Manual Software Tester Salary in the United States
How much does a Manual Software Tester make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Manual Software Tester in the United States is $80,559 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.
However, a Manual Software Tester's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $93,312
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,732 to $87,235
Key Factors That Influence Manual Software Tester Salaries
A Manual Software Tester's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Manual Software Tester Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Manual Software Tester's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Manual Software Tester Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Manual Software Testers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $101,609
San Francisco: $100,497
Oakland: $98,379
San Jose, CA$101,609
San Francisco, CA$100,497
Oakland, CA$98,379
New York, NY$92,755
Paramus, NJ$91,627
Queens Village, NY$91,623
Passaic, NJ$91,547
Bergenfield, NJ$91,539
Stamford, CT$91,362
Huntington, NY$91,329
Newark, NJ$90,734
Bridgeport, CT$90,564
Vallejo, CA$90,404
New Brunswick, NJ$90,371
Petaluma, CA$90,323
Middlesex, NJ$90,170
Somerset, NJ$90,114
Santa Cruz, CA$90,009
Boston, MA$89,517
Monterey, CA$89,235
Seattle, WA$89,050
Santa Rosa, CA$89,034
Los Angeles, CA$89,010
Juneau, AK$88,800
Washington, DC$88,712
Orange, CA$88,425
Santa Ana, CA$88,212
Long Beach, CA$88,132
Anaheim, CA$88,116
Anchorage, AK$88,075
Santa Maria, CA$87,834
Everett, WA$87,818
Danbury, CT$87,534
Bremerton, WA$87,423
Tacoma, WA$87,133
New Suffolk, NY$87,131
Sacramento, CA$87,109
Santa Barbara, CA$87,020
Trenton, NJ$86,931
San Diego, CA$86,931
Brockton, MA$86,843
Fairbanks, AK$86,645
Lompoc, CA$86,440
Lowell, MA$86,375
Ventura, CA$86,359
Nashua, NH$86,343
Stockton, CA$86,335
Modesto, CA$85,747
Poughkeepsie, NY$85,570
Olympia, WA$85,417
Kennewick, WA$85,417
New Haven, CT$85,385
Lawrence, MA$85,095
Hartford, CT$85,014
Riverside, CA$84,998
New Bedford, MA$84,917
Richland, WA$84,917
Bakersfield, CA$84,805
San Bernardino, CA$84,772
New Britain, CT$84,764
Atlantic City, NJ$84,764
New London, CT$84,732
Norwich, CT$84,708
Portsmouth, NH$84,692
Boulder, CO$84,521
Portland, OR$84,410
Worcester, MA$84,402
Minneapolis, MN$84,152
Philadelphia, PA$84,039
Honolulu, HI$83,774
Saint Paul, MN$83,735
Vineland, NJ$83,717
Providence, RI$83,483
Chicago, IL$83,250
Bellingham, WA$83,153
Springfield, MA$83,089
Baltimore, MD$83,065
Chico, CA$82,863
Pittsfield, MA$82,646
Manchester, NH$82,493
Spokane, WA$82,138
Denver, CO$82,130
Albany, NY$81,751
Troy, NY$81,719
Nassau, NY$81,633
Schenectady, NY$81,550
Wilmington, DE$81,486
Burlington, VT$81,373
Salem, OR$81,341
Portland, ME$81,091
Yakima, WA$81,010
Rochester, MN$80,761
Reno, NV$80,720
Fresno, CA$80,720
Milwaukee, WI$80,648
Detroit, MI$80,567
Ann Arbor, MI$80,554
Allentown, PA$80,543
Colorado Springs, CO$80,406
Syracuse, NY$80,366
Carson City, NV$80,366
Houston, TX$80,253
Eugene, OR$80,213
Gary, IN$80,116
Springfield, OR$80,052
Bismarck, ND$80,036
Galveston, TX$79,979
Medford, OR$79,858
Fort Collins, CO$79,826
Concord, NH$79,786
Austin, TX$79,762
Mesa, AZ$79,592
Reading, PA$79,584
Phoenix, AZ$79,576
Dallas, TX$79,552
Saint Cloud, MN$79,475
Madison, WI$79,367
Utica, NY$79,149
Rochester, NY$79,021
Des Moines, IA$79,012
Raleigh, NC$79,004
Atlanta, GA$78,884
Battle Creek, MI$78,859
Salt Lake City, UT$78,835
Lancaster, PA$78,714
Harrisburg, PA$78,602
Kansas City, MO$78,521
Champaign, IL$78,505
Kansas City, KS$78,505
Fort Worth, TX$78,497
Columbus, OH$78,483
Boca Raton, FL$78,465
Pittsburgh, PA$78,432
Richmond, VA$78,400
Indianapolis, IN$78,384
Cleveland, OH$78,376
Las Vegas, NV$78,279
Cincinnati, OH$78,279
Petersburg, VA$78,159
Huntsville, AL$78,038
Lansing, MI$77,984
Lebanon, PA$77,973
Pueblo, CO$77,965
Appleton, WI$77,941
Buffalo, NY$77,909
Dayton, OH$77,885
Racine, WI$77,869
Charlotte, NC$77,860
Saint Louis, MO$77,836
York, PA$77,788
Elkhart, IN$77,788
Gastonia, NC$77,773
Billings, MT$77,753
Beaumont, TX$77,732
Lorain, OH$77,715
Benton Harbor, MI$77,699
Toledo, OH$77,683
Binghamton, NY$77,643
Rock Hill, SC$77,635
