IT quality and testing professionals: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time IT quality and testing professionals in the UK earned a median £47,118 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 21% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 77th of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £36,725 and £55,008.
Median full-time pay: women £43,803 a year, men £47,491 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 22,000 employee jobs, 95% full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 21.9%, from £38,649, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 32,600 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | £595.90 | £15.65 | £28,964* | £512.60 | £15.06 |
| 20th percentile | £35,566 | £694.50 | £17.87 | £34,607 | £638.10 | £17.76 |
| 25th percentile | £36,725 | £716.20 | £19.37 | £35,716 | £697.30 | £19.32 |
| 30th percentile | £38,527 | £755.10 | £20.23 | £36,585 | £717.00 | £20.23 |
| 40th percentile | £40,518 | £819.50 | £21.84 | £39,701 | £796.40 | £21.75 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £47,118 | £881.70 | £23.96 | £44,973 | £870.60 | £23.83 |
| 60th percentile | £50,882 | £956.50 | £25.24 | £49,723 | £946.30 | £24.99 |
| 70th percentile | £54,742* | £1,034.20 | £28.12 | £53,833* | £1,025.70 | £28.00 |
| 75th percentile | £55,008* | £1,072.20* | £29.18* | £55,000* | £1,053.60* | £28.99* |
| 80th percentile | – | £1,127.50* | £29.74* | – | £1,113.10* | £29.40* |
| Mean | £48,610 | £929.60 | £24.76 | £46,738 | £901.60 | £24.61 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £38,649* | £716.40* | £20.34* | £37,459* | £711.60* | 12* |
| 2022 revised | £42,309* | £771.20* | £20.64* | £38,975* | £730.60 | 19* |
| 2023 revised | £40,205 | £824.90 | £22.24 | £39,365* | £818.60 | 21* |
| 2024 revised | £41,707 | £829.80 | £21.79 | £40,182 | £807.30 | 22* |
| 2025 provisional | £47,118 | £881.70 | £23.96 | £44,973 | £870.60 | 22* |
IT quality and testing professionals by region
UK: 32,600 (± 7,000), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What IT quality and testing professionals do
IT quality and testing professionals test the quality of IT software, systems and computer games and identify and recommend solutions to problems and improvements that could be made. (ONS SOC 2020, 2136)
Also covers: IT auditor, quality analyst (computing/IT), software testing consultant, systems tester (computing/IT), test analyst (computing/IT), test engineer (professional, software), software tester, AI evaluation engineer, AI evaluation specialist, automation test analyst, qa engineer (computing/IT), software test analyst, software test consultant, software test engineer, test lead (computing/IT), user acceptance tester, qa team leader (computing/IT) and test team leader (computing/IT) (20 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Undertakes the testing of software, systems or computer games for errors, identifies source of problems and proposes solutions
- Develops, implements and documents test plans for IT software, systems and computer games
- Develops quality standards and validation techniques
- Makes recommendations concerning software/system quality
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification, although entry with other academic qualifications and/or significant relevant experience is possible. There is a variety of relevant vocational, professional and postgraduate qualifications available.
Related
Information technology professionals (median £56,348) · Cyber security professionals · IT network professionals · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026