13 Series · SOC 13-2082
Tax Preparers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $54,920
- Median / year
- +8.6%
- 2024→2025
- $99,270
- Top 10% earn
- +4.5%
- Growth '24–'34
- 76,480
- Estimated US jobs
Tax Preparers earn a median of $54,920 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $54,920, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,760 (10th percentile) to $99,270 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 76,480 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is New York ($71,850).
The pay verdict
Tax Preparers earn a median of $54,920, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 40% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Business and Financial Operations, it ranks #31 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.5% by 2034.
- $54,920
- Median annual wage
- Top 60%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #31 of 32
- in Business and Financial Operations
- 2.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $71,850. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Tax Preparers moved from $43,080 in May 2019 to $54,920 in May 2025 (+27.5%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Tax Preparers sits +3.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Tax Preparers (SOC 13-2082) has a national median of $54,920 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $33,760 to $99,270, and the published mean is $60,930. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 76,480 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 49 state or territory areas and 253 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $50,560 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $54,920 in May 2025, a rise of $4,360 (+8.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 10,400 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Business and Financial Operations Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $71,850, which is +31% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $84,240. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$54,920
per year
Median Hourly
$26.40/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$60,930
average
Employment
76,480
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Tax Preparers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$54,920 Bottom 40% higher than 40% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$54,920 · 40th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 13-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Tax Preparers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Accountants and Audi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $83680
- Business Operations …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $83050
- Project Management S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $102320
- Human Resources Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.2%, Median annual wage $75940
- Market Research Anal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $78760
- Management Analysts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.8%, Median annual wage $101860
- Buyers and Purchasin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $77710
- Training and Develop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.8%, Median annual wage $69280
- Compliance Officers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $80730
- Financial and Invest…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $102740
- Claims Adjusters, Ex…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.1%, Median annual wage $78000
- Loan Officers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $76690
- Personal Financial A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.6%, Median annual wage $105070
- Logisticians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.7%, Median annual wage $82320
- Cost Estimators: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.2%, Median annual wage $78740
- Meeting, Convention,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.8%, Median annual wage $61160
- Financial Specialist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $81100
- Compensation, Benefi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.3%, Median annual wage $78210
- Fundraisers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $72550
- Insurance Underwriters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.6%, Median annual wage $81370
- Tax Preparers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $54920
- Financial Examiners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 18.5%, Median annual wage $94160
- Labor Relations Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $95420
- Credit Analysts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.4%, Median annual wage $83510
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.5%
About as fast as average
Annual Openings
10,400
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+4,100
90,600 (2024) → 94,700 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Business and Financial Operations Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.3/100
Danger Index
1.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Tax Preparers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
- ▸ Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- ▸ Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
- ▸ Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- ▸ Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
- ▸ Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
- ▸ Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.
- ▸ Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.
- ▸ Answer questions and provide future tax planning to clients.
- ▸ Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Tax Preparers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $36,450 |
| 2016 | $36,550 |
| 2017 | $38,730 |
| 2018 | $39,390 |
| 2019 | $43,080 |
| 2020 | $44,300 |
| 2021 | $46,290 |
| 2022 | $48,250 |
| 2023 | $49,010 |
| 2024 | $50,560 |
| 2025 | $54,920 |
2015 median
$36,450
2025 median
$54,920
