SalaryByCity

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks vs Tax Preparers: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

$49,210

Median annual salary

1,455,770 employed nationally

Tax Preparers

$50,560

Median annual salary

73,570 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Tax Preparers professionals earn $1,350 more per year than Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks professionals — that's 2.7% higher. At the 90th percentile, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks earns $72,660 compared to $96,240 for Tax Preparers.

Salary Range Comparison

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$34,600 – $72,660
Tax Preparers$30,500 – $96,240
$30,500$96,240

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileBookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksTax PreparersDifference
10th Percentile$34,600$30,500+$4,100
25th Percentile$41,390$37,750+$3,640
Median (50th)$49,210$50,560$-1,350
75th Percentile$60,220$75,590$-15,370
90th Percentile$72,660$96,240$-23,580
Mean (Average)$52,020$58,860$-6,840

Employment Numbers

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

1,455,770

employed nationwide

Tax Preparers

73,570

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

CityMedian
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$64,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$64,340
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$59,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$58,400
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,390

Best Cities for Tax Preparers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$83,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$83,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$74,670
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$71,990
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX$68,160

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks or Tax Preparers?
Tax Preparers professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $1,350 (2.7% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salaries range from $34,600 (10th percentile) to $72,660 (90th percentile), with a median of $49,210.
What is the salary range for Tax Preparers?
Tax Preparers salaries range from $30,500 (10th percentile) to $96,240 (90th percentile), with a median of $50,560.
How many Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks and Tax Preparers jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,455,770 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks positions and 73,570 Tax Preparers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Tax Preparers to Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks has a median salary of $49,210 while Tax Preparers earns $50,560. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS