A deep dive into the compensation, career drivers, and market trends for QA professionals in the medical device and diagnostics industry.
A) Executive Summary
Welcome to our comprehensive 2025 Salary Survey Report for Software Testers in the Medical Technology (MedTech) sector. As software continues to drive innovation and regulatory compliance in medical devices and diagnostics, the role of the software quality professional has never been more critical. This report analyzes the latest compensation data to provide a clear picture of earning potential, key salary drivers, and career trends for roles in Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC).
Key Findings for 2025:
- Healthy Compensation: The median base salary for MedTech QA/QC professionals is $135,000
. When including the median bonus of $16,000, the total median compensation package reaches $151,000 . - Significant Gender Pay Gap Persists: Male professionals in QA/QC report a median salary of $146,000, which is $14,000 (10.6%) higher than the female median salary of $132,000
. This highlights an ongoing industry challenge that requires attention. - Experience Pays Dividends: Experience is a primary driver of salary growth. Professionals with 15 or more years in the industry earn a median of $160,000, which is 74% higher than those with less than five years of experience ($92,000).
- Management Unlocks Top Tier Earnings: Leadership responsibility drastically increases earning potential. QA/QC professionals supervising 10 or more employees earn a median salary of $190,000, a 52% premium over individual contributors who supervise no one ($125,000)
. - Large Companies Offer Higher Pay: Professionals at large companies with sales volumes over $1 billion report a median salary of $149,550
, significantly higher than those at mid-size firms. - High Job Mobility: The MedTech testing field is dynamic. A combined 48% of QA/QC professionals are either actively looking for a new job (24%) or are strongly considering a search (24%)
, suggesting a competitive talent market. - Strong Salary Growth: QA/QC professionals reported a median raise of 10% over the past year, the highest among all surveyed MedTech roles and double the overall industry median raise of 5%
. This indicates strong demand for quality and compliance expertise.
B) Compensation Overview: A Strong Market for Quality Professionals
The MedTech industry places an immense premium on quality and regulatory adherence, a reality clearly reflected in the compensation for its software testing professionals. The data from the 2025 survey paints a picture of a robust and rewarding career path.
For professionals in the Quality Assurance & Quality Control domain—the category most representative of software testers, QA analysts, and SDETs—the financial outlook is bright. The median base salary stands at a strong
$135,000
Beyond the base salary, variable compensation adds a significant boost. The median bonus for QA/QC professionals was $16,000 in 2025, surpassing the overall MedTech median bonus of $13,000
Perhaps the most telling statistic is the reported median raise of 10%
Despite the strong financial incentives, job satisfaction is moderate, with a rating of 3.5 out of 5
C) Role, Seniority, and Gender Breakdown
While the overall compensation figures are strong, a closer look at the data reveals significant variations based on key demographic and career factors. Experience, leadership, and gender all play pivotal roles in determining salary outcomes.
The Experience Ladder: A Clear Path to Higher Earnings
In software testing, and particularly within the regulated MedTech space, experience is not just valued—it's directly and substantially compensated. The survey data shows a clear and rewarding progression as professionals accumulate years in the industry.
- Entry-Level (Less than 5 years): Professionals starting their careers in MedTech QA/QC have a median salary of $92,000
. - Mid-Career (5-14 years): With established experience, the median salary increases by 25% to $115,000
. - Senior/Veteran (15+ years): Those with deep industry experience command a median salary of $160,000
.
The journey from an entry-level professional to a veteran with over 15 years of experience corresponds to a 74% increase in median base salary. This steep curve reflects the value placed on accumulated knowledge of testing methodologies, regulatory frameworks (like FDA guidelines and ISO standards), and specific medical device technologies.
The Management Multiplier
The most significant salary leap occurs when a professional moves from an individual contributor role into a leadership position. The responsibility of managing people and processes comes with a substantial compensation premium.
- Individual Contributor (0 employees supervised): $125,000
- Manager/Lead (1-9 employees supervised): $120,000
- Senior Manager/Director (10+ employees supervised): $190,000
Supervising a team of 10 or more people is associated with a $65,000 (52%) salary increase over an individual contributor role. This highlights that the path to top-tier earnings in MedTech QA often involves transitioning into test management, where strategic planning, team leadership, and process ownership become key responsibilities.
(Note: The data indicates a slight, counterintuitive dip in median salary for those supervising 1-9 employees compared to individual contributors. This is likely an anomaly resulting from a smaller sample size within this specific segment and should be interpreted with caution.)
The Gender Pay Gap: An Unsettling Reality
The 2025 survey data reveals a persistent and significant pay gap between male and female professionals in the QA/QC field.
- Male Median Salary: $146,000
- Female Median Salary: $132,000
This represents a $14,000 gap, meaning male professionals earn, on average, 10.6% more than their female counterparts. This disparity is wider than the gender gap observed in some other MedTech roles, such as R&D
D) The Value of Specialized Skills and Certifications
While the MD+DI survey provides salary data based on broad categories like experience and management, it doesn't directly measure the financial impact of specific technical skills or certifications. However, by cross-referencing the salary data with the knowledge domains outlined by the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB®), we can infer which competencies are essential for reaching the higher compensation brackets.
