Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary
The median pay for a software quality assurance analysts and testers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $84,920/year ($40.83/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $97,542 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 19.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $104K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 19.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Waterloo-Cedar Falls can be a reasonable trade-off for software quality assurance analysts and testerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $98K | $107K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $108K | $121K |
| Cedar Rapids | $84K | $95K |
| Ames | $97K | $109K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $70K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 19.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software quality assurance analysts and testers typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,310/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $85K here vs. $104K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for software quality assurance analysts and testers?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $84,920 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,160, and experienced software quality assurance analysts and testers can clear $125,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,309/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 19.8% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $97,542 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.