Tax Preparers Salary
In Ohio, tax preparers earn $49,020 at the median, or about $23.57 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $53,603 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,188/month, about 35.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Ohio?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for tax preparers in Ohio runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,188/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 35% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in Ohio
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $49K | -1% | N/A |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $48K | -2% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 35% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/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 Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,171/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Ohio?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $49K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Ohio pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Ohio?
The median is $49,020 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,190, and experienced tax preparers can clear $74,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,399/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 35% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $53,603 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.