How Much Do Software Testers Make?
Having a clear understanding of earnings potential is important, especially if you are researching career paths or considering changing jobs. If you're one of those people, and you're curious what kind of salary software testers make, you've come to the right place.
Using data from Lightcast,™ the Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled rich information about salary for software testers and related jobs, including details about average compensation, salary trends and job growth. We've also gathered advertised salaries from actual job postings to provide insight into what employers of software testers are offering as compensation.
Keep reading to learn more about how much software testers can expect to make in the United States.
At a Glance: Salary & Jobs for Software Testers
According to data from 2022, there were about 201,807 positions for software testers in the United States. In terms of salary, the national median salary for software testers was reported to be $99,611. Additionally, when examining job demand, employers across the country posted 79,536 job postings related to positions for software testers.
How Much Money Do Software Testers Make?
Median salary is just one data point. To build a better understanding of how much money software testers and related positions can expect to make in the United States, it can be helpful to look at the full range of compensation for those jobs.
Let's look more deeply at data that was reported to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for detail into the lowest and highest salary earnings for software testers.
Annual Salary for Software Testers
According to the BLS, the lowest earners for software testers and related professions earned about $55,515 per year in 2022. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the highest earners made about $159,744 annually.
As mentioned previously, the median salary for software testers in the United States in 2022 was $99,611.
Annual Salary Range For Software Testers In 2022
Hourly Salary for Software Testers
The BLS also breaks down compensation for software testers by hourly salary, and the median average hourly pay for software testers in 2022 was $48. Lowest hourly earners took home $27 while the highest reported hourly salaries for software testers was $77.
Hourly Salary Range For Software Testers In 2022
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Software Testers
Develop the advanced technical skills needed to turn complex programming specifications into well-designed computer programs.
- Class Type: Face-to-face, Online coursework
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Advertised Compensation for Software Testers
Data from the BLS is one way to dig into compensation for software testers, but another way to build a more real-time understanding of salary is to look at actual job postings and see what compensation organizations are currently providing to fill open positions for software testers.
Keep in mind that salary data is not included in every job posting, so the information compiled here is reflective of the data available through Lightcast.™
Annual Salary from Job Postings for Software Testers
Advertised Annual Salary
During a review of 150,346 job postings related to software testers, advertised salary was included in 30,421 of them, which was 20%. Based on those postings, the median advertised salary for software testers was $98,688 per year.
Hourly Salary from Job Postings for Software Testers
Advertised Hourly Salary
A similar analysis of job postings provides insight into advertised hourly salary for software testers. Based on 38% of postings with advertised compensation, the median hourly salary for open positions for software testers in the United States is about $47.
Salary Trend for Software Testers
If you're thinking about pursuing a career in the field, you may want to understand how compensation has changed over time for software testers. The chart below provides a snapshot of advertised salaries over the past three years.
Based on compensation data that was included in job postings for software testers dating back to September 2019, advertised salaries for software testers have increased 5%.
Advertised Wage Trend For Software Testers
What's the Job Growth for Software Testers?
Another data point that someone thinking about a career path should consider is whether or not jobs are expected to see growth in the future. The chart below looks at projected employment for software testers over the next 10 years.
According to the data obtained through Lightcast,™ there were 201,730 jobs for software testers in the United States in 2022. By 2032, it is expected that about 52,436 jobs will be added. That's a 26% increase over the next 10-year period.
Employment Projections For Software Testers
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about software testers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for software testers.
What do software testers do?
Software Testers: How do you become one?
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