Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $175,960 or more. The middle half of software quality assurance analysts and testers in Santa Cruz earn between $97,820 and $168,150.
- $75K10th
- $98K25th
- $134KMedian
- $168K75th
- $176K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $127,490 | $10,624 | $61.29 |
| Median | $133,970 | $11,164 | $64.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $97,820 | $8,152 | $47.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $168,150 | $14,012 | $80.84 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Software quality assurance analysts and testers in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($131,260) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($111,490). At the median the gap is +28% against the U.S. median of $104,300.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $127,490 | $133,970 | $75,100 | $175,960 | 100 |
| California | $131,260 | $128,740 | $65,890 | $201,070 | 27,710 |
| United States | $111,490 | $104,300 | $61,440 | $167,010 | 186,740 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $127,490, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $90,641 a year, or $7,553 a month and $3,486 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Cruz a good place for software quality assurance analysts and testers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $127,490 buys what about $116,010 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 9.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 3rd of 15 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($160,040).
- San Jose$160,040
- San Francisco$136,630
- Santa Cruz$127,490
- Santa Rosa$122,460
- Santa Maria$122,400
- Vallejo$120,290
- Los Angeles$119,570
- San Diego$118,760
- Oxnard$118,530
- Riverside$109,460
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for software quality assurance analysts and testers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($160,040).
- San Jose, CA$160,040
- Lexington Park, MD$153,640
- San Francisco, CA$136,630
- Boulder, CO$136,490
- Greeley, CO$135,860
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary by city
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Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$61.30 an hour on average, and $64.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $97,820, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the software quality assurance analysts and testers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $90,641 a year ($7,553 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $127,490. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do software quality assurance analysts and testers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($111,490).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 15-1253; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.86, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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