Tax Preparers Salary
In Dubuque, IA, tax preparers earn $61,330 at the median, or about $29.49 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $70,228 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $61K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). 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
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What this looks like in Dubuque
Dubuque sits well above the national pay line for tax preparers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tax preparers in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $64K | $69K |
| Cedar Rapids | $52K | $58K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $60K | $68K |
| Sioux City | $49K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tax Preparers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $72K | +31% | 7,620 |
| California | $70K | +28% | 10,270 |
| Utah | $67K | +21% | 1,190 |
| Montana | $63K | +15% | 360 |
| Missouri | $63K | +14% | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $63K | +14% | 1,540 |
| Alaska | $62K | +14% | 70 |
| Oregon | $61K | +12% | 1,590 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +12% | 420 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | +12% | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $60K | +9% | 1,410 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +8% | 1,040 |
| Virginia | $59K | +7% | 1,960 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +6% | 1,500 |
| Wyoming | $58K | +6% | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | +5% | N/A |
| North Dakota | $57K | +4% | 220 |
| Illinois | $54K | -1% | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $54K | -2% | 780 |
| South Dakota | $53K | -4% | 280 |
| Delaware | $52K | -5% | 240 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -8% | 580 |
| Georgia | $49K | -10% | 1,670 |
| Florida | $49K | -11% | N/A |
| Ohio | $49K | -11% | 1,590 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -12% | 2,710 |
| Texas | $47K | -14% | 6,010 |
| Kansas | $47K | -14% | 450 |
| Maine | $47K | -14% | 250 |
| Maryland | $47K | -14% | 1,240 |
| Michigan | $46K | -16% | 1,660 |
| Indiana | $46K | -17% | 1,820 |
| Washington | $45K | -17% | 1,360 |
| Arizona | $45K | -18% | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | -19% | 1,550 |
| New Jersey | $43K | -21% | 3,220 |
| Nebraska | $43K | -22% | 420 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -22% | 1,300 |
| Connecticut | $41K | -25% | 700 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -29% | 1,360 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -29% | 650 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -31% | 340 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -33% | 1,080 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -33% | 1,260 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -35% | 330 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -36% | 550 |
| Hawaii | $35K | -37% | N/A |
| Alabama | $33K | -39% | 290 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 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 Dubuque numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dubuque?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 26.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,011/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Dubuque?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $61K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Dubuque pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $61,330 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,520, and experienced tax preparers can clear $83,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,021/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 26.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a tax preparers salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (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 $70,228 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.