Tax Preparer salary in the U.S.
Tax Preparers in the U.S. earn a median of $54,920 a year ($26.40 an hour), based on BLS data for 76,480 workers.
Pay ranges from $33,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $99,270 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $60,930, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for tax preparers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,760 | $16.23 |
| 25th percentile | $38,910 | $18.71 |
| Median | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| 75th percentile | $76,300 | $36.68 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $99,270 | $47.72 |
| Average (mean) | $60,930 | $29.30 |
Half of tax preparers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,576.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,288.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,112.31 |
| Weekly | $1,056.15 |
| Hourly | $26.40 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Tax Preparer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $71,850 | 7,620 |
| California | $70,030 | 10,270 |
| Utah | $66,720 | 1,190 |
| Montana | $63,080 | 360 |
| Missouri | $62,780 | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $62,620 | 1,540 |
| Alaska | $62,360 | 70 |
| New Hampshire | $61,370 | 420 |
| Oregon | $61,370 | 1,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,270 | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $60,000 | 1,410 |
| Minnesota | $59,200 | 1,040 |
| Virginia | $58,520 | 1,960 |
| Massachusetts | $58,400 | 1,500 |
| Wyoming | $57,990 | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $57,680 | n/a |
| North Dakota | $57,060 | 220 |
| Illinois | $54,480 | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $53,660 | 780 |
| South Dakota | $52,530 | 280 |
| Delaware | $51,960 | 240 |
| Mississippi | $50,670 | 580 |
| Georgia | $49,330 | 1,670 |
| Florida | $49,020 | n/a |
| Ohio | $49,020 | 1,590 |
| North Carolina | $48,130 | 2,710 |
| Texas | $47,460 | 6,010 |
| Kansas | $47,300 | 450 |
| Maine | $47,150 | 250 |
| Maryland | $47,020 | 1,240 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,730 | 340 |
| Michigan | $46,400 | 1,660 |
| Indiana | $45,710 | 1,820 |
| Washington | $45,370 | 1,360 |
| Arizona | $44,770 | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $44,340 | 1,550 |
| New Jersey | $43,420 | 3,220 |
| Nebraska | $43,010 | 420 |
| Oklahoma | $42,700 | 1,300 |
| Connecticut | $41,130 | 700 |
| South Carolina | $39,220 | 1,360 |
| Louisiana | $38,740 | 650 |
| New Mexico | $38,060 | 340 |
| Kentucky | $36,620 | 1,080 |
| Tennessee | $36,600 | 1,260 |
| West Virginia | $35,880 | 330 |
| Arkansas | $35,040 | 550 |
| Hawaii | $34,720 | n/a |
| Alabama | $33,280 | 290 |
Best-paying metro areas for tax preparers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,240 | 1,410 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,180 | 760 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,920 | 560 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $75,990 | 30 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $71,800 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,300 | 8,100 |
| Amarillo, TX | $70,980 | 60 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $70,170 | 690 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $69,210 | 380 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $66,920 | 670 |
| Billings, MT | $65,930 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $65,930 | 130 |
| Boulder, CO | $65,410 | 110 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $65,320 | 110 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,150 | 970 |
Metro areas with the most tax preparers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 8,100 | $71,300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,250 | $65,120 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,780 | $47,020 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,580 | $44,770 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,410 | $84,240 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,280 | $47,320 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,150 | $62,010 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,150 | $57,890 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 1,130 | $60,170 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,110 | $59,630 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,060 | $48,550 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,020 | $48,670 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 970 | $65,150 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 870 | $61,350 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 850 | $50,350 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,680 | $40.23 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $102,740 | $49.40 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 | $36.87 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $81,100 | $38.99 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 | $39.12 |
| Financial Examiner | $94,160 | $45.27 |
| Credit Analyst | $83,510 | $40.15 |
| Financial Risk Specialist | $117,330 | $56.41 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $67,960 | $32.67 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | $29.98 |
| Budget Analyst | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| Credit Counselor | $52,230 | $25.11 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | $39.93 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 13-2082. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tax preparer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for tax preparers in the U.S. is $54,920 a year, or $26.40 an hour. Pay ranges from $33,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $99,270 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid tax preparers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of tax preparers in the U.S. earn at least $99,270 a year. The top 25% earn $76,300 or more.
What is the starting pay for tax preparers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $33,760 a year, and a quarter of tax preparers earn $38,910 or less.
How many tax preparers work in the U.S.?
About 76,480 tax preparers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.