Tax Preparers Salary
In Wisconsin, tax preparers earn $44,340 at the median, or about $21.32 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $47,005 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 39.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Wisconsin?
About tax preparers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for tax preparers in Wisconsin runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 39.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level tax preparers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Tax Preparers salary by metro in Wisconsin
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $50K | +14% | 440 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $50K | +12% | 40 |
| Madison | $46K | +3% | 140 |
| Green Bay | $45K | +1% | 50 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $44K | -1% | 40 |
| Eau Claire | $37K | -16% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track tax preparers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tax preparer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 39.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tax preparers in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tax preparers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,095/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $44K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for tax preparers?
Wisconsin pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do tax preparers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $44,340 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,920, and experienced tax preparers can clear $73,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,030/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 39.7% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $47,005 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.