Updated
PERM occupation, SOC 15-1253.00, #7 of 1,410 by filings
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Biggest sponsor
- APPLE INC. · 2% of its filings
- Busiest state
- CA · 25% of its filings
- Major group
- Computer and mathematical · SOC 15
Weighing an offer for this job?
Where it falls among certified offers, and the four wage levels DOL sets for it by area.
Median wage
$118,600
all PERM $103,272
Filings
6,215
#7 of 1,410
Approval
98.8%
field 96.8%
Median days
468
9 faster than the field
What it pays
Where its median offer sits among every occupation, then the whole ladder of certified offers by year and by state.
Median offered wage
$118,600above 79%
Approval rate
98.8%ahead of 81%
Median days to decision
468 daysahead of 64%
Each bar counts occupations at that value. More
- 5th to 95th
- 25th to 75th
- Median
- 10th and 90th
FY2024
$118,518 median · 1,498 certified cases
FY2025
$116,563 median · 2,586 certified cases
FY2026
$122,297 median · 1,862 certified cases
- 10th
- $85,137
- +1.6% since FY2024
- Median
- $122,297
- +3.2% since FY2024
- 90th
- $167,256
- +2.0% since FY2024
- 95th
- $183,726
- +11.2% since FY2024
Each row is that fiscal year's certified filings, counted on their own. A percentile is over the year, so a year with far fewer cases behind it is a thinner measurement than one with more.
| Fiscal year | Cases | 5th | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 1,498 | $74,381 | $83,770 | $100,488 | $118,518 | $140,005 | $164,050 | $165,150 |
| FY2025 | 2,586 | $75,566 | $83,928 | $99,549 | $116,563 | $139,526 | $159,000 | $168,500 |
| FY2026 | 1,862 | $76,304 | $85,137 | $103,418 | $122,297 | $141,107 | $167,256 | $183,726 |
A median answers whether pay moved. More
- 5th to 95th
- 25th to 75th
- Median
- 10th and 90th
CA
$145,440 median · 1,493 certified cases
TX
$112,611 median · 794 certified cases
NJ
$120,000 median · 420 certified cases
MA
$126,450 median · 351 certified cases
NY
$140,005 median · 347 certified cases
| State | Cases | 5th | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 1,493 | $90,000 | $108,368 | $124,830 | $145,440 | $164,700 | $185,000 | $226,130 |
| TX | 794 | $66,662 | $74,387 | $94,203 | $112,611 | $126,116 | $141,557 | $150,000 |
| NJ | 420 | $77,813 | $96,092 | $99,549 | $120,000 | $140,005 | $150,280 | $152,575 |
| MA | 351 | $87,274 | $93,766 | $110,047 | $126,450 | $134,070 | $146,000 | $151,457 |
| NY | 347 | $82,799 | $97,100 | $118,600 | $140,005 | $143,021 | $150,288 | $168,703 |
One SOC code, one federal process, and a wage range that moves with the state. More
Who files it
The sponsors and firms with the most PERM filings under this code, the places the work sits, and who the workers were.
Sponsors filing it
- APPLE INC. 139 filings · 100.0% approved
- TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED 91 filings · 100.0% approved
- ServiceNow, Inc. 80 filings · 98.8% approved
- Deloitte Consulting LLP 78 filings · 100.0% approved
- AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC 57 filings · 100.0% approved
- The MathWorks, Inc. 54 filings · 100.0% approved
How this is counted
The employers with the most applications under this code. 499 of 6,215 filings, 8% of the total.
Firms filing it
- Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP 1,311 filings · 99.5% approved
- Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP 399 filings · 99.7% approved
- Corporate Immigration Partners, P.C. 288 filings · 97.9% approved
- Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. 286 filings · 99.6% approved
- Seyfarth Shaw LLP 134 filings · 97.0% approved
- LAW OFFICE OF THOMAS V ALLEN, PLLC. 94 filings · 100.0% approved
How this is counted
The law firms named on the most applications under this code. 2,512 of 6,215 filings, 40% of the total.
Where the jobs are
- California 1,561
- Texas 834
- New Jersey 440
- Massachusetts 370
- New York 353
- Illinois 246
How this is counted
The worksite state on the application, which is where the job is and not where the company is headquartered. Volume by state across everyone is on the state map. These 6 states cover 3,804 of 6,215 filings.
Where the work is
- New York, NY 295
- San Jose, CA 227
- Santa Clara, CA 187
- Austin, TX 175
- Sunnyvale, CA 166
- San Francisco, CA 147
How this is counted
The worksite city on the application, which is where the job is. These 6 cities cover 1,197 of 6,215 filings.
