Tax Preparer Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of tax preparers to grow 4.7% from 2025 to 2035 (about 4,500 more jobs), with about 9,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $54,920 a year ranks 492nd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +4.7%
- Openings a year
- 9,400
- Median pay
- $54,920
- Pay rank
- 492nd of 825
Is employment of tax preparers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of tax preparers to rise 4.7% (about 4,500 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +5.5% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 business and financial operations occupations with a projection. That change ranks 260th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 95,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 100,300 |
| Projected change | +4.7% |
| Openings a year | 9,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 95,800 jobs here differ from the 76,480 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 9,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 280th most of 830 occupations. About 95% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 450 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for tax preparers rank?
The median of $54,920 a year ranks 492nd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | -1.0% | 4,400 | $62,370 |
| Accountants and Auditors | +5.0% | 115,300 | $83,680 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | +1.4% | 17,100 | $105,070 |
| Credit Counselors | +3.3% | 2,000 | $52,230 |
| Budget Analysts | +1.9% | 2,900 | $91,640 |
| Credit Analysts | -4.3% | 3,100 | $83,510 |
| Financial Examiners | +9.3% | 4,500 | $94,160 |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | +6.0% | 9,000 | $78,210 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.