Software Quality Assurance Engineers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of software quality assurance engineers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for software quality assurance engineers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of software quality assurance engineers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for software quality assurance engineers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Software Quality Assurance Engineers?
Do software quality assurance engineers need a degree? What kind of experience do software quality assurance engineers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for software quality assurance engineers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Software Quality Assurance Engineers
Jobs Postings for Software Quality Assurance Engineers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 84,781 (49%)
- No Education Listed: 56,073 (32%)
- Master's degree: 18,570 (11%)
- High School or GED: 9,522 (6%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,134 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of software quality assurance engineers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 49% of positions. In 32% of job listings no education level was listed and in 11% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Software Quality Assurance Engineers
Jobs Postings for Software Quality Assurance Engineers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,772 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 30,133 (30%)
- 4-6 Years: 39,396 (39%)
- 7-9 Years: 13,785 (14%)
- 10+ Years: 8,178 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for software quality assurance engineers. In 39% of job postings for Software Quality Assurance Engineers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 14% of job postings for software quality assurance engineers.
What Kind of Degree Do Software Quality Assurance Engineers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for software quality assurance engineers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 20 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective software quality assurance engineers, and in 2021 a total of 175,803 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective software quality assurance engineers.
Top Degree Programs for Software Quality Assurance Engineers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Software Quality Assurance Engineers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 59,346 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 51,511 |
| Information Science/Studies. | 18,279 |
| Computer Engineering, General. | 13,416 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 8,719 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 59,346 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 51,511 |
| Information Science/Studies. | 18,279 |
| Computer Engineering, General. | 13,416 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 8,719 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician. | 4,769 |
| Computer Software Engineering. | 4,226 |
| Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. | 4,000 |
| Computer Programming, Specific Applications. | 2,399 |
| Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst. | 2,305 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, Other. | 1,880 |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other. | 1,755 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications, Other. | 1,437 |
| Data Science, General. | 526 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification. | 278 |
| Computer Software Technology/Technician. | 248 |
| Computer Programming, Specific Platforms. | 173 |
| Computer Programming, Other. | 152 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 91 |
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 Quality Assurance Engineers
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
What Skills Do Software Quality Assurance Engineers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by software quality assurance engineers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for software quality assurance engineers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Software Quality Assurance Engineers
Based on 150,346 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Software Quality Assurance Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | 65,643 | 44% |
| Test Automation | 62,409 | 42% |
| Test Planning | 51,595 | 34% |
| Agile Methodology | 48,141 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 39,513 | 26% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Software Quality Assurance Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Safety Assurance | 66,965 | 45% |
| Communications | 56,983 | 38% |
| Quality Assurance | 55,056 | 37% |
| Management | 40,154 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 32,917 | 22% |
Based on 150,346 job postings related to software quality assurance engineers, automation was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 44% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for test automation, test planning, agile methodology, computer science and selenium (software) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, safety assurance was the most desired skill found in job postings for software quality assurance engineers, followed by communications, quality assurance, management, problem solving and troubleshooting (problem solving).
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | 65,643 | 44% |
| Test Automation | 62,409 | 42% |
| Test Planning | 51,595 | 34% |
| Agile Methodology | 48,141 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 39,513 | 26% |
| Selenium (Software) | 32,335 | 22% |
| Software Testing | 31,515 | 21% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 31,276 | 21% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 30,218 | 20% |
| JIRA | 26,709 | 18% |
| Software Quality (SQA/SQC) | 26,228 | 17% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 24,568 | 16% |
| Software Development | 22,721 | 15% |
| Scrum (Software Development) | 21,743 | 14% |
| Scripting | 20,974 | 14% |
| Application Programming Interface (API) | 20,826 | 14% |
| Test Engineering | 19,904 | 13% |
| Regression Testing | 19,485 | 13% |
| Project Management | 18,391 | 12% |
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 16,409 | 11% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Safety Assurance | 66,965 | 45% |
| Communications | 56,983 | 38% |
| Quality Assurance | 55,056 | 37% |
| Management | 40,154 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 32,917 | 22% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 24,953 | 17% |
| Writing | 24,401 | 16% |
| Detail Oriented | 24,125 | 16% |
| Leadership | 23,750 | 16% |
| Planning | 21,979 | 15% |
| Operations | 19,679 | 13% |
| Self-Motivation | 15,212 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 15,179 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 14,946 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 12,344 | 8% |
| Microsoft Excel | 11,857 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 11,671 | 8% |
| Microsoft Office | 11,344 | 8% |
| Innovation | 11,183 | 7% |
| Research | 10,903 | 7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about software quality assurance engineers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for software quality assurance engineers.
What do software quality assurance engineers do?
How much do software quality assurance engineers make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.