- Every sponsor that files it, by state, approval rate, offered wage and time to a decision
- Every filing for it, PERM, wage requests and H-1B, case by case
Newspapers it advertised in
- 498 cases
The Mercury News
- 354 cases
The Dallas Morning News
- 306 cases
San Francisco Chronicle
- 276 cases
The Star-Ledger
- 221 cases
The New York Times
- 219 cases
The Washington Post
How this is counted
The newspaper or professional journal named for each case's two print ads, one count per paper per case, however the filer spelled it.
Additional steps it used
- 4,339 cases
Job search websites
- 3,480 cases
Local or ethnic newspapers
- 2,566 cases
The employer's website
- 1,433 cases
Employee referral programs
- 1,109 cases
Radio or TV ads
- 859 cases
Trade or professional organizations
How this is counted
The steps a professional job needs beyond the job order and the ads, by the number of cases that name each.
How long before filing it began
- 0.0%
Under 30 days
- 0.1%
30 to 59 days
- 17%
60 to 89 days
- 26%
90 to 119 days
- 20%
120 to 149 days
- 36%
150 to 180 days
- 0.7%
Over 180 days
How this is counted
Days from the first recruitment step to the filing. 20 C.F.R. § 656.17(e) puts the job order and ads 30 to 180 days before filing.
Who filled these jobs, FY2016 to FY2023
From DOL's old form; the form in use since mid-2023 doesn't carry them. Top six of each.
Country of citizenship
- India 202
- China 8
- Nepal 5
- Australia 1
- Colombia 1
- Estonia 1
Worker's education
- Master's 133
- Bachelor's 86
- None 3
- Other 1
Visa held when filed
- H-1B 200
- L-1 7
- F-1 5
- NOT IN USA 3
- B-2 1
- H-4 1
Schools
- UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI 9
- ANNA UNIVERSITY 8
- NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY 5
- UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS 5
- UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS 5
- VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 5
Fields of study
- COMPUTER SCIENCE 36
- COMPUTER ENGINEERING 19
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 13
- ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING 10
- APPLIED COMPUTER SCIENCE 8
- ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING 8
The job itself
What O*NET says the work is, what the market pays it by BLS's survey, its outlook, and DOL's wage levels year by year.
- United States186,740 jobs
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CASan Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJNew York
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TXAustin
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CASan Francisco
- middle half of pay (BLS)
- median
- 10th to 90th percentile
- DOL's Levels I to IV, left to right
- median PERM offer
| Area | BLS median | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $104,300 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $166,530 | $98,322 | $129,022 | $159,744 | $190,445 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,540 | $84,323 | $107,349 | $130,354 | $153,379 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $103,070 | $70,616 | $90,043 | $109,450 | $128,877 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $134,630 | $80,579 | $108,472 | $136,344 | $164,237 |
How these figures fit together
BLS surveys employers on what they pay everyone in a job; DOL builds its four levels from the same survey a year later (the July 2026 wage year uses BLS's May 2025 estimates). DOL publishes levels by area, not nationally, so the United States line has none. Levels are hourly in DOL's tables; here they're shown a year at 2,080 hours, as DOL computes them. The metros are the ones holding the most of this job's PERM filings, placed by Census's county files.
The block is the middle half of what employers report paying everyone in this job, citizen or not; the ticks under it are DOL's four prevailing wage levels for that metro, the floors a PERM or H-1B offer is held to. More
DOL's levels for this job in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, year by year
Each July DOL resets the four levels from BLS's newest survey. A determination keeps the figures of the year it was issued in.
| Wage year | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | $98,322 | $129,022 | $159,744 | $190,445 |
| 2025-26 | $94,162 | $129,792 | $165,422 | $201,053 |
| 2024-25 | $102,710 | $133,432 | $164,154 | $194,875 |
| 2023-24 | $98,509 | $141,107 | $183,726 | $226,325 |
| 2022-23 | $87,651 | $113,110 | $138,590 | $164,050 |
What the job is
Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.
- Preparation
- Considerable Preparation Needed
- O*NET Job Zone 4
- DOL's education basis
- Bachelor's degree
- Wage year 2026-27, on DOL's Appendix A list
- Jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +5.7%
- About 10,700 openings a year (BLS)
- Typical entry
- Bachelor's degree
- BLS
Bright Outlook O*NET OnLine lists this job for rapid growth.
The work, most important first
- Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
- Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
- Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
- Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
- Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
- Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
The education workers in it report
- 9%
Post-Secondary Certificate
- 9%
Some College Courses
- 26%
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
- 50%
Bachelor's Degree
Titles people use for it
Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst), Software Quality Assurance Engineer (SQA Engineer), Software Quality Engineer, Software Test Engineer, Automation Tester, Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst), Quality Assurance Engineer (QA Engineer), Quality Engineer.
Related jobs: Software Developers, Validation Engineers, Computer Systems Engineers/Architects, Penetration Testers, Computer Systems Analysts, Database Architects.
