 3,480 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -6% | 1,240 |
| Ohio | $98K | -6% | 4,400 |
| Connecticut | $98K | -6% | 1,160 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -7% | 1,740 |
| Kansas | $94K | -9% | 1,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $93K | -11% | 4,530 |
| Tennessee | $91K | -13% | 1,530 |
| Wisconsin | $89K | -14% | 3,800 |
| Iowa | $89K | -15% | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $87K | -17% | 1,610 |
| Maine | $86K | -17% | 390 |
| Missouri | $86K | -18% | 2,930 |
| North Dakota | $84K | -20% | 200 |
| Utah | $82K | -21% | 2,600 |
| Mississippi | $80K | -23% | 350 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -24% | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $78K | -26% | 1,620 |
| Vermont | $77K | -27% | 170 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -35% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $67K | -36% | 450 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -40% | 390 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track software quality assurance analysts and testers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a software quality assurance analysts and tester afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software quality assurance analysts and testers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,821/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is software quality assurance analysts and tester a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $130K here vs. $104K nationally.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for software quality assurance analysts and testers?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $124K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $129,880 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,350, and experienced software quality assurance analysts and testers can clear $169,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,788/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 23.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software quality assurance analysts and testers salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median software quality assurance analysts and testers salary is worth about $124,299 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software quality assurance analysts and testers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.