Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Tax preparers specialize in helping individuals and organizations complete tax-related documents and navigate filing requirements. This career combines numerical work with customer-facing service, drawing heavily on mathematics, computers and information technology, and strong attention to detail. Nationally, there are about 91,000 tax preparer jobs, with a projected employment growth rate of 4.5%. Around 10,000 openings are expected each year, reflecting both new jobs and turnover. The national median annual salary is $50,560, with significantly higher pay available in some states and metro areas. The role suits people who are comfortable working with written information, making decisions, and solving problems for clients. Strong interpersonal and customer service skills are important because much of the work involves interacting with taxpayers and explaining complex information clearly. For those exploring related paths, similar occupations include tax examiners and collectors, brokerage clerks, financial clerks, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, and correspondence clerks.
Tax preparers earn a national median annual salary of $50,560, but pay varies by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, New York shows a median salary of $71,850 and California $70,030, both well above the national figure. Colorado’s median is $62,620 and Massachusetts $58,400, while Washington is lower at $45,370. At the metro level, salaries can be even higher. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA reports a median of $84,240, and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA $81,180. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area has a median salary of $71,300, while Boston–Cambridge–Newton is at $59,630 and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria at $57,890. These differences indicate that tax preparers who are flexible about location may find higher earning potential in select states and large metro areas with strong opportunity scores.
Tax preparers have national employment of about 91,000 and a projected employment growth rate of 4.5%. The occupation is expected to generate roughly 10,000 openings per year, which includes both newly created positions and replacement of workers who leave the occupation. This combination of existing employment, projected growth, and annual openings suggests a steady flow of opportunities across the country. The 4.5% growth rate appears consistently across the top states and metro areas listed, indicating similar projected expansion in those locations. Because tax preparers are employed in many regions, job seekers can consider both statewide and metro-area markets when planning their career paths. Related occupations—such as tax examiners and collectors, brokerage clerks, financial clerks, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, and correspondence clerks—may also be options for those interested in tax- and finance-related work with similar analytical and clerical elements.
Location has a meaningful impact on both opportunity and pay for tax preparers. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington rank highest by CareerGPS opportunity score. California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $70,030, and employment of 10,270. New York follows closely with a $71,850 median salary and 7,620 employed. Massachusetts, Colorado, and Washington show smaller employment levels but still offer solid opportunity scores and distinct median pay levels. Metro areas show even more variation. San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA and New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ have the highest opportunity scores, at 77.42 and 77.27, with median salaries of $81,180 and $71,300, respectively. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA offers the highest listed metro salary at $84,240. Washington–Arlington–Alexandria and Boston–Cambridge–Newton provide moderate to strong salaries and opportunity scores. Job seekers can use these contrasts to target locations that best match their salary expectations and preferred regional markets.
The typical education requirement for tax preparers is a high school diploma or equivalent. This opens the field to candidates who may not have a college degree but are ready to build strong, occupation-specific skills. Success in this role depends heavily on mathematics and comfort with computers and information technology, reflecting the numerical and digital nature of tax work. Being detail oriented is essential, as tax preparation requires accuracy and careful review of information. Other key skills include writing and reading, critical and analytical thinking, and problem solving and decision making. These support tasks such as interpreting written materials and resolving issues as they arise. Customer service and interpersonal skills are also important because tax preparers frequently interact with clients. Project management skills help in organizing work, meeting deadlines, and handling multiple client files. Together, this mix of education and skills forms a practical pathway into the occupation for students, job seekers, and career changers.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
