Hiring a software quality assurance analyst in Albuquerque, NM

Do Albuquerque residents in computer and mathematical work earn more than employers in the Albuquerque, NM area pay?

Albuquerque residents working in computer and mathematical occupations earn a median of $89,929 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $98,335 as the median of the 18 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Albuquerque, NM area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 9%, with the employers figure the higher of the two.

Both sides of that figure describe the whole computer and mathematical group, not this one role. In the Albuquerque, NM area the group covers 18 occupations BLS publishes a wage for, from computer user support specialists at $51,710 to computer and information research scientists at $165,690 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with software quality assurance analysts and testers at $108,230 inside it.

That comparison is between two different measures, not a pay gap. The two weight the same occupation group differently: the Census figure is the midpoint across the people who actually hold those jobs, so a group carrying a few very well paid occupations is pulled toward them, while the BLS figure is the midpoint across the 18 published occupation wages, which counts each of those occupations once whatever its headcount. Census also counts where people live and BLS counts where the jobs are, and the two cover different populations, Census the civilian employed population 16 and over, BLS wage-and-salary jobs only. Read the number against other cities, where the same definitional difference applies on both sides, rather than as a shortfall.

The two sit within 10% of each other, so residents of Albuquerque and employers across the metro are priced about the same in this field, and pay alone is unlikely to be what wins or loses this hire.

Is the talent actually in Albuquerque?

This is a job zone four: considerable preparation needed occupation. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. O*NET OnLine, SOC 15-1253.

That matters here, because 38.7% of Albuquerque adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. That is a workable pool, but the search will reach beyond the city line. Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501, residents of Albuquerque aged 25 and over.

The average Albuquerque commute runs 22.2 minutes, which is roughly how far your catchment reaches before candidates start saying no. 12.8% of Albuquerque workers already work from home, so a fully onsite requirement here is competing against that. Census ACS 5-year 2023, place-level commuting characteristics for Albuquerque.

How often do these jobs turn over?

In Bernalillo County, computer systems design and related services employs 4,883 and turns over 15.5% a quarter, with 481 hires against 767 separations. Average earnings in that industry run $7,284 a month. Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators, 2024 Q1, NAICS 5415.

That figure covers every occupation in the industry, not this role alone, so read it as the local churn rate rather than as a number about software quality assurance analysts and testers. It still tells you what you are hiring into: a high-churn market, where speed matters more than a perfect fit.

What does the search cost?

The fee is set by the seniority of the role, never by salary and never by location. Across all six tiers it runs $6,240 to $54,340 per search. A contingency firm hiring at this role's $108,230 median in the Albuquerque, NM area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would bill roughly $21,646 to $32,469 on the first year salary alone.

One owner runs the search from market map to signed offer. Searches typically fill in 23 to 35 days, which is a typical window rather than a promise, and the replacement guarantee runs 45 days at 50% off.

Questions employers ask about hiring a software quality assurance analyst in Albuquerque

What does it cost to hire a software quality assurance analyst in Albuquerque?

Tier I to Tier VI, $6,240 to $54,340 per search, set by the seniority of the role and never by salary or location. A contingency firm billing 20 to 30% of this role's $108,230 median wage in the Albuquerque, NM area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would charge roughly $21,646 to $32,469 on the first year salary alone.

What should an offer for a software quality assurance analyst in Albuquerque look like?

Employers in the Albuquerque, NM area pay software quality assurance analysts and testers a median of $108,230, with the middle half of the market between $81,360 and $130,640 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A band set below $81,360 competes for the bottom quarter of that market.

Do Albuquerque residents in computer and mathematical work earn more than employers in the Albuquerque, NM area pay?

Albuquerque residents working in computer and mathematical occupations earn a median of $89,929 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $98,335 as the median of the 18 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Albuquerque, NM area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 9%. Both figures cover the whole occupation group rather than this one role, and one counts where people live while the other counts where the jobs are, so the percentage is not a pay gap.

Is the talent for this role already in Albuquerque?

This is a job zone 4 occupation, which usually calls for a bachelor's degree, and 38.7% of Albuquerque adults hold one or higher (Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501). That is a workable pool, though the search will reach beyond the city line.

Related

• Hiring Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: the role, the pay, the process
• Recruiting services in Albuquerque
• Every New Mexico city we cover

Albuquerque is the largest of 1 New Mexico cities in this dataset.