Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary
The median pay for a software quality assurance analysts and testers in Boulder, CO is $136,410/year ($65.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $194K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.2), so that salary is closer to $129,667 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,033/month, or 24.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $136K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boulder’s Regional Price Parity (105.2). 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 Boulder
Boulder sits well above the national pay line for software quality assurance analysts and testers, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $104K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,033/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.2), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Boulder offers a genuinely strong financial position for software quality assurance analysts and testers at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $124K | $117K |
| Colorado Springs | $129K | $128K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $105K | $104K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $101K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $194K or more, a $110K 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
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a software quality assurance analysts and tester afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,033/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 Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software quality assurance analysts and testers typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,340/month. At HUD’s $2,033/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Boulder?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $136K here vs. $104K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for software quality assurance analysts and testers?
Boulder pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $130K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $136,410 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,450, and experienced software quality assurance analysts and testers can clear $194,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,166/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,033/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 105.2 (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 $129,667 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.