AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 15-1253.00

Will AI replace Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: AI can already handle 19 of 30 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, from most to least exposed. 19 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content. 99 Observed Frontier 4.7
Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or to improve its performance. 95 Observed Frontier 3.0
Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality. 86 Observed Frontier 4.3
Collaborate with field staff or customers to evaluate or diagnose problems and recommend possible solutions. 79 Observed Frontier 3.3
Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards. 75 Estimated Standard 4.3
Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. 75 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Monitor bug resolution efforts and track successes. 75 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Update automated test scripts to ensure currency. 75 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Conduct software compatibility tests with programs, hardware, operating systems, or network environments. 75 Estimated Standard 3.9
Investigate customer problems referred by technical support. 75 Estimated Standard 3.8
Conduct historical analyses of test results. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.3
Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements. 75 Estimated Standard 3.0
Monitor program performance to ensure efficient and problem-free operations. 74 Observed Frontier 4.0
Participate in product design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, product designs, schedules, or potential problems. 65 Estimated Standard 4.0
Review software documentation to ensure technical accuracy, compliance, or completeness, or to mitigate risks. 65 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Visit beta testing sites to evaluate software performance. 65 Estimated Standard 3.3
Evaluate or recommend software for testing or bug tracking. 65 Estimated Standard 3.3
Identify program deviance from standards, and suggest modifications to ensure compliance. 65 Observed Standard 3.7
Recommend purchase of equipment to control dust, temperature, or humidity in area of system installation. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.0
Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.5
Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.3
Develop or specify standards, methods, or procedures to determine product quality or release readiness. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Plan test schedules or strategies in accordance with project scope or delivery dates. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Design or develop automated testing tools. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.6
Coordinate user or third-party testing. 50 Estimated Standard 3.3
Perform initial debugging procedures by reviewing configuration files, logs, or code pieces to determine breakdown source. 40 Observed Efficient 3.7
Install, maintain, or use software testing programs. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Create or maintain databases of known test defects. 20 Estimated Standard 4.2
Install and configure recreations of software production environments to allow testing of software performance. 20 Estimated Standard 3.5

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 7 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 23 of 30. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
186,740
Median annual wage
$104,300
Middle half of earners
$80,310 to $133,180
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+10.0%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers and AI

Will AI replace Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?

AI already handles 19 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 62 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +10.0% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?

62 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 7 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 23 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content; Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or to improve its performance; Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality. They are three of the 19 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, and what do they earn?

186,740 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $104,300 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +10.0% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/software-quality-assurance-analysts-and-testers

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