Learn more about the job of a quality assurance analyst. Explore examples of job titles associated with a QA analyst, job requirements, possible career paths, and salaries.
Quality assurance (QA) is vital for selling products, from software to medical devices. In this article, you can take a closer look at what QA analysts do, the different career paths you can take, and how to get started.
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Quality assurance analysts are responsible for testing, analyzing, and ensuring the quality of software, products, and systems. They confirm that products or services meet the standards set by the company or the industry in which you’re working. QA has become synonymous with the software development process and technology products. However, jobs in quality assurance are available in various sectors in and out of the tech industry, including manufacturing, food and beverage, and health care.
In technical QA analyst jobs such as software quality assurance, you’ll develop and implement testing plans, create test cases and test scripts, and document your findings. You’ll also report defects and track resolutions. This may involve focus groups with customers and monitoring ongoing customer feedback to identify product issues. The main goal of quality assurance is to ensure products meet functional requirements before they make it to the user.
Daily responsibilities can change depending on the industry or company you work for. Here are a few tasks you can expect to manage in most QA roles:
Planning and implementing product testing
Establishing procedures and scenarios for quality control
Reviewing products for defects and errors
Regression testing
Conducting software compatibility tests and software design reviews
Analyzing test results
Assisting with product designs
Tracking progress on product issue resolutions
Ensuring that the final product is fit for its purpose
Evaluating software for release readiness and reporting defects to software developers
Driving product improvements
Analyzing competitors and the current market
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual quality assurance analyst salary in the US is $130,160 [1]. The job outlook for quality assurance analyst jobs is expected to grow 17 percent from 2023 to 2033, which is much faster than average. This figure translates into an estimated 327,900 new jobs [1].
To become a QA analyst, you will need to complete your education, gain skills, and add certifications to demonstrate your abilities to potential employers. Explore each of these steps in more detail.
Sixty-five percent of QA analysts have a bachelor’s degree, 15 percent have a master’s degree, and 11 percent have an associate degree [2]. Typically, QA analysts study computer science, business, or electrical engineering. Examples of relevant degrees and graduate certificates for QA analysts to pursue include:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of London
MBA in Business Analytics from the O.P. Jindal Global University (MBA BA)
Whether you’re looking to transition into a new career or are graduating from college, certifications or certificates are a great way to enhance your resume and increase your earning potential. When considering your certification options it is a good idea to look at the competencies required in your target jobs and to determine which certifications best convey those skills. LinkedIn can be a good source of information and for networking.
Here are a few certificates that QA analyst employers may prefer:
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL)
Certified Quality Assurance Professional (CQAP)
Certified Software Tester (CSTE)
Certified Instrumentation Specialist (CIS)
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE)
Requirements Engineering: Secure Software Specifications Specialization from the University of Colorado
You can develop various skills that may help you perform well in a quality assurance role. Here are some key skills and traits for QA analysts to master:
Expertise in a wide range of software applications as well as hardware and networking
Extensive experience in quality control
Strong programming skills
High regard for safety standards and quality control
Good understanding of business
Ability to think abstractly and see how small details relate to the bigger picture
Creative and innovative thinker
Interpersonal skills to collaborate with development teams
Knowledge of operating systems and network environments
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong IT skills
Keen attention to detail
Diligent and meticulous
Strong analytical skills
Problem-solving skills
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Skills you'll build:
Career Fulfillment, Self Awareness, reflection, Personal Development, Decision-Making, Strategic Leadership, Management, Learning How To Learn, Leadership Development, Change Management, Learning, Learning from Failure, Growth Strategies, People Development, Leadership And Management, Influencing
A career in quality assurance can be rewarding for several reasons. The salary is above average, the job outlook is promising, and QA analysts play an essential role in businesses. Here are five reasons quality assurance is so important:
1. QA helps protect brand reputation. Protecting your brand and reputation is the most important reason to invest in quality assurance. If your products or services don't meet customer expectations, it can damage your brand and make it harder to attract new business. Quality assurance can help ensure your products or services meet or exceed customer expectations.
