Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents Salary
In California, tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents earn $74,110 at the median, or about $35.63 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $69,823 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 51.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $74K get you in California?
About tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 51.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents salary by metro in California
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo | $111K | +49% | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $111K | +49% | 420 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $99K | +34% | 250 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $99K | +33% | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $98K | +32% | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $98K | +32% | 1,520 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $95K | +29% | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $94K | +27% | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $92K | +24% | 360 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $79K | +7% | 370 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $68K | -9% | 3,780 |
| Fresno | $57K | -23% | 1,490 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 51.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,013/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 82% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agent a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $74K here vs. $62K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents?
California pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents make in California?
The median is $74,110 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,210, and experienced tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents can clear $126,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,791/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 51.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents salary is worth about $69,823 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.