Who is a QA Engineer and why is one essential?

Who is a QA Engineer and why are they indispensable?

Have you ever been annoyed by apps that suddenly close or websites that slow down at the most inopportune moment? Have you ever wondered who is responsible for ensuring that the programs you use every day work without a hitch? This is where the QA engineer comes in — a person whose work, although behind the scenes, is of great importance. Without them, perfect software would turn into a set of codes and errors.

But what does this specialist do and why is their contribution so important? Let's find out.

Who is a QA engineer and how do they differ from a regular tester?

A QA engineer is not just a tester who looks for bugs and reports them to the development team. They are the last line of defense before users see the product. Their task is not just to find bugs, but to prevent them from appearing at the earliest stages of development. In a sense, a QA engineer is a strategist who plans how to make a product reliable, convenient, and truly useful for the end user.

You may ask, “But shouldn't the developer be doing that?” Of course, developers write code, but even they sometimes overlook small details. A QA engineer looks at a software product from the user's perspective, questioning every action of the program: “Is this button working correctly?”, “Is this menu convenient?”, “Why does the application take so long to load?” Their goal is to ensure that the end user is satisfied and does not experience disappointment.

How much do testers earn in different countries?

When it comes to QA engineer salaries, a lot depends on the region, company, and level of qualification. Let's take a look at different parts of the world and see how much quality specialists earn in the US, Europe, and the CIS countries.

United States

In the United States, QA engineers are considered one of the most sought-after IT specialists, which is directly reflected in their monthly income. The average salary for an experienced QA engineer is $8,000–9,500 per month. For entry-level specialists with minimal experience (up to 1 year), this figure starts at $6,000. Salaries also depend on the region: in technology hubs such as San Francisco or Seattle, QA specialists can earn even more — around $10,000–12,000 per month, including additional bonuses and incentives.

Europe

In Europe, QA engineers' salaries vary greatly depending on the specific country and region. For example, in Germany and the Netherlands, qualified QA engineers earn an average of €3,500–5,800 per month. In Northern European countries such as Sweden and Norway, monthly incomes reach €6,500–7,500. In Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary), salaries are slightly lower — €2,000–3,000 per month — but considering the lower cost of living, this remains a competitive level of income.

CIS

In the CIS market (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan), the situation with QA engineer salaries varies depending on experience and company. Entry-level specialists with minimal experience can expect to earn $500–1,000 per month. Mid-level QA engineers (2–3 years of experience) earn $1,500–2,500. Leading specialists working in large companies or on international projects can earn $3,000–4,000 per month and above. Those who speak English and can effectively interact with foreign teams are especially in demand.

Interestingly, more and more QA specialists from the CIS are looking for opportunities to work remotely for international companies. The difference in income remains significant, and experienced specialists often choose such positions in order to reach the salary level of their Western colleagues.

Regardless of geography, a qualified QA engineer will always find their niche and decent remuneration for their work. Have you thought about which region you would like to develop your career in?

What exactly does a QA engineer do?

Do you think their job is just to “poke” buttons and write reports? It's much more complicated than that. Here is just a small part of what an experienced QA engineer does:

• Planning and writing tests. Is an automated test necessary, or is it better to check manually? How to write a test scenario to identify all the weak points?
• Analyzing results. If a test fails, it's not just a mistake. It's a hint that the product needs improvement. A QA engineer must figure out what went wrong and propose a solution.
• Communication with the team. A quality engineer is not a lone hero. They need to work side by side with developers, managers, and even marketers to understand how the program should work and what users expect from it.
• Suggestions for improvement. Yes, this is not their main responsibility, but QA engineers often see the product through the eyes of the user and can suggest ways to make it more intuitive and user-friendly.

Every test, every error, and every analysis contributes to ensuring that the final product works as it should.In which industries are QA engineers needed?

The answer is simple: anywhere where there is software. Technology has long since penetrated all areas of our lives, from smart homes to autonomous cars. And every such development needs a QA engineer to make sure that your new smart fridge app won't stop working when you forget to close the door.

What's next? Growth prospects and career

After a few years on the job, you may want more. Well, QA is not a dead-end career path. Successful specialists often move on to team lead positions, department heads, or even related fields: project management, DevOps, or IT security. Many become experts in their field and start advising companies on quality and product optimization.

You may ask yourself, “Do I even need a degree?” Unlike some IT professions, QA engineers often require a certain educational foundation. Companies are looking for people with a deep understanding of testing principles, knowledge of programming languages, and engineering fundamentals. However, if you have a burning desire and passion for quality, specialized courses, or even better, internships from scratch, will help you quickly master this profession and start your career.

How to become a tester from scratch?

In the past, I would have said that courses — various educational platforms, online schools, and universities — are the best option. But in recent years, a new training format has emerged that is gaining popularity: internships from scratch. What is it? It is training where you don't just study theory, but immediately work on a real commercial project. Instead of dry lectures and training tasks, you immerse yourself in the real processes of the company, test the product, and, most importantly, immediately gain practical experience that you can add to your resume.

One of the first innovators to implement this format is 9Courses. As part of their internships, students go from being beginners to confident specialists, receiving support from mentors, feedback, and real tasks. This is not just studying — it is a full-fledged career start, allowing you to become part of the IT industry in the shortest possible time and start working in your profession. An internship from scratch is your chance to quickly and effectively move from theory to practice without spending years looking for your first projects.

What will you choose — traditional courses or a format that immediately brings you to the job market?