Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary
The median pay for a software quality assurance analysts and testers in Worcester, MA is $107,370/year ($51.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.52), that's roughly $104,731 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,056/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $107K get you in Worcester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Worcester’s Regional Price Parity (102.52). 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 Worcester
Software quality assurance analysts and testers pay in Worcester tracks closely to the national median, $107K locally vs. $104K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $2,056/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.52) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software quality assurance analysts and testers in metros near Worcester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $122K | $113K |
| Springfield | $103K | $107K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $131K | $116K |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $96K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Worcester, MA
Entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $94K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Worcester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a software quality assurance analysts and tester afford a 2BR apartment alone in Worcester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 31.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,056/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Worcester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software quality assurance analysts and testers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,846/month. At HUD’s $2,056/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Worcester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $107K locally vs. $104K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Worcester compare to the national average for software quality assurance analysts and testers?
Worcester pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make in Worcester, MA?
The median is $107,370 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,100, and experienced software quality assurance analysts and testers can clear $158,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Worcester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,546/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,056/month, which eats 31.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a software quality assurance analysts and testers salary go in Worcester?
Worcester has a Regional Price Parity of 102.52 (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 $104,731 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.