Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$33,760
- 25th Percentile — Junior$38,910
- 50th Percentile — Median$54,920
- 75th Percentile — Senior$76,300
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$99,270
The top 10% of Tax Preparers earn $99,270 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $33,760, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $92,614 | +52.0% |
| New York | $79,160 | +29.9% |
| Alaska | $77,490 | +27.2% |
| Missouri | $72,120 | +18.4% |
| California | $71,540 | +17.4% |
| Nevada | $69,450 | +14.0% |
| Montana | $68,980 | +13.2% |
| Utah | $67,520 | +10.8% |
| Colorado | $67,090 | +10.1% |
| Wyoming | $67,030 | +10.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $66,780 | +9.6% |
| Oregon | $65,980 | +8.3% |
| Vermont (est.) | $65,804 | +8.0% |
| New Hampshire | $64,780 | +6.3% |
| Minnesota | $62,780 | +3.0% |
| Arizona | $62,650 | +2.8% |
| North Dakota | $62,070 | +1.9% |
| Virginia | $61,160 | +0.4% |
| Iowa | $59,590 | -2.2% |
| Massachusetts | $58,230 | -4.4% |
| North Carolina | $57,820 | -5.1% |
| Rhode Island | $57,010 | -6.4% |
| Texas | $56,670 | -7.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $56,665 | -7.0% |
| Mississippi | $56,640 | -7.0% |
| Kansas | $55,950 | -8.2% |
| South Dakota | $55,710 | -8.6% |
| Georgia | $55,400 | -9.1% |
| Florida | $54,670 | -10.3% |
| Illinois | $54,530 | -10.5% |
| Maryland | $54,350 | -10.8% |
| Michigan | $54,160 | -11.1% |
| Delaware | $54,020 | -11.3% |
| New Jersey | $52,870 | -13.2% |
| Connecticut | $52,350 | -14.1% |
| Ohio | $52,310 | -14.1% |
| Indiana | $51,820 | -15.0% |
| South Carolina | $51,220 | -15.9% |
| Maine | $49,600 | -18.6% |
| Washington | $49,380 | -19.0% |
| Wisconsin | $49,300 | -19.1% |
| Oklahoma | $48,910 | -19.7% |
| Nebraska | $46,910 | -23.0% |
| Kentucky | $45,970 | -24.6% |
| Tennessee | $45,740 | -24.9% |
| Louisiana | $44,340 | -27.2% |
| Arkansas | $43,350 | -28.9% |
| Hawaii | $40,820 | -33.0% |
| New Mexico | $40,770 | -33.1% |
| West Virginia | $40,320 | -33.8% |
| Alabama | $34,070 | -44.1% |
What Factors Affect Tax Preparers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Tax Preparers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: New York pays an average of $79,160, while Alabama pays $34,070 — a gap of $45,090 per year.
The middle half of Tax Preparers earn between $38,910 and $76,300 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $33,760, while the top 10% earn more than $99,270.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Tax Preparers?
The average salary for Tax Preparers in the United States is $60,930 per year, with a median of $54,920.
What is the starting salary for Tax Preparers?
Entry-level Tax Preparers typically earn between $33,760 and $38,910 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Tax Preparers the most?
New York pays Tax Preparers the most at $79,160 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($77,490) and Missouri ($72,120).
How much do Tax Preparers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $60,930, Tax Preparers earn approximately $29.29 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Tax Preparers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 76,480 Tax Preparers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $60,930 and a median of $54,920 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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