Tax Preparers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $106,740 or more. The middle half of tax preparers in Los Angeles earn between $40,880 and $78,680.
- $38K10th
- $41K25th
- $65KMedian
- $79K75th
- $107K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $68,140 | $5,678 | $32.76 |
| Median | $65,120 | $5,427 | $31.31 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $40,880 | $3,407 | $19.65 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,680 | $6,557 | $37.83 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Tax Preparers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Tax preparers in Los Angeles earn 5% less than the California average ($71,540) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($60,930). At the median the gap is +19% against the U.S. median of $54,920.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $68,140 | $65,120 | $37,790 | $106,740 | 3,250 |
| California | $71,540 | $70,030 | $38,910 | $104,000 | 10,270 |
| United States | $60,930 | $54,920 | $33,760 | $99,270 | 76,480 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Tax Preparers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $68,140, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $54,388 a year, or $4,532 a month and $2,092 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for tax preparers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $68,140 buys what about $60,000 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 14.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Tax Preparers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 6th of 17 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($84,300).
- San Francisco$84,300
- San Jose$83,550
- Santa Rosa$71,350
- San Diego$69,700
- Salinas$68,190
- Los Angeles$68,140
- Stockton$67,450
- Modesto$66,970
- Sacramento$66,850
- Santa Cruz$66,290
Highest-paying cities for tax preparers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($84,300).
- San Francisco, CA$84,300
- San Jose, CA$83,550
- Kansas City, MO$82,540
- Anchorage, AK$77,620
- Jefferson City, MO$77,180
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Tax Preparers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do tax preparers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$32.76 an hour on average, and $31.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tax preparers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $40,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tax preparers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $54,388 a year ($4,532 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $68,140. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do tax preparers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($60,930).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-2082; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.05, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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