The Foundation: ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL®)
For those in the sub-$100,000 bracket, a foundational certification like the ISTQB CTFL® is a critical career step. It establishes a common vocabulary and understanding of the fundamental test process, from planning and analysis to execution and reporting
Advancing to Higher Tiers: Specialization is Key
To progress into the $115,000 to $160,000+ salary range, specialization becomes crucial. MedTech is a domain where simply performing manual functional testing is not enough. High-value professionals must possess skills in technical and risk-oriented testing disciplines. The ISTQB Advanced Level syllabi highlight the areas that drive career growth:
- Risk-Based Testing and Test Analysis (ISTQB CTAL-TA): MedTech product development is governed by risk management (e.g., ISO 14971). A Test Analyst who can contribute to product risk analysis, perform impact analysis, and apply advanced black-box techniques like decision table testing and state transition testing becomes invaluable
. The ability to design tests that mitigate the highest-priority risks is a skill that commands a premium. - Test Automation (ISTQB CTAL-TAE): The complexity and repetitive nature of MedTech regression testing make test automation essential. Testers who can design, develop, and maintain robust automation frameworks using tools like Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright are in high demand. Knowledge of keyword-driven and data-driven testing approaches allows for the creation of scalable and maintainable test suites
. - Security Testing (ISTQB CTAL-SEC): With the rise of connected devices (IoT in healthcare), cybersecurity is a major regulatory and patient safety concern. A tester who understands how to test for vulnerabilities, apply security policies, and test mechanisms like encryption and authentication is a highly sought-after asset
. - Testing in a Regulated Environment (ISTQB CTFL-AuT): While focused on automotive, the principles in the ISTQB Automotive Software Tester syllabus are highly relevant to MedTech. Both industries are safety-critical and rely on standards like ISO 26262 (automotive) and its counterparts in medical (e.g., IEC 62304 for software lifecycle processes)
. Understanding how to test within the strict V-model and document evidence for regulatory submission is a core MedTech competency. - Testing with GenAI (ISTQB CT-GenAI): GenAI-supported testing is emerging as a high-value MedTech specialty. Top practitioners safely use LLMs to accelerate analysis/design, synthesize data, triage defects, and summarize post-market evidence—under guardrails for privacy, bias, reproducibility, and traceability. The ISTQB CT-GenAI cert formalizes these skills: effective prompting, V&V of model outputs, hallucination checks, oracles for probabilistic systems, ISO 14971/IEC 62304-aligned risk controls, secure data handling, and effectiveness/energy metrics. Paired with strong automation and auditable prompts, CT-GenAI talent moves into staff/principal test-architecture roles in the $160k+ band.
While the survey doesn't put a dollar figure on these skills, it's clear that the senior professionals earning over $160,000 are not just manual testers; they are specialists, analysts, and automators who can navigate the complex intersection of software, hardware, and regulation.
E) The Impact of Company Size and Industry Context
The size and scale of a MedTech company can also influence compensation. Larger, more established companies often have more structured compensation bands and greater resources, leading to higher pay.
- Small Companies (<$38.5M sales): $125,000
- Mid-Size Companies ($38.6M - $999.9M): $82,500
- Large Companies (≥$1B sales): $149,550
Professionals at the largest companies earn a median salary nearly 20% higher than those at the smallest firms. The significant drop in salary for mid-size companies is a notable anomaly, likely influenced by the specific composition of survey respondents and potentially a smaller sample size for that segment. It could also reflect a "squeeze" where mid-size firms lack the agility and equity potential of startups and the stability and high pay of large corporations.
The survey does not provide a geographical breakdown. However, it is a well-established fact that salaries for tech professionals, including software testers, vary significantly by region due to differences in cost of living and local market demand. Professionals in high-cost tech hubs like the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, or San Diego can expect higher nominal salaries than those in other regions, though the real purchasing power may be comparable after adjusting for living expenses.
F) Actionable Insights
What Employers Can Do
- Conduct Pay Equity Audits: The 10.6% gender pay gap in QA/QC is a significant issue. Companies should proactively analyze their compensation data to identify and rectify gender-based disparities.
- Invest in Training and Certification: To retain top talent, create clear career paths supported by training. Sponsoring employees to achieve advanced certifications like ISTQB CTAL-TA (Test Analyst) or CTAL-TAE (Test Automation Engineer) signals investment in their growth.
- Benchmark Competitively: With 48% of the QA workforce open to new roles, compensation must be competitive. Use this data to ensure your salary and bonus structures align with the market, especially for senior and management roles.
- Recognize the Value of Quality: The 10% median raise for QA/QC indicates a high-demand market. Frame the QA team not as a cost center, but as a critical function that protects patient safety, ensures regulatory compliance, and enables business success.
Career Tips for Software Testers
- Specialize to Maximize Earnings: To move beyond the entry-level salary bracket, you must develop specialized skills. Focus on test automation, security testing, or performance testing, as these are critical in the complex MedTech environment.
- Get Certified: A foundational certification like ISTQB CTFL is essential. To advance, pursue Advanced Level certifications (e.g., Test Analyst, Test Automation Engineer, Security Tester) to formally validate your expertise and make your resume stand out.
- Understand the "Why" (Risk Management): In MedTech, testing is not just about finding bugs; it's about mitigating risk to patients and the business. Learn the principles of risk-based testing. Being able to explain how your test strategy reduces product risk is a key senior-level skill.
- Aim for Leadership: The data clearly shows that the path to the highest salaries involves management. If you enjoy mentoring, strategic planning, and process improvement, actively seek opportunities to lead projects and, eventually, people.
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