Tax Preparers Salary in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
In Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA, tax preparers earn $57,840 at the median, or about $27.81 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 107.78), so that salary is closer to $53,665 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,827/month — about 74.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About tax preparers
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $77K | +52% | 80 |
| New York | $73K | +45% | 6,880 |
| California | $73K | +45% | 10,700 |
| Montana | $71K | +41% | 340 |
| Minnesota | $66K | +30% | 1,330 |
| Texas | $62K | +22% | 5,930 |
| Wyoming | $60K | +19% | 120 |
| Virginia | $59K | +17% | 2,200 |
| North Dakota | $59K | +17% | 300 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +16% | 1,800 |
| Utah | $59K | +16% | 1,470 |
| Iowa | $57K | +14% | 600 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +12% | 2,460 |
| Rhode Island | $56K | +11% | N/A |
| Idaho | $55K | +8% | N/A |
| Vermont | $54K | +7% | N/A |
| Maine | $51K | +1% | 360 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +1% | 350 |
| Ohio | $51K | +0% | 860 |
| Oregon | $49K | -3% | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -3% | 580 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -3% | 700 |
| Florida | $49K | -4% | 3,490 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -6% | 2,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -6% | 2,480 |
| Michigan | $47K | -7% | 2,010 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | -8% | 330 |
| Indiana | $46K | -8% | 1,660 |
| Hawaii | $46K | -9% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -9% | 1,110 |
| Washington | $45K | -11% | 1,350 |
| Maryland | $45K | -11% | 650 |
| Kansas | $45K | -11% | 630 |
| Arizona | $44K | -14% | 2,480 |
| Missouri | $42K | -16% | 1,300 |
| Delaware | $42K | -17% | 250 |
| Georgia | $42K | -17% | 1,940 |
| Nevada | $41K | -18% | 1,210 |
| Illinois | $39K | -22% | 550 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -25% | 340 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -25% | 1,690 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -26% | 1,490 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -26% | 840 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -29% | 670 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -29% | 870 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -30% | 1,280 |
| Alabama | $33K | -34% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $33K | -34% | 620 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -40% | 320 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tax preparers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do tax preparers make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $57,840 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,650, and experienced tax preparers can clear $115,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,896/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/month, which eats 72.6% 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 107.78 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tax preparers salary is worth about $53,665 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.