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
- $99,270
- Top 10% earn
- +4.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 76,480
- US workers
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 US workers. New York pays the most ($71,850), since pay varies by state and metro area.
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 2033.
- $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.
Tax Preparers (SOC 13-2082) pays a national median of $54,920 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,760 at the 10th percentile to $99,270 at the 90th, with a mean of $60,930 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 76,480 Americans work in this occupation across 49 reporting states and 253 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 10,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.3 per 100.
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 top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $84,240 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
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.
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).
Among 24 13-series occupations with growth data, Tax Preparers sits on the slower-growing side at +4.5% growth and $54,920 median pay.
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 average
Annual Openings
10,400
per year (projected)
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 →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
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
10th Percentile
$33,760
25th Percentile
$38,910
Median
$54,920
75th Percentile
$76,300
90th Percentile
$99,270
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 253 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 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $65,880 | +20% above national |
| 14 | Boulder, CO | $65,410 | +19% above national |
| 15 | Fargo, ND-MN | $65,320 | +19% above national |
| 16 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,150 | +19% above national |
| 17 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65,120 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Waco, TX | $65,020 | +18% above national |
| 19 | Modesto, CA | $64,630 | +18% above national |
| 20 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $64,240 | +17% above national |
| 21 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $63,910 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Florence, SC | $63,600 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $63,560 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $63,460 | +16% above national |
| 25 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $63,170 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Salinas, CA | $63,060 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Bend, OR | $62,950 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $62,350 | +14% above national |
| 29 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $62,290 | +13% above national |
| 30 | Richmond, VA | $62,160 | +13% above national |
| 31 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $62,050 | +13% above national |
| 32 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $62,010 | +13% above national |
| 33 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $61,990 | +13% above national |
| 34 | Vallejo, CA | $61,930 | +13% above national |
| 35 | Reno, NV | $61,790 | +13% above national |
| 36 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $61,460 | +12% above national |
| 37 | Greeley, CO | $61,420 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $61,350 | +12% above national |
| 39 | Dubuque, IA | $61,330 | +12% above national |
| 40 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $61,300 | +12% above national |
| 41 | Syracuse, NY | $61,290 | +12% above national |
| 42 | Redding, CA | $61,200 | +11% above national |
| 43 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,140 | +11% above national |
| 44 | Rapid City, SD | $61,100 | +11% above national |
| 45 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $60,650 | +10% above national |
| 46 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $60,480 | +10% above national |
| 47 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,430 | +10% above national |
| 48 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $60,320 | +10% above national |
| 49 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $60,280 | +10% above national |
| 50 | Wichita, KS | $60,260 | +10% above national |
| 51 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $60,210 | +10% above national |
| 52 | Rochester, NY | $60,180 | +10% above national |
| 53 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,170 | +10% above national |
| 54 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $60,040 | +9% above national |
| 55 | El Paso, TX | $59,990 | +9% above national |
| 56 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $59,990 | +9% above national |
| 57 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,630 | +9% above national |
| 58 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $59,610 | +9% above national |
| 59 | Lancaster, PA | $59,550 | +8% above national |
| 60 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $59,490 | +8% above national |
| 61 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $59,330 | +8% above national |
| 62 | St. Cloud, MN | $59,290 | +8% above national |
| 63 | Helena, MT | $59,170 | +8% above national |
| 64 | Fresno, CA | $58,970 | +7% above national |
| 65 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $58,910 | +7% above national |
| 66 | Colorado Springs, CO | $58,900 | +7% above national |
| 67 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $58,870 | +7% above national |
| 68 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $58,500 | +7% above national |
| 69 | Erie, PA | $58,460 | +6% above national |
| 70 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $58,370 | +6% above national |
| 71 | Salem, OR | $58,330 | +6% above national |
| 72 | Albany, OR | $58,220 | +6% above national |
| 73 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $58,020 | +6% above national |
| 74 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $57,940 | +5% above national |
| 75 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $57,920 | +5% above national |
| 76 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $57,890 | +5% above national |
| 77 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $57,770 | +5% above national |
| 78 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $57,680 | +5% above national |
| 79 | Medford, OR | $57,640 | +5% above national |
| 80 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $57,570 | +5% above national |
| 81 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $57,220 | +4% above national |
| 82 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $57,090 | +4% above national |
| 83 | Barnstable Town, MA | $56,960 | +4% above national |
