Technology
How to become a QA Tester
Tests software before it ships and writes up what is broken so developers can fix it. From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.
- Time to get there
- 3–9 months
- Typical pay
- $55k–$78k
- Starting from
- No experience
Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.
Commonly asked for
- No degree commonly required to start
- Clear, reproducible bug reports matter more than the credential
- Selenium or Playwright expected for automation roles
The route
Learn testing fundamentals
Test cases, regression suites, bug reports that developers can actually act on.
Course that covers thisWebsite Testing Masterclass: Real Test Cases for QA SuccessUdemy · around $19.99Start manual, then automate
Manual QA is a real way in, and it teaches you the product.
Learn Selenium or Playwright
Automation is where QA pay separates from QA drudgery.
Course that covers thisA Gentle Introduction To JavaScript For Absolute BeginnersUdemy · around $19.99Add API testing
Postman and a bit of SQL to check what actually landed in the database.
Course that covers thisMaster SQL - Core Database Skills Practice ExamUdemy · around $19.99- Browse jobs now
Destination
QA Tester
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