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Tax Preparers is a notable career in the 13 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Tax Preparers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 13-2082 |
| title | Tax Preparers |
| onet code | 13-2082.00 |
| description | Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 13 |
| tot emp | 73,570 |
| a mean | 58,860 |
| a median | 50,560 |
| a pct10 | 30,500 |
| a pct25 | 37,750 |
| a pct75 | 75,590 |
| a pct90 | 96,240 |
| h mean | 28 |
| h median | 24 |
The day-to-day work of a tax preparers typically centers on use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.30 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working tax preparers, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (31.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 32% of incumbents. Entry pathways are mixed; a meaningful minority enters without a four-year degree.
Median annual pay is highest in Alaska at $77,010 and lowest in West Virginia at $30,470 — a 2.5× spread. The top five states (Alaska, New York, California, Montana, Minnesota) average $72,070. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $77,010 | $71,990 | $42,940 | $88,010 | 80 |
| New York | $73,230 | $74,550 | $38,110 | $109,930 | 6,880 |
| California | $73,210 | $69,980 | $36,250 | $102,290 | 10,700 |
| Montana | $71,370 | $73,270 | $43,300 | $99,160 | 340 |
| Minnesota | $65,530 | $73,290 | $35,780 | $132,190 | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $62,860 | $65,210 | $37,350 | $93,590 | 2,420 |
| Texas | $61,510 | $60,320 | $29,680 | $96,700 | 5,930 |
| Wyoming | $60,340 | $63,340 | $40,500 | $89,990 | 120 |
| Virginia | $59,220 | $63,900 | $29,920 | $108,000 | 2,200 |
| North Dakota | $59,130 | $58,790 | $36,300 | $82,570 | 300 |
| Massachusetts | $58,720 | $60,620 | $36,100 | $88,480 | 1,800 |
| Utah | $58,660 | $67,460 | $38,730 | $100,110 | 1,470 |
| Iowa | $57,440 | $62,170 | $33,480 | $97,770 | 600 |
| New Jersey | $56,440 | $54,240 | $35,220 | $73,070 | 2,460 |
| Rhode Island | $56,070 | $56,750 | $47,840 | $58,240 | — |
| Idaho | $54,500 | $56,980 | $52,000 | $68,240 | — |
| Vermont | $54,240 | $56,050 | $38,270 | $65,820 | — |
| Maine | $51,240 | $51,500 | $39,500 | $62,500 | 360 |
| South Dakota | $51,060 | $55,350 | $38,620 | $75,680 | 350 |
| Ohio | $50,760 | $51,560 | $37,480 | $62,590 | 860 |
| Oregon | $49,220 | $59,910 | $39,890 | $82,620 | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $49,020 | $51,320 | $29,870 | $75,690 | 580 |
| Connecticut | $48,950 | $55,660 | $38,150 | $79,630 | 700 |
| Florida | $48,790 | $55,000 | $25,170 | $91,270 | 3,490 |
| North Carolina | $47,700 | $52,810 | $29,900 | $80,510 | 2,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,340 | $60,460 | $27,510 | $99,990 | 2,480 |
| Michigan | $46,870 | $53,760 | $28,420 | $88,250 | 2,010 |
| New Hampshire | $46,650 | $55,220 | $31,730 | $84,630 | 330 |
| Indiana | $46,430 | $47,470 | $29,690 | $65,180 | 1,660 |
| Hawaii | $46,170 | $52,800 | $31,370 | $79,900 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $46,010 | $50,980 | $29,540 | $77,580 | 1,110 |
| Washington | $45,120 | $49,360 | $37,300 | $74,700 | 1,350 |
| Maryland | $45,080 | $55,630 | $34,720 | $95,850 | 650 |
| Kansas | $44,810 | $53,500 | $29,120 | $96,390 | 630 |
| Arizona | $43,710 | $57,030 | $35,110 | $99,320 | 2,480 |
| Missouri | $42,280 | $51,130 | $31,090 | $93,080 | 1,300 |
| Delaware | $42,110 | $46,120 | $27,560 | $64,790 | 250 |
| Georgia | $41,780 | $44,260 | $29,990 | $65,380 | 1,940 |
| Nevada | $41,480 | $50,890 | $28,860 | $93,350 | 1,210 |
| Illinois | $39,220 | $50,710 | $31,090 | $81,570 | 550 |
| New Mexico | $38,070 | $42,110 | $27,660 | $62,820 | 340 |
| Oklahoma | $37,860 | $43,930 | $26,140 | $73,430 | 1,690 |
| South Carolina | $37,550 | $49,250 | $23,600 | $81,160 | 1,490 |
| Louisiana | $37,430 | $42,540 | $23,470 | $64,260 | 840 |
| Arkansas | $36,070 | $44,060 | $27,810 | $77,020 | 670 |
| Kentucky | $35,830 | $39,080 | $18,780 | $70,360 | 870 |
| Tennessee | $35,640 | $46,290 | $26,200 | $81,010 | 1,280 |
| Alabama | $33,490 | $34,250 | $29,130 | $44,810 | 550 |
| Mississippi | $33,390 | $42,000 | $27,440 | $63,830 | 620 |
| West Virginia | $30,470 | $39,740 | $20,630 | $76,320 | 320 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for tax preparers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Certified Income Tax Preparer (CTP) or Corporate Tax Preparer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Tax Preparers compares to others in the 13 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Tax Preparers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.