Tax Preparer | Salary & Job Information

Becoming a Tax Preparer via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Kaplan University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering tax courses to train individuals to become top-notch tax preparers, accountants, tax accountants, tax specialists, CPAs, tax professionals, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 61,130 people employed as tax preparers alone in America, and their average annual salary is $36,060. Accountants and auditors make on average $67,430 per year and there are about 1,106,980 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Kaplan University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Tax Preparer
  • Tax Franchises
  • Tax Associations
  • Consulting Offices
  • Accounting Companies
  • Tax Accounting Firms
  • Seasonal Tax Preparation Services
  • Program Management Companies
  • State and Local Tax Firms
  • Federal Tax Associations
  • Tax Managing Companies
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Tax Preparer
  • Constantly working with people
  • The opportunity to work with important companies
  • Flexible hours
  • Competitive salaries
  • Ability to work anywhere in the country
  • Well-paid occupation
  • Constantly having the ability to help people
  • Freedom to specialize in what you like
  • Have authority in a company forum
  • Using knowledge to help people and companies
Potential Drawbacks
  • Constantly keeping track of files
  • Keeping track of clients
  • Dealing with untrustworthy customers
  • Handle phone calls about returns
  • Preparing longer returns
  • Preparing for audits
  • Securing information
  • Mundane desk job
  • Long hours in front of a computer
  • Seasonal job
Related Professions to Consider
  • Accountants
  • Tax Specialists
  • Tax Advisors
  • Paraprofessional
  • Tax Associate
  • Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
  • Credit Analysts
  • Insurance Underwriters
  • Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue Agents
  • Actuaries
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Tax Preparer
  • What will you do if you find any disturbance from senoir?
  • What do you mean by object oriented programming?
  • How do you intiate your talk with your customer?
  • What kind of tax background do you have?
  • Tell us something about art projects you have worked in previous jobs?
  • What is your typing speed?
  • How successfull have you been in your profession up till now?
  • What are the roles and responsibility of an architect?
  • Which accounting application do you know?
  • What is free cash flow?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Tax Senior Accountant
  • Tax Specialist
  • Tax Manager
  • Director of Tax
  • Tax Analyst
  • Tax General
  • Trust Tax Officer
  • Tax Operations Specialist
  • Tax Preparer
  • Senior Tax Accounting Specialist
Tax Preparer Training books Tax Preparer (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Special Accounting
  • Corporate Accounting
  • Small Business Accounting
  • Private Accounting
  • National Accounting
  • Accounting Specialist
  • Private Sector Accounting
  • Government Accounting
  • Finance Accounting
  • Investment Accounting

Tax Preparer Salary Information

Category: Accountants and auditors

Total # Employed in the US 1,106,980
Average Hourly Wage: $32.42/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.12 $22.47 $29.01 $38.21 $50.22
Average Yearly Salary $67,430
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$37,690 $46,740 $60,340 $79,470 $104,450
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 5.3% 8.9% 10.5% 55.6% 17.0% 2.4%
Accountants and auditors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Oklahoma $40.52/hr $84,280
Florida $38.46/hr $79,990
North Dakota $38.14/hr $79,330
Mississippi $36.65/hr $76,220
Missouri $35.23/hr $73,290
Colorado $34.7/hr $72,170
Delaware $34.19/hr $71,120
Idaho $33.6/hr $69,890
Kansas $33.49/hr $69,660
District of Columbia $33.15/hr $68,950
Connecticut $33.13/hr $68,910
Utah $32.59/hr $67,780
Alaska $31.79/hr $66,120
Wyoming $31.63/hr $65,780
Virginia $31.44/hr $65,390
Montana $30.93/hr $64,330
Puerto Rico $30.85/hr $64,180
Oregon $30.65/hr $63,750
South Carolina $30.21/hr $62,830
Kentucky $30.09/hr $62,580
Hawaii $29.93/hr $62,260
Tennessee $29.33/hr $61,010
Nebraska $29.28/hr $60,900
Guam $29.09/hr $60,510
Ohio $29.03/hr $60,380
New Mexico $28.82/hr $59,950
North Carolina $28.66/hr $59,610
New York $28.48/hr $59,250
Alabama $28.31/hr $58,870
New Hampshire $28.27/hr $58,800
Iowa $28.2/hr $58,660
Arkansas $28.13/hr $58,500
Louisiana $28.1/hr $58,460
Michigan $28/hr $58,240
Wisconsin $27.58/hr $57,370
Indiana $27.34/hr $56,860
Washington $27.09/hr $56,350
New Jersey $27.08/hr $56,330
Maine $27.07/hr $56,300
Maryland $26.44/hr $54,990
Massachusetts $26.22/hr $54,540
South Dakota $25.94/hr $53,950
Nevada $25.94/hr $53,950
West Virginia $25.56/hr $53,160
California $25.24/hr $52,490
Pennsylvania $24.3/hr $50,550


