Tax Preparers Salary in Charleston, WV
In Charleston, WV, tax preparers earn $30,940 at the median, or about $14.87 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $50K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $34,874 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,036/month — about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $31K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About tax preparers
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $77K | +52% | 80 |
| New York | $73K | +45% | 6,880 |
| California | $73K | +45% | 10,700 |
| Montana | $71K | +41% | 340 |
| Minnesota | $66K | +30% | 1,330 |
| Texas | $62K | +22% | 5,930 |
| Wyoming | $60K | +19% | 120 |
| Virginia | $59K | +17% | 2,200 |
| North Dakota | $59K | +17% | 300 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +16% | 1,800 |
| Utah | $59K | +16% | 1,470 |
| Iowa | $57K | +14% | 600 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +12% | 2,460 |
| Rhode Island | $56K | +11% | N/A |
| Idaho | $55K | +8% | N/A |
| Vermont | $54K | +7% | N/A |
| Maine | $51K | +1% | 360 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +1% | 350 |
| Ohio | $51K | +0% | 860 |
| Oregon | $49K | -3% | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -3% | 580 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -3% | 700 |
| Florida | $49K | -4% | 3,490 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -6% | 2,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -6% | 2,480 |
| Michigan | $47K | -7% | 2,010 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | -8% | 330 |
| Indiana | $46K | -8% | 1,660 |
| Hawaii | $46K | -9% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -9% | 1,110 |
| Washington | $45K | -11% | 1,350 |
| Maryland | $45K | -11% | 650 |
| Kansas | $45K | -11% | 630 |
| Arizona | $44K | -14% | 2,480 |
| Missouri | $42K | -16% | 1,300 |
| Delaware | $42K | -17% | 250 |
| Georgia | $42K | -17% | 1,940 |
| Nevada | $41K | -18% | 1,210 |
| Illinois | $39K | -22% | 550 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -25% | 340 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -25% | 1,690 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -26% | 1,490 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -26% | 840 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -29% | 670 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -29% | 870 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -30% | 1,280 |
| Alabama | $33K | -34% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $33K | -34% | 620 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -40% | 320 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
How much do tax preparers make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $30,940 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,730, and experienced tax preparers can clear $86,250. The mean (average) is $49,840, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,165/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 47.9% 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 Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (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 $34,874 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.