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Tax Preparers Salary
Tax Preparers earn a median $54,920 a year in the U.S., with 76,480 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $54,920 a year
- Employment
- 76,480
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +4.7%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 9,400
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $54,920 · $26.40 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $60,930 · $29.30 an hour (estimate error ±1.4%)
- 10th percentile
- $33,760 · $16.23 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $38,910 · $18.71 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $76,300 · $36.68 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $99,270 · $47.72 an hour
- Employment
- 76,480 (estimate error ±4.3%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses. Excludes “Accountants and Auditors” (13-2011).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 95,800
- Projected for 2035
- 100,300
- Change
- +4,500 (+4.7%)
- Openings each year
- 9,400
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 17.6%
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $71,850 | 7,620 |
| 2 | California | $70,030 | 10,270 |
| 3 | Utah | $66,720 | 1,190 |
| 4 | Montana | $63,080 | 360 |
| 5 | Missouri | $62,780 | 1,330 |
| 6 | Colorado | $62,620 | 1,540 |
| 7 | Alaska | $62,360 | 70 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $61,370 | 420 |
| 9 | Oregon | $61,370 | 1,590 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $61,270 | 2,010 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 10,270 | $70,030 |
| New York | 7,620 | $71,850 |
| Texas | 6,010 | $47,460 |
| New Jersey | 3,220 | $43,420 |
| North Carolina | 2,710 | $48,130 |
| Arizona | 2,240 | $44,770 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,010 | $61,270 |
| Virginia | 1,960 | $58,520 |
| Indiana | 1,820 | $45,710 |
| Georgia | 1,670 | $49,330 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,240 | 1,410 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,180 | 760 |
| 3 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,920 | 560 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,300 | 8,100 |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $70,170 | 690 |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $69,210 | 380 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $66,920 | 670 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $65,930 | 130 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $65,410 | 110 |
| 10 | Fargo, ND-MN | $65,320 | 110 |
| 11 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,150 | 970 |
| 12 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65,120 | 3,250 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)20 certified filingsMedian offered wage $64,500
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)10 certified filingsMedian offered wage $62,935
Tax Preparers pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
Frequently asked questions
- How much do tax preparers make?
- The median wage for tax preparers in the U.S. is $54,920 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,910 and $76,300.
- Which state pays tax preparers the most?
- New York has the highest median wage for this occupation at $71,850 a year.
- What is the job outlook for tax preparers?
- BLS projects employment to grow 4.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,400 openings each year on average.
- What education do tax preparers need?
- The typical entry-level education is: high school diploma or equivalent.