SOC 15-1253 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers — New York
New York · 9 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in New York comes to $121,240 a year, ahead of the national median of $104,300 by 16.2%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in New York comes to $121,240 a year, ahead of the national median of $104,300 by 16.2%. Pay ranges from under $58,180 at the tenth percentile to more than $182,910 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $86,260 to $153,680.
The area has 10,460 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.90 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. New York ranks number 6th out of 46 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Kiryas Joel records the highest median at $130,710. Of the 776 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 106th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $58,180 | −44.2% |
| 25th | $86,260 | −17.3% |
| Median (50th) | $121,240 | +16.2% |
| 75th | $153,680 | +47.3% |
| 90th | $182,910 | +75.4% |
| Mean | $122,950 | +17.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in New York
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kiryas Joel | $130,710 | 170 | |
| 2 | New York | $130,540 | 11,460 | |
| 3 | Binghamton | $105,170 | 110 | |
| 4 | Buffalo | $101,880 | 340 | |
| 5 | Albany | $100,690 | 430 | |
| 6 | Utica | $99,880 | 50 | |
| 7 | Syracuse | $97,950 | 200 | |
| 8 | Rochester | $97,840 | 490 | |
| 9 | Ithaca | $94,990 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New York run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $121,240 buys what $112,363 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 7.7% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$121,240as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$112,363US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $121,240 a year, 16.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $58,180 to $182,910 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 10,460 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 6th of 46 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Kiryas Joel, at $130,710.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in New York?
The median annual wage is $121,240, or $58.29 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $104,300, so pay in New York is 16.2% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New York earns more than $182,910 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $58,180 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Kiryas Joel, at $130,710 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 10,460 jobs in this occupation in New York. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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