QA Engineer
Checks that software works as intended and finds bugs before users do.
Market pay — 79,520–166,960 USD/yr.
People who are meticulous, like breaking and checking things, and miss no small detail.
A day in the life
Designs test scenarios, tests new features by hand and with automated tests, writes up bugs, and verifies fixes.
Who it fits
People who are meticulous, like breaking and checking things, and miss no small detail.
Try it in a week
- Watch 2–3 “a day in the life of a QA Engineer” videos to see the real day-to-day, not the job-post version. ↗
- Take a free intro course to find out whether the topic clicks before you spend money or time on it. ↗
- Find someone doing it on LinkedIn or an industry group and ask 5 pointed questions: the daily grind, the money, and how they got in.
- Over a weekend, build a tiny project from a beginner guide — a one-page site or a simple bot. The point is to get it to “it works”. ↗
How to get there
- Aug Build your college list and start your essays (summer before senior year)
- Oct FAFSA opens (typically Oct 1) - apply for federal financial aid
- Nov Early Action / Early Decision deadlines (many schools)
- Jan Regular Decision deadlines (often Jan 1-15)
- Mar Admission decisions arrive (mid-March to early April)
- May National College Decision Day - commit and pay your deposit
Approximate pathways. Requirements and test policies vary by state and school - always verify on the college's or program's official site.
Frequently asked
How much does a QA Engineer earn?
79,520–166,960 USD/yr — BLS. This is the middle band of the market: a beginner usually sits closer to the lower end, an experienced specialist closer to the top. A lot also depends on where you are. ~200k jobs in the US (BLS OEWS, May 2024)
How do you become a QA Engineer?
Most often through these fields: Computer Science, Software Engineering. See specific programs and requirements in the “How to get there” section below.
Who is this profession a good fit for?
People who are meticulous, like breaking and checking things, and miss no small detail.