Tax Preparers Salary
In Jefferson City, MO, tax preparers earn $75,990 at the median, or about $36.53 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.97), which stretches that salary to about $86,382 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $910/month, or 18.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Jefferson City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jefferson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.97). 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 Jefferson City
Jefferson City sits well above the national pay line for tax preparers, local pay runs about 38% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $910/month, 18.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Jefferson City offers a genuinely strong financial position for tax preparerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tax preparers in metros near Jefferson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $79K | $85K |
| St. Louis | $69K | $73K |
| Springfield | $57K | $64K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $49K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jefferson City, MO
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $72K 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 Jefferson City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jefferson City?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 18.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $910/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Jefferson City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,995/month. At HUD’s $910/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is tax preparer a high-paying job in Jefferson City?
Local pay is 38% above the national median — $76K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Jefferson City compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Jefferson City pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Jefferson City, MO?
The median is $75,990 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,910, and experienced tax preparers can clear $122,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Jefferson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,918/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $910/month, which eats 18.5% 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 Jefferson City?
Jefferson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.97 (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 $86,382 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.