This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database and O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. PERM Tracker has modified some of this information (the shares are rounded and only the top tasks are shown); what changed. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Against other jobs
Where this sits in the ranking
Ranked 7 of 1,410 by volume: 6 filed at least as many filings, and 1,403 filed no more.
- Just above
- Data Scientists 6,928 filings
- Just below
- Software Developers, Applications 5,081 filings
Other computer and mathematical roles
Occupations sharing this one's SOC major group, which is carried in the first two digits of the code. More
Occupations sharing this one's SOC major group, which is carried in the first two digits of the code. Wages inside a group still swing hard, because the group holds every seniority level and every metro.
- #6 Data Scientists 6,928 filings · 53 denied
- #8 Software Developers, Applications 5,081 filings · 413 denied
- #2 Computer Systems Analysts 15,316 filings · 240 denied
- #1 Software Developers 76,524 filings · 881 denied
- #15 Business Intelligence Analysts 3,466 filings · 46 denied
- #22 Computer Occupations, All Other 2,605 filings · 95 denied
The same job on H-1B
65,865 certified H-1B labor condition applications for this occupation since FY2020, offering a median of $101,234 a year; the middle half ran $85,571 to $125,000. By state and year in the salary explorer.
Notes on these numbers
Reading the wage
A floor, not a salary survey: every level and metro mixed. DOL's four wage levels for this job, by area.
What the median is
The median wage employers committed to in federal filings for this occupation. It mixes every experience level and every metro, and it's a floor: the employer must offer at least the prevailing wage DOL determines for the occupation, level and county. Across all PERM filings the middle half of offered wages runs $45,178 to $141,357, so a figure inside that band is unremarkable whichever occupation it belongs to. The levels page reads DOL's OFLC wage search live.
What these numbers don't say
4 notes
- The code is the identity
- This one is SOC 15-1253.00. Two SOC codes can carry the same job title, so a title that looks duplicated on the ranking is two different occupations. Match on the code when you're checking a specific filing.
- A median isn’t an offer
- It's the middle of all 6,215 wages committed to for this occupation across the country, entry level and principal alike. The same role's medians swing hard by worksite, which the state map shows directly.
- Approval isn’t about the occupation
- The denial rate moves with what happened in the filing rather than with the job title, so nothing here is a property of Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. The measured factors are on the denial risk page, published as separate rates.
- Nothing here is pending
- All 6,215 counted here carry a decision date, because every case in DOL's disclosure files does, so a case still waiting is in none of them. The largest filer of this occupation is APPLE INC.. Where the queue stands today is on the processing times page.
The window these figures cover: DOL's PERM disclosure files for fiscal years 2024 to 2026, through the third quarter of 2026, 373,939 decided cases. Nothing pending is counted here. How each figure is built
Weighing an offer?
Compare it against this median, then check the state map, where the same occupation's medians swing hard by worksite.
Setting one?
All 1,410 occupations sort together on the wages page, and denial rates show how outcome moves with the offered wage.
Filings newer than DOL's last published file can't be attributed to this occupation until DOL publishes them. The live list on the case search page carries them by employer.
Case data: DOL quarterly disclosure files (flag.dol.gov) · data through Jun 30, 2026 · quarterly
Employers and firms: Derived from DOL's disclosure files · data through Jun 30, 2026 · rebuilt with each quarterly load
O*NET occupation data: O*NET Database, USDOL/ETA (onetcenter.org) · data through Aug 16, 2026 · twice a year
BLS market pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (bls.gov) · data through May 31, 2025 · yearly, each spring
BLS employment projections: BLS Employment Projections (bls.gov) · data through Dec 31, 2025 · yearly, each autumn
DOL wage tables: DOL OFLC wage data downloads (flag.dol.gov) · data through Jul 1, 2026 · yearly, each july
What each source includes
Case data: Decided PERM cases only. A case still waiting isn't in here, so counts and durations describe finished cases.
Employers and firms: Employers, law firms and occupations ranked from decided cases only.
O*NET occupation data: What O*NET says each occupation is and takes: its description, tasks, Job Zone and the education workers report. A description of the job everywhere, not of any one employer's opening.
BLS market pay: What employers report paying everyone in each job, nationally, by state and by metro, from BLS's yearly survey (May of the year named). Citizens and immigrants alike; not PERM offers.
BLS employment projections: BLS's ten-year projection of each job's employment and yearly openings, and the entry education it calls typical. A projection, not a count.
DOL wage tables: The four prevailing wage levels DOL publishes for every job in every area, each wage year from 2021-22, as DOL's own tables print them. The floors an offer is held to, not what anyone was paid.
Cite this page
Waiting on a PERM case?
- When it'll likely be decided
- An email when DOL moves it