Category: Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents

Total # Employed in the US 69,500
Average Hourly Wage: $25.87/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$13.94 $17.9 $23.34 $32.37 $43.72
Average Yearly Salary $53,800
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$28,990 $37,240 $48,550 $67,330 $90,940
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.9% 21.1% 23.6% 9.6% 35.8% 7.6% 1.4%
Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Delaware $35.21/hr $73,230
Alaska $34.87/hr $72,520
North Dakota $34.35/hr $71,440
Indiana $33.75/hr $70,200
Kansas $32.41/hr $67,410
Pennsylvania $32.28/hr $67,150
Montana $31.7/hr $65,930
Connecticut $30.7/hr $63,860
Colorado $30.17/hr $62,750
Oklahoma $30.08/hr $62,580
Virginia $29.62/hr $61,610
New York $29.44/hr $61,230
Mississippi $29.37/hr $61,090
Missouri $29.22/hr $60,780
South Carolina $28.61/hr $59,500
Louisiana $27.89/hr $58,020
Nebraska $27.38/hr $56,960
Ohio $26.56/hr $55,240
District of Columbia $26.23/hr $54,550
New Jersey $25.98/hr $54,040
Alabama $25.5/hr $53,050
Arkansas $25.33/hr $52,690
New Mexico $25.25/hr $52,520
Wyoming $24.99/hr $51,970
Iowa $24.74/hr $51,450
Tennessee $24.52/hr $51,000
Kentucky $24.26/hr $50,470
Wisconsin $24.21/hr $50,360
North Carolina $23.71/hr $49,320
Puerto Rico $23.68/hr $49,260
Oregon $23.25/hr $48,360
Massachusetts $23.01/hr $47,850
South Dakota $22.77/hr $47,370
Washington $22.62/hr $47,060
Maryland $21.85/hr $45,450
Utah $21.77/hr $45,280
New Hampshire $21.75/hr $45,240
Guam $21.71/hr $45,150
Idaho $21.59/hr $44,900
West Virginia $21.33/hr $44,360
Hawaii $21.06/hr $43,810
Maine $20.94/hr $43,560
California $20.48/hr $42,600
Michigan $20.1/hr $41,810
Nevada $18.71/hr $38,920


Category: Tax preparers

Total # Employed in the US 61,130
Average Hourly Wage: $17.34/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$8.5 $10.47 $14.45 $21.82 $30.9
Average Yearly Salary $36,060
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$17,680 $21,780 $30,060 $45,390 $64,270
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.1% 15.5% 24.8% 8.8% 31.5% 12.5% 4.9%
Tax preparers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Missouri $29.06/hr $60,440
Alaska $27.49/hr $57,170
Colorado $23.86/hr $49,620
Indiana $23.73/hr $49,350
North Dakota $23.29/hr $48,450
District of Columbia $20.62/hr $42,880
North Carolina $20.6/hr $42,850
New Mexico $20.01/hr $41,630
Mississippi $19.97/hr $41,540
Puerto Rico $19.86/hr $41,310
Connecticut $19.58/hr $40,740
Tennessee $19.5/hr $40,560
New York $18.85/hr $39,210
Idaho $18.8/hr $39,100
Guam $18.34/hr $38,140
Wyoming $18.14/hr $37,720
Arkansas $17.71/hr $36,830
Iowa $17.14/hr $35,650
Nebraska $16.73/hr $34,800
Virginia $16.69/hr $34,720
Delaware $16.66/hr $34,660
Kentucky $16.21/hr $33,730
Kansas $16.11/hr $33,500
South Carolina $15.6/hr $32,450
Wisconsin $15.36/hr $31,950
Utah $15.3/hr $31,830
Oklahoma $15.12/hr $31,450
Washington $15.04/hr $31,280
New Hampshire $14.96/hr $31,110
West Virginia $14.58/hr $30,330
Florida $14.48/hr $30,120
Maine $14.41/hr $29,980
Massachusetts $14/hr $29,120
Ohio $13.89/hr $28,890
Michigan $13.86/hr $28,820
Oregon $13.77/hr $28,650
New Jersey $13.71/hr $28,510
Montana $13.7/hr $28,490
Alabama $13.37/hr $27,810
Maryland $13.04/hr $27,120
Nevada $12.65/hr $26,320
South Dakota $12.28/hr $25,550
California $12.25/hr $25,470
Hawaii $12.01/hr $24,990
Louisiana $11.85/hr $24,660


