Tax Preparers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for tax preparers in the U.S. is $54,920 ($26.40 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $54,920
- Mean annual wage
- $60,930
- Median hourly wage
- $26.40
- Employment
- 76,480
76,480 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,760 | $16.23 |
| 25th percentile | $38,910 | $18.71 |
| Median (50th) | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| 75th percentile | $76,300 | $36.68 |
| 90th percentile | $99,270 | $47.72 |
Highest-paying states for tax preparers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $71,850 | 7,620 |
| California | $70,030 | 10,270 |
| Utah | $66,720 | 1,190 |
| Montana | $63,080 | 360 |
| Missouri | $62,780 | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $62,620 | 1,540 |
| Alaska | $62,360 | 70 |
| New Hampshire | $61,370 | 420 |
| Oregon | $61,370 | 1,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,270 | 2,010 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $33,280 median annual wage
- Hawaii: $34,720 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $35,040 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $35,880 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $36,600 median annual wage
About this occupation
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
Typical tasks
- Answer questions and provide future tax planning to clients.
- Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.
- Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- Calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity and processing time required.
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 10.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.5% |
| Associate's degree | 10.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 34.2% |
| Master's degree | 16.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 5.7% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.