Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester Salary in Phoenix, AZ

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area earn a median $100,740 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $77,391 take-home, or $6,449 a month.

Median salary
$100,740
$48.43 per hour
Typical range
$63,630 – $143,000
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Phoenix, AZ
3,160
1.11× national concentration
▼3.0%
Pay trend: The median for software quality assurance analysts and testers in Phoenix, AZ fell from $103,890 (May 2024) to $100,740 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 5.4%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median software quality assurance analyst and tester salary in Phoenix, AZ. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester in Phoenix, AZ
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$77,391
per year · effective tax rate 23.2%
$6,449Monthly
$3,225Twice a month
$2,977Every 2 weeks
$37.21Hourly
  • Federal income tax$13,333
  • Social Security (6.2%)$6,246
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,461
  • Arizona income tax$2,310
  • Take-home pay$77,391

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 2.50% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester pay by experience in Phoenix, AZ

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$63,630$30.59$51,925$4,327
25th percentile$76,660$36.86$61,053$5,088
Median (50th)$100,740$48.43$77,391$6,449
75th percentile$123,470$59.36$92,780$7,732
90th percentile (top earners)$143,000$68.75$105,640$8,803

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Arizona resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $100,740 buys in Phoenix, AZ

Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 3.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.21× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median software quality assurance analyst and tester's $77,391 take-home pay has the buying power of $74,907 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,583
25% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,839
29% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$4,866
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester jobs are about as common in Phoenix, AZ as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.11).

Best-paying cities for software quality assurance analysts and testers, adjusted for cost of living

Phoenix, AZ ranks #16 of 17 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $166,530$111,667$101,126
2Baltimore, MD $129,880$94,175$90,131
3Seattle, WA $129,690$99,909$89,900
4Denver, CO $123,690$91,074$86,096
5New York, NY $130,540$93,828$83,356
6Austin, TX $103,070$81,340$82,944
7Washington, DC $126,350$89,855$82,524
8Boston, MA $122,210$88,906$82,118
16Phoenix, AZ$100,740$77,391$74,907

*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 Phoenix, AZ?

The median software quality assurance analyst and tester salary in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area is $100,740 a year, or about $48.43 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $76,660 and $123,470.

What is a software quality assurance analyst and tester’s take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ?

On the median $100,740 salary, a single filer living in Arizona takes home about $77,391 a year ($6,449 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,310 in Arizona taxes in 2026.

Is Phoenix, AZ a good place to work as a software quality assurance analyst and tester?

Pay here is 3% below the national median of $104,300. Local prices are 3.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $74,907 would in a typical U.S. city. Phoenix, AZ ranks #16 of 17 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a software quality assurance analyst and tester afford rent in Phoenix, AZ?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Phoenix, AZ is $1,583 a month ($1,839 for two bedrooms) — 25% 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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