Tax Preparers pay in California
$71,540avg. a year
$34.39 an hour · 10,270 employed
Tax Preparers in California earn an average of $71,540 a year. That is $10,610 (17%) more than the U.S. average of $60,930. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $84,300.
$70,030Median pay
$34.39Average hourly
+14%Avg. pay since 2020
#4Of 48 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for tax preparers by metro area. Swipe to see all 17.
11,410 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$84,300
$40.53 an hour
2760 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$83,550
$40.17 an hour
3130 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$71,350
$34.30 an hour
4690 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$69,700
$33.51 an hour
590 jobs
Salinas, CA
$68,190
$32.79 an hour
63,250 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$68,140
$32.76 an hour
7110 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$67,450
$32.43 an hour
8170 jobs
Modesto, CA
$66,970
$32.20 an hour
9740 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$66,850
$32.14 an hour
1060 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$66,290
$31.87 an hour
11
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$64,110
$30.82 an hour
12
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$63,830
$30.69 an hour
13260 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$63,350
$30.46 an hour
1470 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$63,330
$30.45 an hour
1560 jobs
Redding, CA
$62,010
$29.81 an hour
16250 jobs
Fresno, CA
$58,150
$27.96 an hour
1740 jobs
Chico, CA
$50,860
$24.45 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Tax Preparers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California tax preparers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $50k$50k–$56k$56k–$65k$65k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $60,930 | $29.30 |
| California | $71,540 | $34.39 |
| Nevada | $69,450 | $33.39 |
| Oregon | $65,980 | $31.72 |
| Arizona | $62,650 | $30.12 |
Related jobs in California
- Accountants and Auditors$103,760
- Financial and Investment Analysts$125,070
- Loan Officers$97,120
- Personal Financial Advisors$170,070
- Financial Specialists, All Other$98,100
- Insurance Underwriters$102,850
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do tax preparers make in California?
The average is $71,540 a year, and the median is $70,030. That is $10,610 (17%) more than the U.S. average of $60,930.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$34.39 an hour on average; the median is $33.67.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($84,300), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,550). The lowest average among 17 metro areas with data is Chico, CA ($50,860).
How does California rank?
California ranks #4 of 48 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 13-2082. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national tax preparers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.