| 84 | Springfield, MO | $56,820 | +3% above national |
| 85 | Anchorage, AK | $56,740 | +3% above national |
| 86 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $56,580 | +3% above national |
| 87 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $56,160 | +2% above national |
| 88 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $55,960 | +2% above national |
| 89 | Grand Junction, CO | $55,640 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $55,550 | +1% above national |
| 91 | Binghamton, NY | $54,880 | same as national |
| 92 | Ocala, FL | $54,880 | same as national |
| 93 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $54,570 | 1% below national |
| 94 | Roanoke, VA | $53,630 | 2% below national |
| 95 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $53,380 | 3% below national |
| 96 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $52,570 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $52,530 | 4% below national |
| 98 | Wilmington, NC | $52,220 | 5% below national |
| 99 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $51,870 | 6% below national |
| 100 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $51,820 | 6% below national |
| 101 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $50,920 | 7% below national |
| 102 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $50,430 | 8% below national |
| 103 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $50,350 | 8% below national |
| 104 | Punta Gorda, FL | $50,300 | 8% below national |
| 105 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $50,220 | 9% below national |
| 106 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $50,210 | 9% below national |
| 107 | Duluth, MN-WI | $50,170 | 9% below national |
| 108 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $50,070 | 9% below national |
| 109 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $50,070 | 9% below national |
| 110 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $49,830 | 9% below national |
| 111 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $49,680 | 10% below national |
| 112 | Tallahassee, FL | $49,650 | 10% below national |
| 113 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $49,630 | 10% below national |
| 114 | Jacksonville, FL | $49,500 | 10% below national |
| 115 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $49,500 | 10% below national |
| 116 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,450 | 10% below national |
| 117 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $49,400 | 10% below national |
| 118 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $49,250 | 10% below national |
| 119 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $49,110 | 11% below national |
| 120 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $48,730 | 11% below national |
| 121 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $48,670 | 11% below national |
| 122 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $48,650 | 11% below national |
| 123 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $48,630 | 11% below national |
| 124 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $48,550 | 12% below national |
| 125 | Logan, UT-ID | $48,500 | 12% below national |
| 126 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $48,390 | 12% below national |
| 127 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,310 | 12% below national |
| 128 | Ogden, UT | $48,210 | 12% below national |
| 129 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $48,150 | 12% below national |
| 130 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $48,080 | 12% below national |
| 131 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $48,030 | 13% below national |
| 132 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $47,940 | 13% below national |
| 133 | Asheville, NC | $47,930 | 13% below national |
| 134 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $47,860 | 13% below national |
| 135 | Winston-Salem, NC | $47,860 | 13% below national |
| 136 | Dover, DE | $47,720 | 13% below national |
| 137 | Lincoln, NE | $47,590 | 13% below national |
| 138 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $47,590 | 13% below national |
| 139 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $47,480 | 14% below national |
| 140 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $47,320 | 14% below national |
| 141 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $47,290 | 14% below national |
| 142 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $47,230 | 14% below national |
| 143 | Tyler, TX | $47,210 | 14% below national |
| 144 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,020 | 14% below national |
| 145 | Tucson, AZ | $46,960 | 14% below national |
| 146 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $46,680 | 15% below national |
| 147 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,590 | 15% below national |
| 148 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $46,550 | 15% below national |
| 149 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,450 | 15% below national |
| 150 | St. George, UT | $46,380 | 16% below national |
| 151 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $46,360 | 16% below national |
| 152 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $46,330 | 16% below national |
| 153 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $46,300 | 16% below national |
| 154 | Midland, TX | $46,210 | 16% below national |
| 155 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $46,100 | 16% below national |
| 156 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $46,050 | 16% below national |
| 157 | Boise City, ID | $46,000 | 16% below national |
| 158 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,950 | 16% below national |
| 159 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,930 | 16% below national |
| 160 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $45,820 | 17% below national |
| 161 | Madison, WI | $45,810 | 17% below national |
| 162 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $45,780 | 17% below national |
| 163 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,660 | 17% below national |
| 164 | Charleston, WV | $45,650 | 17% below national |
| 165 | Fayetteville, NC | $45,620 | 17% below national |
| 166 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $45,250 | 18% below national |
| 167 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $45,240 | 18% below national |
| 168 | Knoxville, TN | $44,940 | 18% below national |
| 169 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $44,920 | 18% below national |
| 170 | Green Bay, WI | $44,840 | 18% below national |
| 171 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $44,770 | 18% below national |
| 172 | Warner Robins, GA | $44,620 | 19% below national |
| 173 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,580 | 19% below national |