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$11,840 (+27.5%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4.1%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $36,450 | First banked release | 72,060 |
| May 2016 | $36,550 | +0.3% | 70,030 |
| May 2017 | $38,730 | +6.0% | 68,720 |
| May 2018 | $39,390 | +1.7% | 68,090 |
| May 2019 | $43,080 | Classification break | 66,670 |
| May 2020 | $44,300 | +2.8% | 62,600 |
| May 2021 | $46,290 | +4.5% | 83,190 |
| May 2022 | $48,250 | +4.2% | 82,370 |
| May 2023 | $49,010 | +1.6% | 81,650 |
| May 2024 | $50,560 | +3.2% | 73,570 |
| May 2025 | $54,920 | +8.6% | 76,480 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $36,450 in May 2015 to $54,920 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.1% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 66,670 in May 2019 to 76,480 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 49 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $71,850 | +31% above national |
| 2 | California | $70,030 | +28% above national |
| 3 | Utah | $66,720 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Montana | $63,080 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Missouri | $62,780 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Colorado | $62,620 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Alaska | $62,360 | +14% above national |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $61,370 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Oregon | $61,370 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $61,270 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Nevada | $60,000 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $59,200 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Virginia | $58,520 | +7% above national |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $58,400 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Wyoming | $57,990 | +6% above national |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $57,680 | +5% above national |
| 17 | North Dakota | $57,060 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Illinois | $54,480 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Iowa | $53,660 | 2% below national |
| 20 | South Dakota | $52,530 | 4% below national |
| 21 | Delaware | $51,960 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Mississippi | $50,670 | 8% below national |
| 23 | Georgia | $49,330 | 10% below national |
| 24 | Florida | $49,020 | 11% below national |
| 25 | Ohio | $49,020 | 11% below national |
| 26 | North Carolina | $48,130 | 12% below national |
| 27 | Texas | $47,460 | 14% below national |
| 28 | Kansas | $47,300 | 14% below national |
| 29 | Maine | $47,150 | 14% below national |
| 30 | Maryland | $47,020 | 14% below national |
| 31 | Puerto Rico | $46,730 | 15% below national |
| 32 | Michigan | $46,400 | 16% below national |
| 33 | Indiana | $45,710 | 17% below national |
| 34 | Washington | $45,370 | 17% below national |
| 35 | Arizona | $44,770 | 18% below national |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $44,340 | 19% below national |
| 37 | New Jersey | $43,420 | 21% below national |
| 38 | Nebraska | $43,010 | 22% below national |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $42,700 | 22% below national |
| 40 | Connecticut | $41,130 | 25% below national |
| 41 | South Carolina | $39,220 | 29% below national |
| 42 | Louisiana | $38,740 | 29% below national |
| 43 | New Mexico | $38,060 | 31% below national |
| 44 | Kentucky | $36,620 | 33% below national |
| 45 | Tennessee | $36,600 | 33% below national |
| 46 | West Virginia | $35,880 | 35% below national |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,040 | 36% below national |
| 48 | Hawaii | $34,720 | 37% below national |
| 49 | Alabama | $33,280 | 39% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 186 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,240 | +53% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,180 | +48% above national |
| 3 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,920 | +44% above national |
| 4 | Jefferson City, MO | $75,990 | +38% above national |
| 5 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $71,800 | +31% above national |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,300 | +30% above national |
| 7 | Amarillo, TX | $70,980 | +29% above national |
| 8 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $70,170 | +28% above national |
| 9 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $69,210 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $66,920 | +22% above national |
| 11 | Billings, MT | $65,930 | +20% above national |
| 12 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $65,930 | +20% above national |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $65,410 | +19% above national |
| 14 | Fargo, ND-MN | $65,320 | +19% above national |
| 15 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,150 | +19% above national |
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65,120 | +19% above national |
| 17 | Waco, TX | $65,020 | +18% above national |
| 18 | Modesto, CA | $64,630 | +18% above national |
| 19 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $64,240 | +17% above national |
| 20 | Florence, SC | $63,600 | +16% above national |
| 21 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $63,560 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $63,460 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Salinas, CA | $63,060 | +15% above national |
| 24 | Bend, OR | $62,950 | +15% above national |
| 25 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $62,350 | +14% above national |
| 26 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $62,290 | +13% above national |
| 27 | Richmond, VA | $62,160 | +13% above national |
| 28 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $62,050 | +13% above national |
| 29 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $62,010 | +13% above national |
| 30 | Vallejo, CA | $61,930 | +13% above national |
| 31 | Reno, NV | $61,790 | +13% above national |
| 32 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $61,460 | +12% above national |