Rockford, IL$77,595
Springfield, IL$77,562
Elyria, OH$77,554
Fargo, ND$77,554
Flagstaff, AZ$77,498
Fort Lauderdale, FL$77,450
Duluth, MN$77,401
Miami, FL$77,401
Cheyenne, WY$77,345
Grand Forks, ND$77,345
Bangor, ME$77,168
Cedar Rapids, IA$77,079
Durham, NC$77,045
Louisville, KY$77,039
Grand Rapids, MI$77,023
Hialeah, FL$77,015
Casper, WY$76,902
Scranton, PA$76,805
New Orleans, LA$76,781
Virginia Beach, VA$76,773
Akron, OH$76,733
Peoria, IL$76,628
Sarasota, FL$76,612
Nashville, TN$76,555
Omaha, NE$76,555
Green Bay, WI$76,555
Baton Rouge, LA$76,515
Charleston, SC$76,499
Jamestown, NY$76,459
Davenport, IA$76,459
Tucson, AZ$76,418
Saint Petersburg, FL$76,370
Tampa, FL$76,354
Evansville, IN$76,306
Port Arthur, TX$76,306
Bradenton, FL$76,273
Santa Fe, NM$76,128
Orlando, FL$75,983
Clearwater, FL$75,959
Canton, OH$75,790
La Crosse, WI$75,790
Albuquerque, NM$75,742
Newport News, VA$75,734
High Point, NC$75,710
Ogden, UT$75,677
Corpus Christi, TX$75,613
Norfolk, VA$75,565
Laramie, WY$75,565
Rock Island, IL$75,516
Saginaw, MI$75,500
Jacksonville, FL$75,492
Salisbury, NC$75,476
Boise, ID$75,460
Moline, IL$75,420
Fort Myers, FL$75,395
Memphis, TN$75,379
Tulsa, OK$75,339
Waterloo, IA$75,291
Spartanburg, SC$75,210
Lincoln, NE$75,170
Fort Wayne, IN$75,154
Provo, UT$75,146
Cedar Falls, IA$75,049
San Antonio, TX$75,017
Greensboro, NC$74,985
South Bend, IN$74,976
Savannah, GA$74,888
Muskegon, MI$74,856
Birmingham, AL$74,848
Winston Salem, NC$74,808
Lake Charles, LA$74,614
Anderson, IN$74,598
Lexington, KY$74,574
Augusta, GA$74,549
Greenville, SC$74,549
Lima, OH$74,485
Wichita, KS$74,477
Tuscaloosa, AL$74,477
Columbia, SC$74,404
Springfield, OH$74,388
Asheville, NC$74,259
Bloomington, IN$74,203
Knoxville, TN$73,913
Shreveport, LA$73,905
Wilmington, NC$73,800
Roanoke, VA$73,800
Topeka, KS$73,655
Frankfort, KY$73,646
Oklahoma City, OK$73,591
Chillicothe, OH$73,559
Longview, TX$73,551
Melbourne, FL$73,542
Sioux Falls, SD$73,414
Mobile, AL$73,406
Terre Haute, IN$73,373
Altoona, PA$73,325
Amarillo, TX$73,269
Killeen, TX$73,244
Fayetteville, AR$73,180
Chattanooga, TN$73,156
Sioux City, IA$73,083
Idaho Falls, ID$73,067
Lynchburg, VA$73,003
Gainesville, FL$72,898
Portsmouth, OH$72,858
Little Rock, AR$72,842
Lafayette, LA$72,809
Youngstown, OH$72,809
Daytona Beach, FL$72,761
Clarksville, TN$72,753
Pensacola, FL$72,745
Temple, TX$72,739
Hopkinsville, KY$72,503
Erie, PA$72,487
Florence, SC$72,455
Charleston, WV$72,326
Great Falls, MT$72,286
Macon, GA$72,173
Tallahassee, FL$72,165
Fayetteville, NC$72,149
Waco, TX$72,133
Helena, MT$72,076
Pine Bluff, AR$72,046
Vincennes, IN$71,947
Lubbock, TX$71,915
Alamogordo, NM$71,867
Twin Falls, ID$71,794
Rapid City, SD$71,770
Jackson, MS$71,625
Huntington, WV$71,620
Greenville, MS$71,617
Parkersburg, WV$71,535
Montgomery, AL$71,520
Wichita Falls, TX$71,440
Springfield, MO$71,440
Biloxi, MS$71,400
Monroe, LA$71,319
Johnstown, PA$71,263
Sumter, SC$71,230
Columbus, GA$71,222
Pascagoula, MS$71,069
Abilene, TX$71,069
Kingsport, TN$70,860
Albany, GA$70,860
Gulfport, MS$70,836
Alexandria, LA$70,570
Fort Smith, AR$70,368
El Paso, TX$70,151
Las Cruces, NM$69,788
Harlingen, TX$69,584
Pocatello, ID$69,571
Florence, AL$69,466
Brownsville, TX$69,450
Mcallen, TX$69,281
Dothan, AL$69,168
Columbus, MS$68,690
Altus, OK$68,314
Lawton, OK$68,161
Pierre, SD$67,871
What Skills Can Increase a Manual Software Tester's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Leadership (Mentioned in 11.98% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Customer Relationship (Mentioned in 1.51% Job Postings): Customer relations is the company-wide process of nurturing positive relationships with your customers . It helps you connect with your customers on a much more personal level and create a sense of mutual understanding with them.
Customer Sales (Mentioned in 1.15% Job Postings): Customer Sales means sales of Goods by Licensee directly or through its authorized wholesalers, representatives or distributors to retail establishments for eventual resale to the consumer.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Manual Software Tester's salary.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Manual Software Tester Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Manual Software Tester roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit and Retail & Wholesale