| 174 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $44,560 | 19% below national |
| 175 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $44,320 | 19% below national |
| 176 | Bellingham, WA | $44,250 | 19% below national |
| 177 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $44,250 | 19% below national |
| 178 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $44,250 | 19% below national |
| 179 | Evansville, IN | $44,200 | 20% below national |
| 180 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $44,160 | 20% below national |
| 181 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $43,850 | 20% below national |
| 182 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $43,680 | 20% below national |
| 183 | Jacksonville, NC | $43,550 | 21% below national |
| 184 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $43,230 | 21% below national |
| 185 | Corpus Christi, TX | $42,990 | 22% below national |
| 186 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $42,700 | 22% below national |
| 187 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $42,650 | 22% below national |
| 188 | Chico, CA | $41,600 | 24% below national |
| 189 | Omaha, NE-IA | $41,600 | 24% below national |
| 190 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $41,590 | 24% below national |
| 191 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $40,540 | 26% below national |
| 192 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $40,160 | 27% below national |
| 193 | Terre Haute, IN | $39,990 | 27% below national |
| 194 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $39,600 | 28% below national |
| 195 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,580 | 28% below national |
| 196 | Grants Pass, OR | $39,560 | 28% below national |
| 197 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $39,500 | 28% below national |
| 198 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $39,400 | 28% below national |
| 199 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $39,260 | 29% below national |
| 200 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $38,510 | 30% below national |
| 201 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,490 | 30% below national |
| 202 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $38,470 | 30% below national |
| 203 | Spartanburg, SC | $38,390 | 30% below national |
| 204 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $38,380 | 30% below national |
| 205 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $38,320 | 30% below national |
| 206 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $38,140 | 31% below national |
| 207 | Tulsa, OK | $38,000 | 31% below national |
| 208 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $37,930 | 31% below national |
| 209 | Lubbock, TX | $37,770 | 31% below national |
| 210 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $37,760 | 31% below national |
| 211 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $37,760 | 31% below national |
| 212 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $37,720 | 31% below national |
| 213 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $37,680 | 31% below national |
| 214 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $37,630 | 31% below national |
| 215 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $37,620 | 32% below national |
| 216 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $37,520 | 32% below national |
| 217 | Eau Claire, WI | $37,420 | 32% below national |
| 218 | Yuma, AZ | $37,260 | 32% below national |
| 219 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $37,040 | 33% below national |
| 220 | Bowling Green, KY | $37,010 | 33% below national |
| 221 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $36,860 | 33% below national |
| 222 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $36,830 | 33% below national |
| 223 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $36,830 | 33% below national |
| 224 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $36,620 | 33% below national |
| 225 | Lake Charles, LA | $36,480 | 34% below national |
| 226 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $36,300 | 34% below national |
| 227 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $36,300 | 34% below national |
| 228 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $36,230 | 34% below national |
| 229 | Columbia, SC | $36,150 | 34% below national |
| 230 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $35,960 | 35% below national |
| 231 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $35,740 | 35% below national |
| 232 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $35,650 | 35% below national |
| 233 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $35,440 | 35% below national |
| 234 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $35,440 | 35% below national |
| 235 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $35,410 | 36% below national |
| 236 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $35,230 | 36% below national |
| 237 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $35,230 | 36% below national |
| 238 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $35,100 | 36% below national |
| 239 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $34,860 | 37% below national |
| 240 | Vineland, NJ | $34,780 | 37% below national |
| 241 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $34,600 | 37% below national |
| 242 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $31,450 | 43% below national |
| 243 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $31,200 | 43% below national |
| 244 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $30,930 | 44% below national |
| 245 | Sumter, SC | $30,410 | 45% below national |
| 246 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $30,160 | 45% below national |
| 247 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $29,920 | 46% below national |
| 248 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $29,660 | 46% below national |
| 249 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $29,650 | 46% below national |
| 250 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $29,470 | 46% below national |
| 251 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $29,210 | 47% below national |
| 252 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $27,190 | 50% below national |
| 253 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $27,180 | 51% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 13 (business and financial operations) with comparable pay and career paths.
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What to do with this data
How to use Tax Preparers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $76,300/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. 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.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
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.