Best Cities for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where software quality assurance analysts and testerss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.33	$166,530	$138,544	23%
2	New MexicoState	1.21	$116,580	$126,717	11%
3	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.18	$129,880	$122,760	16%
4	WashingtonState	1.15	$128,480	$119,739	18%
5	ColoradoState	1.13	$123,690	$117,353	18%
6	VirginiaState	1.13	$121,590	$117,478	16%
7	AlabamaState	1.12	$101,500	$116,533	11%
8	CaliforniaState	1.12	$128,740	$116,296	21%
9	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.09	$129,690	$113,465	20%
10	MassachusettsState	1.08	$122,210	$112,636	22%
11	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.08	$102,390	$112,270	14%
12	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.07	$126,350	$112,012	19%
13	GeorgiaState	1.06	$103,040	$110,321	16%
14	Columbus, OHMetro	1.06	$103,110	$110,278	15%
15	New JerseyState	1.05	$119,470	$109,807	18%
16	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.05	$105,800	$109,298	18%
17	OhioState	1.04	$98,000	$108,407	13%
18	IllinoisState	1.03	$104,910	$107,710	15%
19	MichiganState	1.03	$98,720	$106,956	14%
20	MontanaState	1.03	$103,930	$107,811	13%
21	NebraskaState	1.03	$98,010	$107,115	13%
22	New YorkState	1.03	$121,240	$107,769	18%
23	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.03	$122,210	$107,674	25%
24	North CarolinaState	1.02	$100,390	$106,345	16%
25	South CarolinaState	1.02	$97,500	$105,978	15%
26	TexasState	1.02	$101,850	$106,538	16%
27	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.02	$103,210	$106,183	18%
28	DelawareState	1.01	$106,060	$105,010	15%
29	KansasState	1.01	$94,490	$104,989	13%
30	OregonState	1.01	$108,440	$105,282	18%
31	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.01	$122,210	$104,901	22%
32	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.00	$95,990	$104,337	16%
33	MinnesotaState	0.99	$101,700	$103,776	15%
34	MarylandState	0.98	$111,100	$101,740	18%
35	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.98	$94,970	$102,338	16%
36	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.98	$102,130	$102,643	17%
37	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.98	$109,760	$101,818	20%
38	New HampshireState	0.97	$107,100	$101,038	18%
39	Rhode IslandState	0.97	$101,790	$101,284	18%
40	ArizonaState	0.96	$100,650	$99,752	18%
41	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.96	$98,870	$100,376	21%
42	FloridaState	0.95	$100,210	$98,729	21%
43	IowaState	0.95	$88,590	$99,316	13%
44	TennesseeState	0.95	$91,040	$99,497	17%
45	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.95	$95,280	$99,044	20%
46	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.95	$102,740	$99,266	19%
47	MissouriState	0.93	$85,530	$96,535	15%
48	WisconsinState	0.93	$89,400	$96,858	15%
49	IndianaState	0.92	$87,020	$96,155	15%
50	PennsylvaniaState	0.92	$93,030	$95,907	17%
51	HawaiiState	0.90	$102,930	$93,573	28%
52	MississippiState	0.90	$79,890	$94,210	13%
53	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.88	$100,050	$92,212	24%
54	ConnecticutState	0.87	$97,740	$90,836	19%
55	District of ColumbiaState	0.87	$103,340	$90,411	24%
56	North DakotaState	0.87	$83,920	$90,626	14%
57	KentuckyState	0.86	$79,100	$89,379	15%
58	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.86	$82,900	$89,622	17%
59	OklahomaState	0.84	$77,700	$87,797	15%
60	MaineState	0.83	$86,050	$86,222	18%
61	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.82	$81,990	$85,585	22%
62	UtahState	0.79	$82,100	$81,936	22%
63	South DakotaState	0.72	$68,120	$75,022	17%
64	VermontState	0.72	$76,580	$74,712	22%
65	LouisianaState	0.71	$66,810	$74,151	19%
66	West VirginiaState	0.71	$62,300	$73,990	16%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).