| 33 | Greeley, CO | $61,420 | +12% above national |
| 34 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $61,350 | +12% above national |
| 35 | Dubuque, IA | $61,330 | +12% above national |
| 36 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $61,300 | +12% above national |
| 37 | Syracuse, NY | $61,290 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Redding, CA | $61,200 | +11% above national |
| 39 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,140 | +11% above national |
| 40 | Rapid City, SD | $61,100 | +11% above national |
| 41 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $60,650 | +10% above national |
| 42 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $60,480 | +10% above national |
| 43 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,430 | +10% above national |
| 44 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $60,280 | +10% above national |
| 45 | Wichita, KS | $60,260 | +10% above national |
| 46 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $60,210 | +10% above national |
| 47 | Rochester, NY | $60,180 | +10% above national |
| 48 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,170 | +10% above national |
| 49 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $60,040 | +9% above national |
| 50 | El Paso, TX | $59,990 | +9% above national |
| 51 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,630 | +9% above national |
| 52 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $59,610 | +9% above national |
| 53 | Lancaster, PA | $59,550 | +8% above national |
| 54 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $59,490 | +8% above national |
| 55 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $59,330 | +8% above national |
| 56 | St. Cloud, MN | $59,290 | +8% above national |
| 57 | Helena, MT | $59,170 | +8% above national |
| 58 | Fresno, CA | $58,970 | +7% above national |
| 59 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $58,910 | +7% above national |
| 60 | Colorado Springs, CO | $58,900 | +7% above national |
| 61 | Erie, PA | $58,460 | +6% above national |
| 62 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $58,370 | +6% above national |
| 63 | Salem, OR | $58,330 | +6% above national |
| 64 | Albany, OR | $58,220 | +6% above national |
| 65 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $58,020 | +6% above national |
| 66 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $57,920 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $57,890 | +5% above national |
| 68 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $57,770 | +5% above national |
| 69 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $57,680 | +5% above national |
| 70 | Medford, OR | $57,640 | +5% above national |
| 71 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $57,220 | +4% above national |
| 72 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $57,090 | +4% above national |
| 73 | Barnstable Town, MA | $56,960 | +4% above national |
| 74 | Springfield, MO | $56,820 | +3% above national |
| 75 | Anchorage, AK | $56,740 | +3% above national |
| 76 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $56,160 | +2% above national |
| 77 | Grand Junction, CO | $55,640 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Binghamton, NY | $54,880 | same as national |
| 79 | Ocala, FL | $54,880 | same as national |
| 80 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $54,570 | 1% below national |
| 81 | Roanoke, VA | $53,630 | 2% below national |
| 82 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $52,570 | 4% below national |
| 83 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $52,530 | 4% below national |
| 84 | Wilmington, NC | $52,220 | 5% below national |
| 85 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $51,870 | 6% below national |
| 86 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $51,820 | 6% below national |
| 87 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $50,430 | 8% below national |
| 88 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $50,350 | 8% below national |
| 89 | Punta Gorda, FL | $50,300 | 8% below national |
| 90 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $50,220 | 9% below national |
| 91 | Duluth, MN-WI | $50,170 | 9% below national |
| 92 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $50,070 | 9% below national |
| 93 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $50,070 | 9% below national |
| 94 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $49,830 | 9% below national |
| 95 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $49,680 | 10% below national |
| 96 | Tallahassee, FL | $49,650 | 10% below national |
| 97 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $49,630 | 10% below national |
| 98 | Jacksonville, FL | $49,500 | 10% below national |
| 99 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $49,500 | 10% below national |
| 100 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,450 | 10% below national |
| 101 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $48,730 | 11% below national |
| 102 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $48,670 | 11% below national |
| 103 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $48,650 | 11% below national |
| 104 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $48,550 | 12% below national |
| 105 | Logan, UT-ID | $48,500 | 12% below national |
| 106 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,310 | 12% below national |
| 107 | Ogden, UT | $48,210 | 12% below national |
| 108 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $48,150 | 12% below national |
| 109 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $48,080 | 12% below national |
| 110 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $48,030 | 13% below national |
| 111 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $47,940 | 13% below national |
| 112 | Asheville, NC | $47,930 | 13% below national |
| 113 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $47,860 | 13% below national |
| 114 | Winston-Salem, NC | $47,860 | 13% below national |
| 115 | Dover, DE | $47,720 | 13% below national |
