Tax Preparers Salary
In North Carolina, tax preparers earn $48,130 at the median, or about $23.14 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $51,943 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 38.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in North Carolina?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for tax preparers in North Carolina runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 40% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in North Carolina
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $57K | +19% | 150 |
| Wilmington | $52K | +8% | 130 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $50K | +5% | 850 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $48K | -0% | 80 |
| Asheville | $48K | -0% | 80 |
| Winston-Salem | $48K | -1% | 150 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $47K | -2% | N/A |
| Fayetteville | $46K | -5% | 90 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $45K | -6% | 150 |
| Jacksonville | $44K | -10% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 40% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,129/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $48K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for tax preparers?
North Carolina pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in North Carolina?
The median is $48,130 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,480, and experienced tax preparers can clear $97,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,212/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 40% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $51,943 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.