Tax Preparers Salary
In New Jersey, tax preparers earn $43,420 at the median, or about $20.88 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $43,708 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 69% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in New Jersey?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Pay for tax preparers in New Jersey runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 68.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tax preparerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in New Jersey
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $36K | -16% | 90 |
| Vineland | $35K | -20% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 68.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/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 New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,055/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 101% 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 New Jersey?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $43K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for tax preparers?
New Jersey pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in New Jersey?
The median is $43,420 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,250, and experienced tax preparers can clear $77,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,002/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 68.9% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $43,708 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.