Tax Preparers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$54,920
United States, 2025
Employment
76,480
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
- O*NET code
- 13-2082.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
- Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
- Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
- Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.
- Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$33,760
25th percentile
$38,910
75th percentile
$76,300
90th percentile
$99,270
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Active Learning3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Writing3.0
- Mathematics3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 11 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
11
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.1 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
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National median $50,080
Compare with Tax PreparersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $84,240 | 1,410 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $81,180 | 760 | 2025 |
| Kansas City, MO | $78,920 | 560 | 2025 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $75,990 | 30 | 2025 |
| NY | $71,850 | 7,620 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $71,800 | 60 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $71,300 | 8,100 | 2025 |
| Amarillo, TX | $70,980 | 60 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $70,170 | 690 | 2025 |
| CA | $70,030 | 10,270 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $69,210 | 380 | 2025 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $66,920 | 670 | 2025 |
| UT | $66,720 | 1,190 | 2025 |
| Billings, MT | $65,930 | 80 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $65,930 | 130 | 2025 |
| Boulder, CO | $65,410 | 110 | 2025 |
| Fargo, ND | $65,320 | 110 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $65,150 | 970 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $65,120 | 3,250 | 2025 |
| Waco, TX | $65,020 | 40 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Tax Preparers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.