Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester Salary in Baltimore, MD
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $129,880 a year — 25% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $94,175 take-home, or $7,848 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median software quality assurance analyst and tester salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,905
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,053
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,883
- Maryland income tax$5,864
- Take-home pay$94,175
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $3,947 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $90,228 ($7,519 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $80,350 | $38.63 | $61,903 | $5,159 |
| 25th percentile | $102,070 | $49.07 | $76,152 | $6,346 |
| Median (50th) | $129,880 | $62.44 | $94,175 | $7,848 |
| 75th percentile | $160,700 | $77.26 | $113,616 | $9,468 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $169,930 | $81.70 | $119,417 | $9,951 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $129,880 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median software quality assurance analyst and tester's $94,175 take-home pay has the buying power of $90,131 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Baltimore, MD has 1.6× the national concentration of software quality assurance analyst and tester jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for software quality assurance analysts and testers, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #2 of 17 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $166,530 | $111,667 | $101,126 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $129,880 | $94,175 | $90,131 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $129,690 | $99,909 | $89,900 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $123,690 | $91,074 | $86,096 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $130,540 | $93,828 | $83,356 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $103,070 | $81,340 | $82,944 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $126,350 | $89,855 | $82,524 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $122,210 | $88,906 | $82,118 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 17 metros →
About the job: software quality assurance analysts and testers
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.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.7% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software quality assurance analyst and tester make in Baltimore, MD?
The median software quality assurance analyst and tester salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $129,880 a year, or about $62.44 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $102,070 and $160,700.
What is a software quality assurance analyst and tester’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $129,880 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $94,175 a year ($7,848 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,864 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a software quality assurance analyst and tester?
Pay here is 25% above the national median of $104,300. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $90,131 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #2 of 17 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a software quality assurance analyst and tester afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 19% of a median software quality assurance analyst and tester’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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