2. QA ensures compliance with ISO standards. Complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is another vital reason to invest in quality assurance. ISO 9001 is the world's most widely used quality management system standard, and compliance can be a requirement for doing business in some sectors. Quality assurance can help you meet all relevant ISO standards, opening partnership and sales opportunities.
3. QA analysts help identify what customers want. Knowing what customers want is key to quality assurance. Understanding customer needs and expectations ensures that your company designs its products or services to meet them, which can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty and help increase sales.
4. QA can enhance productivity and team performance. By streamlining processes and eliminating waste, quality assurance can help boost efficiency and productivity levels across your organization. This can save you time and money and free up resources for other priorities. Quality assurance can also help you develop training programs, implement process changes, and identify areas where team members need improvement. By improving the performance of your teams, you can improve the quality of your product while reducing costs.
5. Businesses plan more efficiently and realistically with QA analysts. By investigating potential risks early in the product or project lifecycle, quality assurance can help you plan more efficiently for contingencies. Having a quality assurance plan, you can help efficiently and realistically allocate your resources to get the best results from your team.
QA analysts work in various industries, including health care, manufacturing, and software development. You’ll typically work in an office setting but may travel to different locations to conduct inspections or audits. You may also find work in these types of organizations:
Independent testing and QA consultancies
IT departments in large companies
Software development companies
Web development agencies
After working in a QA role and learning skills such as attention to detail and problem-solving, you may be able to move on to management positions or find opportunities in consulting or auditing. Here are some related roles and their average annual salaries:
Note: All US salary information was sourced from Glassdoor in December 2024. It includes the average base salary and the reported annual additional pay. Additional pay may include profit sharing, bonuses, and commissions.
Project manager: $136,387
DevOps engineer: $141,543
Customer experience leader: $104,532
Enterprise architect: $211,900
IT manager: $139,052
Quality engineer: $117,926
Quality assurance manager: $135,059
Director of quality: $222,559
Vice president of quality: $266,744
Many different job titles fall under the term quality assurance, each with its own set of responsibilities and requirements. Here are some additional QA roles and their average annual US salaries:
Note: All US salary information was sourced from Glassdoor in December 2024. It includes the average base salary and the reported annual additional pay. Additional pay may include profit sharing, bonuses, and commissions.
Quality technician: $55,871
Quality auditor: $60,660
Quality coordinator: $67,952
Quality assurance tester: $81,807
Quality control supervisor: $74,165
Quality analyst: $94,243
You can start building job-ready skills to enhance your resume today for free. Consider the Information Systems Auditing, Controls and Assurance course through the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on Coursera. You can learn about subjects like information security (INFOSEC), information technology (IT) management, auditing, risk management, and change management. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate teaches in-demand IT skills that can help lay the foundation for a job as a quality assurance analyst.
professional certificate
Become a Better Business Leader Today. Using Professor Sydney Finkelstein's renowned research into the art and science of leadership and years of experience working with managers and executives around the world, this specialization will help you build the wisdom and skills you need to grow and change as a leader—and as a person.
4.9
(478 ratings)
17,502 already enrolled
Beginner level
Average time: 2 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Career Fulfillment, Self Awareness, reflection, Personal Development, Decision-Making, Strategic Leadership, Management, Learning How To Learn, Leadership Development, Change Management, Learning, Learning from Failure, Growth Strategies, People Development, Leadership And Management, Influencing
When products don’t meet customer expectations, or worse, are defective, it can be costly and lead to:
It’s crucial that businesses meet industry and company standards to avoid profit loss.
Quality assurance analysts ensure that products meet customer expectations and requirements. To enjoy and thrive in quality-focused environments, ask yourself these questions:
If you answered yes to these questions, this might be a career for you to pursue further.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm." Accessed December 17, 2024.
Zippia. “Quality Assurance Analyst Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/quality-assurance-analyst-jobs/education/.” Accessed December 17, 2024.
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