The average salary for a tax preparer in the United States is around $42,917 per year.
Avg Salary
Tax preparers earn an average yearly salary of $42,917.
Wages typically start from $25,543 and go up to $72,107.
30% below national average Updated in 2023
Tax preparer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level tax preparer earnings begin at:
$34.67 per hour
$72,107 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level tax preparer earnings begin at:
$27.11 per hour
$56,394 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level tax preparer earnings begin at:
$20.63 per hour
$42,917 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level tax preparer earnings begin at:
$15.70 per hour
$32,661 per year
10th percentile
Starting level tax preparer earnings begin at:
$12.28 per hour
$25,543 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Tax preparer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $79,450 |
| Massachusetts | $60,840 |
| Wyoming | $60,190 |
| Texas | $59,430 |
| Colorado | $56,510 |
| Minnesota | $55,700 |
| New Jersey | $53,850 |
| California | $51,400 |
| District of Columbia | $50,520 |
| New Hampshire | $48,570 |
| Washington | $48,560 |
| Michigan | $48,210 |
| Utah | $48,170 |
| North Dakota | $47,960 |
| New York | $47,510 |
| Idaho | $47,320 |
| Nevada | $47,320 |
| Arizona | $47,270 |
| Oregon | $47,180 |
| Maine | $47,040 |
| Illinois | $46,910 |
| Vermont | $46,910 |
| Montana | $46,770 |
| Wisconsin | $46,640 |
| Indiana | $46,600 |
| Rhode Island | $43,770 |
| Maryland | $42,760 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,600 |
| South Dakota | $39,070 |
| Delaware | $38,330 |
| Virginia | $38,330 |
| Connecticut | $38,080 |
| Hawaii | $37,990 |
| North Carolina | $37,720 |
| Kansas | $37,290 |
| Nebraska | $37,000 |
| Florida | $36,410 |
| South Carolina | $36,000 |
| Oklahoma | $35,400 |
| New Mexico | $34,720 |
| Iowa | $31,150 |
| Ohio | $31,150 |
| Georgia | $30,450 |
| Louisiana | $30,260 |
| Arkansas | $30,190 |
| Missouri | $30,190 |
| Tennessee | $29,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,130 |
| Kentucky | $29,020 |
| West Virginia | $29,010 |
| Mississippi | $28,900 |
| Alabama | $28,320 |
| Guam | $22,350 |
How do tax preparer salaries compare to similar careers?
Tax preparers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than accountants but more than bookkeepers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Accountant salary | $56K |
| Auditor salary | $54K |
| Financial advisor salary | $49K |
| Revenue agent salary | $52K |
| Market research analyst salary | $48K |
| Tax preparer salary | $43K |
| Stock trader salary | $38K |
| Financial clerk salary | $39K |
| Debt collector salary | $31K |
| Bookkeeper salary | $25K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)