Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: how much of the work does AI already do?

What this means for your search

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Median pay

$104,300

What the job involves

• Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
• Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
• Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
• Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.

Related jobs that pay more or are less exposed

Chosen by overlap in skills and knowledge with software quality assurance analysts and testers, so the move uses what you already know.

• Software Developers

  Pays about $32,000 more (median $135,980). AI use is lower: 29% of tasks.

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• Computer and Information Research Scientists

  Pays about $36,000 more (median $140,300). AI use is lower: 34% of tasks.

• Computer Network Architects

  Pays about $30,000 more (median $134,050). AI use is lower: 20% of tasks.

• Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists

  Pays about $26,000 more (median $130,220). AI use is lower: 10% of tasks.

Compare with a related job

• Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers vs Computer Systems Analysts: AI exposure, pay and openings
• Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers vs Computer Programmers: AI exposure, pay and openings
• Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers vs Software Developers: AI exposure, pay and openings

Prompts to run on your own résumé in any AI assistant

Has your employer filed layoff notices?

A separate question from AI exposure. This checks public WARN filings for the company you work for.

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Questions

Will AI replace software quality assurance analysts and testers?

This data cannot say. It measures how much of the work AI is already used for today: 52% of the tasks, which is high. It is not a forecast of job loss.

How is the number worked out?

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index, March 2026.

What do software quality assurance analysts and testers earn?

The national median is $104,300 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Exposure: Anthropic Economic Index, March 2026. Pay and growth: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tasks and skills: O*NET. All jobs.