O*NET: Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers·15-1253.00
The Verdict:AI generates test plans, scripts, executes checks, detects bugs, and maintains cases autonomously at professional levels. Human roles shrink to oversight, coordination, and rare site evaluations, but AI handles these increasingly. Developers integrate AI directly, reducing dedicated QA needs. Displacement accelerates as tools mature over the next decade.
Score tiers
How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.
The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.
How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.
How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).
How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.
The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.
Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.
Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.
Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 20 of 30 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.
A significant share of this role is already automatable.
20 of 30 tasks can be handled by AI. Your value concentrates in the human-essential tasks below. The 27% of tasks that are AI-leverage is where mastering the tools keeps you ahead.
Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so
Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't
Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment
Software Quality Assurance Analyst lands in Well-Paid, High Risk