Tax Preparers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,980 or more. The middle half of tax preparers in Chicago earn between $44,500 and $63,180.
- $35K10th
- $44K25th
- $49KMedian
- $63K75th
- $84K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $55,160 | $4,597 | $26.52 |
| Median | $48,670 | $4,056 | $23.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,500 | $3,708 | $21.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,180 | $5,265 | $30.38 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Tax Preparers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $55,160, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $43,912 a year, or $3,659 a month and $1,689 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $44,876 | $3,740 |
| Working in IL | $43,912 | $3,659 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for tax preparers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $55,160 buys what about $53,246 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Tax Preparers salary in nearby metro areas
- Racine, WI$48,250
- Milwaukee, WI$53,320
- Janesville, WI$47,060
- Lafayette, IN$57,300
- Madison, WI$50,450
- Grand Rapids, MI$58,340
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 Chicago: questions
How much do tax preparers make an hour in Chicago?
$26.52 an hour on average, and $23.40 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tax preparers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,500, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tax preparers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $43,912 a year ($3,659 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $55,160.
Do tax preparers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($63,965).
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.9%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.46, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.46).
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