Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary
The median pay for a software quality assurance analysts and testers in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR is $72,400/year ($34.81/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.36), which stretches that salary to about $81,021 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,147/month, or 24.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $72K actually covers in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway’s Regional Price Parity (89.36). 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $104K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,147/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway can be a reasonable trade-off for software quality assurance analysts and testers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in metros near Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $95K | $99K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $103K | $100K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $103K | $105K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $99K | $100K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $58K 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software quality assurance analysts and testers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,395/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $72K here vs. $104K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway compare to the national average for software quality assurance analysts and testers?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR?
The median is $72,400 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,410, and experienced software quality assurance analysts and testers can clear $108,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,722/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 24.3% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway has a Regional Price Parity of 89.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median software quality assurance analysts and testers salary is worth about $81,021 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.