Tax Preparers Salary
In Tennessee, tax preparers earn $36,600 at the median, or about $17.59 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $40,766 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 46.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in Tennessee?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for tax preparers in Tennessee runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 46.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Tennessee
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in Tennessee
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $48K | +31% | 400 |
| Knoxville | $45K | +23% | 150 |
| Chattanooga | $45K | +22% | 120 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $43K | +17% | 50 |
| Memphis | $35K | -3% | 230 |
| Clarksville | $35K | -5% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 46.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,666/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $37K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Tennessee pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Tennessee?
The median is $36,600 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,770, and experienced tax preparers can clear $77,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,621/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 46.4% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $40,766 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.