Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012

13-2082 Tax Preparers

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

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
61,140 2.7 % $20.05 $41,700 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $9.08 $11.36 $16.22 $25.63 $36.78
Annual Wage (2) $18,890 $23,630 $33,730 $53,310 $76,500

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services 59,490 6.85 $19.94 $41,480
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 630 0.06 $26.83 $55,810
Other Financial Investment Activities 280 0.08 $21.39 $44,500
Legal Services 120 0.01 $18.34 $38,140
Software Publishers 120 0.04 $17.71 $36,830

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services 59,490 6.85 $19.94 $41,480
Other Financial Investment Activities 280 0.08 $21.39 $44,500
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 630 0.06 $26.83 $55,810
Software Publishers 120 0.04 $17.71 $36,830
Legal Services 120 0.01 $18.34 $38,140

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 70 (7) $31.19 $64,880
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 630 0.06 $26.83 $55,810
Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (8) (8) $24.38 $50,700
Other Financial Investment Activities 280 0.08 $21.39 $44,500
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services 59,490 6.85 $19.94 $41,480

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 6,300 0.44 0.94 $22.51 $46,810
Texas 4,230 0.40 0.85 $19.48 $40,520
Florida 3,830 0.53 1.12 $11.09 $23,060
New York 3,540 0.41 0.88 $27.76 $57,740
Georgia 2,580 0.68 1.44 $20.76 $43,190




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 2,070 0.83 1.76 $16.93 $35,220
Louisiana 1,270 0.68 1.45 $18.21 $37,880
Georgia 2,580 0.68 1.44 $20.76 $43,190
Hawaii 390 0.66 1.42 $22.63 $47,080
Arkansas 770 0.66 1.41 $13.79 $28,680




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 190 0.30 0.63 $30.76 $63,990
New York 3,540 0.41 0.88 $27.76 $57,740
Massachusetts 1,420 0.44 0.94 $26.90 $55,950
Colorado 1,260 0.57 1.20 $25.59 $53,220
New Jersey 1,520 0.40 0.85 $25.57 $53,180





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 2,380 0.46 0.99 $29.20 $60,730
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,990 0.51 1.10 $20.88 $43,430
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 1,730 0.77 1.63 $22.21 $46,190
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 1,690 0.47 0.99 $27.14 $56,450
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 1,130 0.48 1.02 $23.83 $49,560
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 990 0.57 1.21 $20.49 $42,610
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 990 0.57 1.21 $25.95 $53,980
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 950 0.55 1.18 $28.95 $60,210
Baltimore-Towson, MD 930 0.74 1.58 $14.39 $29,930
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 910 0.64 1.37 $21.18 $44,050




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Lake Havasu City - Kingman, AZ 70 1.67 3.55 $20.60 $42,840
Reno-Sparks, NV 250 1.32 2.81 $28.53 $59,340
Port St. Lucie, FL 160 1.32 2.80 $9.16 $19,050
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 200 1.32 2.82 $14.46 $30,090
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division 630 1.24 2.65 $11.32 $23,550
Sumter, SC 40 1.20 2.56 $11.81 $24,570
Farmington, NM 60 1.19 2.53 $14.57 $30,310
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 200 1.15 2.44 $15.87 $33,010
Hot Springs, AR 40 1.09 2.31 $12.03 $25,020
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 80 1.04 2.21 $16.25 $33,790