Average Salary for Tax Preparers
SOC 13-2082 · Business and Financial Operations Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Tax Preparers in the United States is $50,560 ($24.31/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $30,500 at the 10th percentile to $96,240 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 73,570 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 40.5% since 2014.
Median Annual
$50,560
Mean Annual
$58,860
10th Pct
$30,500
75th Pct
$75,590
Employment
73,570
Salary Distribution
$31k
10th
$38k
25th
$51k
Median
$76k
75th
$96k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $83,600 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,240 |
| Anchorage, AK | $77,010 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $74,670 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $73,550 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,990 |
| Great Falls, MT | $71,710 |
| Billings, MT | $71,370 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $68,160 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $67,360 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $66,940 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $66,750 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $66,560 |
| Mankato, MN | $65,530 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $65,240 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $77,010 |
| New York | $73,230 |
| California | $73,210 |
| Montana | $71,370 |
| Minnesota | $65,530 |
| Colorado | $62,860 |
| Texas | $61,510 |
| Wyoming | $60,340 |
| Virginia | $59,220 |
| North Dakota | $59,130 |
| Massachusetts | $58,720 |
| Utah | $58,660 |
| Iowa | $57,440 |
| New Jersey | $56,440 |
| Rhode Island | $56,070 |
| Idaho | $54,500 |
| Vermont | $54,240 |
| Maine | $51,240 |
| South Dakota | $51,060 |
| Ohio | $50,760 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,500 |
| Oregon | $49,220 |
| Nebraska | $49,020 |
| Connecticut | $48,950 |
| Florida | $48,790 |
| North Carolina | $47,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,340 |
| Michigan | $46,870 |
| New Hampshire | $46,650 |
| Indiana | $46,430 |
| Hawaii | $46,170 |
| Wisconsin | $46,010 |
| Washington | $45,120 |
| Maryland | $45,080 |
| Kansas | $44,810 |
| Arizona | $43,710 |
| Missouri | $42,280 |
| Delaware | $42,110 |
| Georgia | $41,780 |
| Nevada | $41,480 |
| Illinois | $39,220 |
| Guam | $38,460 |
| New Mexico | $38,070 |
| Oklahoma | $37,860 |
| South Carolina | $37,550 |
| Louisiana | $37,430 |
| Arkansas | $36,070 |
| Kentucky | $35,830 |
| Tennessee | $35,640 |
| Alabama | $33,490 |
| Mississippi | $33,390 |
| West Virginia | $30,470 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Tax Preparers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $109,770 |
| Wholesale Trade | $109,770 |
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $88,250 |
| Finance and Insurance | $80,510 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $71,540 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $64,260 |
| Legal Services | $63,580 |
| Temporary Help Services | $62,290 |
| Software Publishers | $61,020 |
| Publishing Industries | $61,020 |
| Information | $61,020 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $59,840 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $59,840 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $59,840 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $58,830 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $50,560 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $49,950 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $49,950 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $49,630 |
| Insurance Carriers | $44,140 |
| Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers | $44,130 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $43,680 |
| Social Assistance | $43,680 |
| Individual and Family Services | $43,680 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $50,560 |
| 2023 | $49,010 |
| 2022 | $48,250 |
| 2021 | $46,290 |
| 2020 | $44,300 |
| 2019 | $43,080 |
| 2018 | $39,390 |
| 2017 | $38,730 |
| 2016 | $36,550 |
| 2015 | $36,450 |
| 2014 | $35,990 |