| 116 | Lincoln, NE | $47,590 | 13% below national |
| 117 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $47,590 | 13% below national |
| 118 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $47,320 | 14% below national |
| 119 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $47,290 | 14% below national |
| 120 | Tyler, TX | $47,210 | 14% below national |
| 121 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,020 | 14% below national |
| 122 | Tucson, AZ | $46,960 | 14% below national |
| 123 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $46,680 | 15% below national |
| 124 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,450 | 15% below national |
| 125 | St. George, UT | $46,380 | 16% below national |
| 126 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $46,300 | 16% below national |
| 127 | Midland, TX | $46,210 | 16% below national |
| 128 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $46,100 | 16% below national |
| 129 | Boise City, ID | $46,000 | 16% below national |
| 130 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,930 | 16% below national |
| 131 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $45,820 | 17% below national |
| 132 | Madison, WI | $45,810 | 17% below national |
| 133 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $45,780 | 17% below national |
| 134 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,660 | 17% below national |
| 135 | Charleston, WV | $45,650 | 17% below national |
| 136 | Fayetteville, NC | $45,620 | 17% below national |
| 137 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $45,250 | 18% below national |
| 138 | Knoxville, TN | $44,940 | 18% below national |
| 139 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $44,920 | 18% below national |
| 140 | Green Bay, WI | $44,840 | 18% below national |
| 141 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $44,770 | 18% below national |
| 142 | Warner Robins, GA | $44,620 | 19% below national |
| 143 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $44,560 | 19% below national |
| 144 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $44,320 | 19% below national |
| 145 | Bellingham, WA | $44,250 | 19% below national |
| 146 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $44,250 | 19% below national |
| 147 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $44,250 | 19% below national |
| 148 | Evansville, IN | $44,200 | 20% below national |
| 149 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $43,850 | 20% below national |
| 150 | Jacksonville, NC | $43,550 | 21% below national |
| 151 | Corpus Christi, TX | $42,990 | 22% below national |
| 152 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $42,700 | 22% below national |
| 153 | Chico, CA | $41,600 | 24% below national |
| 154 | Omaha, NE-IA | $41,600 | 24% below national |
| 155 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $40,160 | 27% below national |
| 156 | Terre Haute, IN | $39,990 | 27% below national |
| 157 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,580 | 28% below national |
| 158 | Grants Pass, OR | $39,560 | 28% below national |
| 159 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $39,400 | 28% below national |
| 160 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $38,510 | 30% below national |
| 161 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,490 | 30% below national |
| 162 | Spartanburg, SC | $38,390 | 30% below national |
| 163 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $38,140 | 31% below national |
| 164 | Tulsa, OK | $38,000 | 31% below national |
| 165 | Lubbock, TX | $37,770 | 31% below national |
| 166 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $37,760 | 31% below national |
| 167 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $37,760 | 31% below national |
| 168 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $37,680 | 31% below national |
| 169 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $37,630 | 31% below national |
| 170 | Eau Claire, WI | $37,420 | 32% below national |
| 171 | Yuma, AZ | $37,260 | 32% below national |
| 172 | Bowling Green, KY | $37,010 | 33% below national |
| 173 | Lake Charles, LA | $36,480 | 34% below national |
| 174 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $36,300 | 34% below national |
| 175 | Columbia, SC | $36,150 | 34% below national |
| 176 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $35,960 | 35% below national |
| 177 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $35,740 | 35% below national |
| 178 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $35,650 | 35% below national |
| 179 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $35,410 | 36% below national |
| 180 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $35,100 | 36% below national |
| 181 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $34,860 | 37% below national |
| 182 | Vineland, NJ | $34,780 | 37% below national |
| 183 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $34,600 | 37% below national |
| 184 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $30,930 | 44% below national |
| 185 | Sumter, SC | $30,410 | 45% below national |
| 186 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $30,160 | 45% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 13 (Business and Financial Operations Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Accountants and Auditors
SOC 13-2011
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
SOC 13-1011
Budget Analysts
SOC 13-2031
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
SOC 13-1199
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
SOC 13-1020
Showing 5 of 31 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Business and Financial Operations Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($54,920 here) and reported employment (76,480 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Tax Preparers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $76,300/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $71,850/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.