Tax Preparers salary
Tax Preparers earn a median of $54,920 a year ($26.40/hr) in the U.S. – from $33,280 in Alabama to $71,850 in New York. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$26.40/hr · $54,920 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$33,760$16.23/hr
75% earn more$38,910$18.71/hr
half earn more, half less$54,920$26.40/hr
25% earn more$76,300$36.68/hr
top 10% earn more$99,270$47.72/hr
pulled up by top earners$60,930$29.30/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for tax preparers. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
7,620 jobs · $34.54/hr$71,850
10,270 jobs · $33.67/hr$70,030
1,190 jobs · $32.08/hr$66,720
360 jobs · $30.33/hr$63,080
1,330 jobs · $30.18/hr$62,780
1,540 jobs · $30.11/hr$62,620
70 jobs · $29.98/hr$62,360
420 jobs · $29.51/hr$61,370
1,590 jobs · $29.51/hr$61,370
2,010 jobs · $29.46/hr$61,270
1,410 jobs · $28.85/hr$60,000
1,040 jobs · $28.46/hr$59,200
1,960 jobs · $28.13/hr$58,520
1,500 jobs · $28.08/hr$58,400
90 jobs · $27.88/hr$57,990
jobs n/a · $27.73/hr$57,680
220 jobs · $27.43/hr$57,060
1,310 jobs · $26.19/hr$54,480
780 jobs · $25.80/hr$53,660
280 jobs · $25.26/hr$52,530
240 jobs · $24.98/hr$51,960
580 jobs · $24.36/hr$50,670
1,670 jobs · $23.72/hr$49,330
jobs n/a · $23.57/hr$49,020
1,590 jobs · $23.57/hr$49,020
2,710 jobs · $23.14/hr$48,130
6,010 jobs · $22.82/hr$47,460
450 jobs · $22.74/hr$47,300
250 jobs · $22.67/hr$47,150
1,240 jobs · $22.61/hr$47,020
340 jobs · $22.47/hr$46,730
1,660 jobs · $22.31/hr$46,400
1,820 jobs · $21.98/hr$45,710
1,360 jobs · $21.81/hr$45,370
2,240 jobs · $21.52/hr$44,770
1,550 jobs · $21.32/hr$44,340
3,220 jobs · $20.88/hr$43,420
420 jobs · $20.68/hr$43,010
1,300 jobs · $20.53/hr$42,700
700 jobs · $19.77/hr$41,130
1,360 jobs · $18.86/hr$39,220
650 jobs · $18.63/hr$38,740
340 jobs · $18.30/hr$38,060
1,080 jobs · $17.60/hr$36,620
1,260 jobs · $17.59/hr$36,600
330 jobs · $17.25/hr$35,880
550 jobs · $16.85/hr$35,040
jobs n/a · $16.69/hr$34,720
290 jobs · $16.00/hr$33,280
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 13-2082. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do tax preparers make?
The median wage for tax preparers in the U.S. was $26.40 an hour or $54,920 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $38,910 and $76,300 a year.
Which state pays tax preparers the most?
New York has the highest median wage for tax preparers: $71,850 a year. The lowest published median is in Alabama at $33,280. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many tax preparers are there?
BLS estimates 76,480 tax preparers were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.