Tax Preparers Salary
Business and Financial Operations Occupations · 76K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$54,920
Median hourly
$26
Average annual
$60,930
Typical range
$33,760–$99,270
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Tax Preparers is $54,920 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $26 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses..
Most earn between $33,760 and $99,270 a year. There are roughly 76K people employed as tax preparers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Tax Preparers.
- Hourly
- $26.40
- Daily
- $211
- Weekly
- $1,056
- Bi-weekly
- $2,112
- Monthly
- $4,577
- Annual
- $54,920
$54,920 a year is around the 50th percentile for Tax Preparerss. The median is $54,920.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New York$71,850
- 2California$70,030
- 3Utah$66,720
- 4Montana$63,080
- 5Missouri$62,780
- 6Colorado$62,620
- 7Alaska$62,360
- 8New Hampshire$61,370
- 9Oregon$61,370
- 10Pennsylvania$61,270
- 11Nevada$60,000
- 12Minnesota$59,200
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$84,240
- 2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$81,180
- 3Kansas City, MO-KS$78,920
- 4Jefferson City, MO$75,990
- 5Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$71,800
- 6New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$71,300
- 7Amarillo, TX$70,980
- 8San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$70,170
- 9St. Louis, MO-IL$69,210
- 10Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$66,920
- 11Billings, MT$65,930
- 12Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$65,930
Related job titles
Employers advertise Tax Preparers roles under these titles.
- Certified Income Tax Preparer (CTP)
- Corporate Tax Preparer
- Credentialed Tax Expert
- Credentialed Tax Professional
- Enrolled Agent
- Enrolled Agent Tax Consultant
- Income Tax Advisor
- Income Tax Consultant
- Income Tax Expert
- Income Tax Preparer
- Licensed Tax Consultant
- Preseason Tax Professional
- Tax Advisor
- Tax Assistant
- Tax Consultant
- Tax Evaluator
Related occupations
What a Tax Preparers does
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
- Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
- Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
- Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
- Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.
- Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Tax Preparers make?
- The median annual wage for Tax Preparers is $54,920 ($26 per hour). Pay ranges from about $33,760 at the 10th percentile to $99,270 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Tax Preparers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $60,930, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Tax Preparerss the most?
- New York has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $71,850.
- Is Tax Preparers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 76K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Tax Preparers do?
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.; Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.; Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances..