Tax Preparers pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,700 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,860 or more. The middle half of tax preparers in Chattanooga earn between $29,500 and $52,430.
- $29K10th
- $30K25th
- $45KMedian
- $52K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $44,330 | $3,694 | $21.31 |
| Median | $44,560 | $3,713 | $21.42 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,500 | $2,458 | $14.18 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $52,430 | $4,369 | $25.21 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Tax Preparers salary after taxes in Chattanooga
On the average salary of $44,330, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $37,799 a year, or $3,150 a month and $1,454 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $37,799 | $3,150 |
| Working in GA | $36,336 | $3,028 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for tax preparers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $44,330 buys what about $48,467 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 7.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Tax Preparers salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 4th of 6 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($54,500).
- Nashville$54,500
- Knoxville$48,250
- Kingsport$44,580
- Chattanooga$44,330
- Memphis$43,420
- Clarksville$39,760
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 Chattanooga: questions
How much do tax preparers make an hour in Chattanooga?
$21.31 an hour on average, and $21.42 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tax preparers salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,700 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,500, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tax preparers take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $37,799 a year ($3,150 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,330. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do tax preparers earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 31% 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.9%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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