Tax Preparers Salary
In Michigan, tax preparers earn $46,400 at the median, or about $22.31 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $49,420 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Michigan?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for tax preparers in Michigan runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 40.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tax preparerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in Michigan
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $55K | +18% | 140 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $52K | +12% | 70 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $46K | +0% | 830 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 40.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,776/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Michigan?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $46K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Michigan pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Michigan?
The median is $46,400 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,600, and experienced tax preparers can clear $77,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,112/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 40.9% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $49,420 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.