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Manual Software Tester positions in Business Services or Financial Services typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Manual Software Tester as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Manual Software Tester
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$104,727
$50.0
30%
How Education impacts a Manual Software Tester's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Manual Software Testers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Manual Software Tester with a Associate's Degree is between
$71,121
and $75,376).
Understanding how a Manual Software Tester's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$70,732
Average$80,559/year
$87,235
$5,894
Average$6,713/month
$7,270
$1,360
Average$1,549/week
$1,678
$34
Average$39/hour
$42
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$87,235
$7,270
$1,678
$42
Average
$80,559
$6,713
$1,549
$39
25th Percentile
$70,732
$5,894
$1,360
$34
Salaries of Jobs related to Manual Software Tester
Salaries for a Manual Software Tester can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $90,490 in 2023
to around $90,091 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Manual Software Tester salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Manual Software Tester Over Time
$???
$90,490
$90,577
$90,091
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$90,490
2024
$90,577
2025
$90,091
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Manual Software Tester
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Manual Software Tester
Here are companies hiring for Manual Software Tester and their salaries, click below for more details.
K$114,295/per year
Kpmg Us LLPBusiness Servicesthe United States
W$114,096/per year
Warner Bros DiscoveryBusiness Servicesthe United States
D$111,927/per year
Dentsu International LtdBusiness Servicesthe United States
G$111,873/per year
GroupM Worldwide IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$111,651/per year
CoWorx StaffingBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$110,194/per year
Contemporary Services CorpBusiness Servicesthe United States
S$107,128/per year
Showcase CinemasBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$106,429/per year
Amentum Services IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$106,199/per year
Allied Universal Security Services LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
S$106,104/per year
Sodexo USABusiness Servicesthe United States
J$105,192/per year
JLL TechnologiesBusiness Servicesthe United States
I$104,478/per year
Intact Insurance Group USA LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
N$101,619/per year
NielsenIQBusiness Servicesthe United States
T$101,470/per year
The Leading Edge AllianceBusiness Servicesthe United States
H$101,308/per year
Honeywell UOPBusiness Servicesthe United States
R$97,720/per year
Reeve & AssociatesBusiness Servicesthe United States
M$97,584/per year
ManpowerGroup Global IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
F$95,980/per year
Financial Sys NcoBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$95,314/per year
Arrow Global LtdBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$94,777/per year
CarMax Enterprise Services LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
D$94,479/per year
DZConneXBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$93,802/per year
Adecco Staffing, USABusiness Servicesthe United States
R$92,937/per year
Resource MFGBusiness Servicesthe United States
Z$92,774/per year
Zachry Brands IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
G$88,138/per year
Greystar Worldwide LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
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FAQ about Manual Software Tester
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Manual Software Tester?
The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Manual Software Tester roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
