Tax Preparers Salary
In Pennsylvania, tax preparers earn $61,270 at the median, or about $29.46 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $64,515 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 32.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Pennsylvania?
About tax preparers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for tax preparers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $72K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $62K | +1% | 1,150 |
| Pittsburgh | $61K | -0% | 410 |
| Lancaster | $60K | -3% | 70 |
| Erie | $58K | -5% | 50 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $58K | -6% | 60 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $39K | -36% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 32.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $61K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Pennsylvania pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $61,270 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced tax preparers can clear $103,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,116/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 32.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $64,515 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.