Tax Preparers Salary
In Arizona, tax preparers earn $44,770 at the median, or about $21.52 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $46,437 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 46.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Arizona?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in Arizona
Pay for tax preparers in Arizona runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 46.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tax preparerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in Arizona
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | $47K | +5% | 270 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $45K | +0% | 1,580 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $44K | -1% | N/A |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $38K | -16% | 50 |
| Yuma | $37K | -17% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 46.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,218/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tax preparer a high-paying job in Arizona?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $45K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Arizona pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Arizona?
The median is $44,770 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,970, and experienced tax preparers can clear $104,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,074/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 46.7% 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 preparers salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tax preparers salary is worth about $46,437 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tax preparers 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.