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Salary comparison

Tax Preparers vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other: Who Earns More?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other out-earn Tax Preparers by $28K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Tax Preparers land at $54,920 and Business Operations Specialists, All Other at $83,050. The education gap is real: tax preparer programs typically require bachelor's degree, while business operations specialists, all other programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Tax Preparers is New York ($71,850); for Business Operations Specialists, All Other it's District of Columbia ($108,160).

Tax Preparers
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Median salary
$54,920
$83,050
Hourly rate
$26.4/hr
$39.93/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$33,760
$47,880
Senior level (90th %)
$99,270
$150,010
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
76,480
1,087,090
Job growth (10-year)
4.5%
3%
Category
Business & Finance
Business & Finance
Top-paying state
New York
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Tax Preparers median pay.

State
Tax Preparers
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
California
$70,030
$87,570
Colorado
$62,620
$92,520
Alaska
$62,360
$94,740
Virginia
$58,520
$85,200
Massachusetts
$58,400
$93,270
Rhode Island
$57,680
$88,130
South Dakota
$52,530
$85,340
Delaware
$51,960
$95,040
Maryland
$47,020
$101,500
Washington
$45,370
$100,360
New Jersey
$43,420
$91,060
Oklahoma
$42,700
$93,640
Connecticut
$41,130
$85,530
Hawaii
$34,720
$92,620
Alabama
$33,280
$100,240

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Tax Preparers or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other earn more nationally. The median is $54,920 for Tax Preparers versus $83,050 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other, a difference of $28K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Tax Preparers or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Tax Preparers has the better 10-year outlook at 4.5% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Tax Preparers or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Tax Preparers typically requires bachelor's degree. Business Operations Specialists, All Other requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Tax Preparers get paid the most?

New York is the top-paying state for Tax Preparers at $71,850/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Tax Preparers vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Tax Preparers earn $70,030 vs. $87,570 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Tax Preparers salary breakdownView →Full Business Operations Specialists, All Other salary breakdownView →Best cities for Tax Preparers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Business Operations Specialists, All Other by take-home payExplore →How to become a tax preparersGuide →How to become a business operations specialists, all otherGuide →