Category: Bill and account collectors

Total # Employed in the US 403,100
Average Hourly Wage: $15.65/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.22 $12.23 $14.87 $18.23 $22.32
Average Yearly Salary $32,560
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21,250 $25,440 $30,940 $37,910 $46,430
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
4.4% 33.6% 35.2% 10.9% 13.7% 1.8% 0.5%
Bill and account collectors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Missouri $18.9/hr $39,310
Florida $18.85/hr $39,200
Delaware $18.74/hr $38,990
Alaska $18.24/hr $37,940
Colorado $18.12/hr $37,680
Montana $17.53/hr $36,460
Indiana $17.32/hr $36,020
North Dakota $17.14/hr $35,660
Puerto Rico $17.07/hr $35,510
Oklahoma $17.06/hr $35,490
Mississippi $16.97/hr $35,300
New York $16.66/hr $34,650
Nebraska $16.39/hr $34,090
Virginia $16.37/hr $34,060
District of Columbia $16.15/hr $33,590
Connecticut $16.15/hr $33,590
Kansas $16.12/hr $33,530
Tennessee $16.01/hr $33,310
New Jersey $15.86/hr $32,990
Michigan $15.85/hr $32,970
North Carolina $15.57/hr $32,390
Utah $15.5/hr $32,230
Arkansas $15.47/hr $32,170
Iowa $15.41/hr $32,060
Hawaii $15.28/hr $31,790
Oregon $15.27/hr $31,760
Idaho $14.85/hr $30,880
New Mexico $14.75/hr $30,680
South Carolina $14.7/hr $30,570
Wyoming $14.54/hr $30,240
Guam $14.46/hr $30,080
Wisconsin $14.41/hr $29,980
Kentucky $14.36/hr $29,880
Massachusetts $14.32/hr $29,780
Louisiana $14.22/hr $29,580
New Hampshire $14.04/hr $29,190
Ohio $13.84/hr $28,780
Maine $13.76/hr $28,620
West Virginia $13.74/hr $28,580
Washington $13.73/hr $28,550
California $13.71/hr $28,520
South Dakota $13.58/hr $28,260
Alabama $13.54/hr $28,160
Pennsylvania $13.27/hr $27,610
Nevada $13.08/hr $27,200
Maryland $13/hr $27,030


Category: Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Total # Employed in the US 1,757,870
Average Hourly Wage: $16.71/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.23 $12.94 $16.08 $19.85 $24.25
Average Yearly Salary $34,750
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21,280 $26,910 $33,450 $41,280 $50,450
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
3.3% 32.9% 39.2% 9.5% 12.8% 1.9% 0.3%
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $22.65/hr $47,100
Delaware $19.32/hr $40,190
Alaska $19/hr $39,530
Missouri $18.87/hr $39,250
Mississippi $18.82/hr $39,140
Colorado $18.79/hr $39,090
Oklahoma $18.54/hr $38,570
North Dakota $18.51/hr $38,500
Virginia $17.56/hr $36,530
District of Columbia $17.3/hr $35,990
New York $17.14/hr $35,660
North Carolina $17.08/hr $35,520
Arkansas $17.07/hr $35,500
Kansas $17/hr $35,350
Tennessee $16.91/hr $35,170
Connecticut $16.86/hr $35,070
Nebraska $16.73/hr $34,800
Montana $16.64/hr $34,600
Utah $16.56/hr $34,440
Indiana $16.56/hr $34,440
Puerto Rico $16.52/hr $34,350
Wyoming $16.16/hr $33,610
Idaho $16.04/hr $33,360
South Carolina $15.87/hr $33,010
Oregon $15.73/hr $32,720
Hawaii $15.7/hr $32,660
Kentucky $15.6/hr $32,440
Michigan $15.44/hr $32,110
New Hampshire $15.36/hr $31,950
Wisconsin $15.35/hr $31,930
Nevada $15.26/hr $31,750
Washington $15.24/hr $31,700
Massachusetts $15.13/hr $31,470
Guam $14.91/hr $31,010
Louisiana $14.87/hr $30,930
Pennsylvania $14.84/hr $30,870
Maryland $14.78/hr $30,750
Ohio $14.64/hr $30,460
Alabama $14.63/hr $30,420
New Jersey $14.61/hr $30,390
Maine $14.61/hr $30,380
Iowa $14.57/hr $30,310
New Mexico $14.24/hr $29,630
California $13.97/hr $29,060
South Dakota $13.77/hr $28,650
West Virginia $12.92/hr $26,870


Category: Accountants

Total # Employed in the US 1,106,980
Average Hourly Wage: $32.42/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.12 $22.47 $29.01 $38.21 $50.22
Average Yearly Salary $67,430
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$37,690 $46,740 $60,340 $79,470 $104,450
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 5.3% 8.9% 10.5% 55.6% 17.0% 2.4%


Tax Programs by State & City