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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

13-2082 Tax Preparers

Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses. Excludes "Accountants and Auditors" (13-2011).


National estimates for Tax Preparers
Industry profile for Tax Preparers
Geographic profile for Tax Preparers

National estimates for Tax Preparers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Tax Preparers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
62,600 2.9 % $ 25.34 $ 52,710 2.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Tax Preparers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 10.62 $ 14.09 $ 21.30 $ 31.71 $ 44.97
Annual Wage (2) $ 22,090 $ 29,310 $ 44,300 $ 65,960 $ 93,540


Industry profile for Tax Preparers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Tax Preparers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Tax Preparers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Tax Preparers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services 59,950 6.12 $ 25.12 $ 52,240
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 730 0.05 $ 27.08 $ 56,320
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 470 0.05 (8) (8)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 110 0.00 $ 30.86 $ 64,200
Employment Services 110 0.00 $ 29.99 $ 62,370

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Tax Preparers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services 59,950 6.12 $ 25.12 $ 52,240
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 470 0.05 (8) (8)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 730 0.05 $ 27.08 $ 56,320
Office Administrative Services 80 0.02 $ 30.69 $ 63,830
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 50 0.01 $ 25.31 $ 52,650

Top paying industries for Tax Preparers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services (8) (8) $ 38.03 $ 79,100
Management of Companies and Enterprises 110 (7) $ 30.86 $ 64,200
Office Administrative Services 80 0.02 $ 30.69 $ 63,830
Employment Services 110 (7) $ 29.99 $ 62,370
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 60 (7) $ 27.36 $ 56,900


Geographic profile for Tax Preparers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Tax Preparers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Tax Preparers, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Tax Preparers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 7,050 0.43 0.95 $ 30.18 $ 62,770
Florida 5,250 0.62 1.38 $ 22.65 $ 47,100
Texas 5,070 0.42 0.93 $ 35.33 $ 73,480
New York 3,940 0.45 1.01 $ 33.31 $ 69,280
Illinois 2,720 0.48 1.08 $ 21.99 $ 45,750




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Tax Preparers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tennessee 2,660 0.92 2.04 $ 23.12 $ 48,100
Montana 380 0.83 1.85 $ 19.46 $ 40,470
Oregon 1,420 0.78 1.74 $ 25.14 $ 52,290
South Dakota 320 0.78 1.74 $ 18.56 $ 38,610
Maryland 1,760 0.70 1.55 $ 22.99 $ 47,810




Top paying states for Tax Preparers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 5,070 0.42 0.93 $ 35.33 $ 73,480
Alaska (8) (8) (8) $ 34.35 $ 71,450
New York 3,940 0.45 1.01 $ 33.31 $ 69,280
Rhode Island 260 0.59 1.31 $ 32.65 $ 67,910
Massachusetts 990 0.29 0.66 $ 30.83 $ 64,120





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Tax Preparers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,010 0.45 1.01 $ 33.30 $ 69,270
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,670 0.46 1.02 $ 30.78 $ 64,030
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,100 0.48 1.07 $ 21.55 $ 44,820
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,080 0.83 1.84 $ 21.21 $ 44,110
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,020 0.67 1.49 $ 24.50 $ 50,950
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,750 0.49 1.08 (8) (8)
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 1,400 1.45 3.22 $ 26.56 $ 55,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,070 0.41 0.90 $ 26.95 $ 56,060
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,060 0.57 1.28 $ 26.54 $ 55,190
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,000 0.47 1.05 $ 26.72 $ 55,580




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Tax Preparers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Grants Pass, OR 40 1.65 3.66 $ 17.18 $ 35,730
Rapid City, SD 100 1.62 3.59 $ 18.67 $ 38,840
Salisbury, MD-DE 230 1.58 3.50 $ 19.34 $ 40,220
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 1,400 1.45 3.22 $ 26.56 $ 55,240
Eugene, OR 210 1.40 3.11 $ 24.80 $ 51,580
San Angelo, TX 60 1.35 3.00 $ 26.11 $ 54,310
Racine, WI 100 1.34 2.98 $ 18.68 $ 38,850
Jacksonville, NC 60 1.31 2.91 $ 13.72 $ 28,530
El Centro, CA 70 1.30 2.89 $ 14.83 $ 30,850
Twin Falls, ID 60 1.30 2.89 $ 20.68 $ 43,010




Top paying metropolitan areas for Tax Preparers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 510 0.46 1.03 $ 47.67 $ 99,160
College Station-Bryan, TX (8) (8) (8) $ 38.74 $ 80,580
Anchorage, AK (8) (8) (8) $ 37.73 $ 78,470
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 560 0.38 0.85 $ 34.61 $ 71,990
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 100 0.17 0.39 $ 34.61 $ 71,990
Albany, OR (8) (8) (8) $ 33.99 $ 70,690
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,010 0.45 1.01 $ 33.30 $ 69,270
Stockton-Lodi, CA 50 0.20 0.45 $ 33.30 $ 69,260
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 60 0.70 1.56 $ 33.16 $ 68,970
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 240 0.24 0.53 $ 32.74 $ 68,090

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Tax Preparers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 190 1.17 2.59 (8) (8)
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 190 0.75 1.67 $ 14.75 $ 30,680
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 180 1.31 2.90 $ 16.65 $ 34,630
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 170 1.05 2.33 $ 15.10 $ 31,410
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 160 1.08 2.40 $ 16.21 $ 33,720

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Tax Preparers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 140 1.47 3.27 $ 9.77 $ 20,320
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 90 1.43 3.18 $ 15.24 $ 31,700
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 150 1.37 3.05 $ 19.09 $ 39,700
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 180 1.31 2.90 $ 16.65 $ 34,630
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 90 1.23 2.72 $ 16.89 $ 35,130

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Tax Preparers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 80 0.67 1.49 $ 34.45 $ 71,660
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 0.86 $ 31.58 $ 65,690
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 50 0.27 0.59 $ 28.32 $ 58,900
East Georgia nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 27.87 $ 57,970
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 27.25 $ 56,690


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021