QA Engineer skills: what 108 recent job postings ask for

The skills most often requested in 108 US QA engineer job postings from the month before October 13, 2026 were Python (66%), MATLAB (35%) and data acquisition (34%). We counted which skills and qualifications each posting asks for; the share next to each skill is the percent of those postings that mention it.

What skills do QA engineer job postings ask for most?

  1. Python66%
  2. MATLAB35%
  3. data acquisition34%
  4. test automation29%
  5. troubleshooting29%
  6. root cause analysis25%
  7. CAN24%
  8. ITAR24%
  9. power supplies23%
  10. Test plans23%
  11. Linux21%
  12. electronic loads20%
  13. Ethernet20%
  14. spectrum analyzers20%
  15. U.S. Secret security clearance20%
  16. acceptance testing19%
  17. LabVIEW18%
  18. Oscilloscope18%
  19. Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering17%
  20. data analysis17%

What do these postings pay, and how many are remote?

  • Median advertised pay: $150,000 a year, based on the midpoint of the range in the 77 postings that listed pay in US dollars.
  • 2% of postings were marked remote.

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What does a QA engineer do?

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 tasks

  • Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
  • Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
  • Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
  • Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
  • Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
  • Other titles for this work: Automation Tester, Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst), Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst), Quality Assurance Engineer (QA Engineer), Quality Engineer, Software Quality Assurance Analyst (SQA Analyst), Software Quality Assurance Engineer (SQA Engineer), Software Quality Engineer.
  • Education for new hires, as reported to O*NET: 50% said bachelor's degree required; 26% said associate's degree or other 2-year degree required.
  • National median wage (2025): $104,300 a year, from Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
  • O*NET lists this occupation as Bright Outlook (projected to grow quickly or have many openings).

Occupation details from O*NET OnLine (Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, 15-1253.00) by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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How is this data collected?

Postings come from a job search data provider and are limited to US listings from the past month whose title matches this role. Each posting is read by the same keyword extractor behind our free resume match score, and a skill counts once per posting. Years-of-experience lines and the job title itself are not counted. The data refreshes about every three weeks.