SalaryByCity

Financial Risk Specialists vs Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Financial Risk Specialists

$106,000

Median annual salary

56,320 employed nationally

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

$102,610

Median annual salary

199,800 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Financial Risk Specialists professionals earn $3,390 more per year than Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers professionals — that's 3.3% higher. At the 90th percentile, Financial Risk Specialists earns $182,310 compared to $166,960 for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers.

Salary Range Comparison

Financial Risk Specialists$62,270 – $182,310
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$60,690 – $166,960
$60,690$182,310

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileFinancial Risk SpecialistsSoftware Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersDifference
10th Percentile$62,270$60,690+$1,580
25th Percentile$80,280$79,520+$760
Median (50th)$106,000$102,610+$3,390
75th Percentile$145,020$131,870+$13,150
90th Percentile$182,310$166,960+$15,350
Mean (Average)$119,930$110,260+$9,670

Employment Numbers

Financial Risk Specialists

56,320

employed nationwide

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

199,800

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Financial Risk Specialists

CityMedian
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$141,960
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$140,050
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$137,420
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$130,750
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$128,440

Best Cities for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$165,700
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$139,580
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$131,640
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$127,940
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$126,430

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Financial Risk Specialists or Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?
Financial Risk Specialists professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $3,390 (3.3% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Financial Risk Specialists?
Financial Risk Specialists salaries range from $62,270 (10th percentile) to $182,310 (90th percentile), with a median of $106,000.
What is the salary range for Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers salaries range from $60,690 (10th percentile) to $166,960 (90th percentile), with a median of $102,610.
How many Financial Risk Specialists and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers jobs are there?
There are approximately 56,320 Financial Risk Specialists positions and 199,800 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers to Financial Risk Specialists?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Financial Risk Specialists has a median salary of $106,000 while Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers earns $102,610. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS