Tax Preparers Salary
In Fargo, ND-MN, tax preparers earn $65,320 at the median, or about $31.4 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $71,883 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,112/month, or 25.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Fargo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fargo’s Regional Price Parity (90.87). 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 Fargo
Fargo sits well above the national pay line for tax preparers, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,112/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.87 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $61K | $58K |
| Sioux Falls | $53K | $58K |
| Billings | $66K | $70K |
| Duluth | $50K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fargo, ND-MN
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $62K 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 |
| Ohio | $49K | -11% | 1,590 |
| Florida | $49K | -11% | N/A |
| 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 with published data
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 Fargo numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 25.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,112/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,372/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Fargo?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $65K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Fargo pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $65,320 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,540, and experienced tax preparers can clear $101,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,422/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 25.1% 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 Fargo?
Fargo has a Regional Price Parity of 90.87 (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 $71,883 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.