Career
Tax preparers
Prepare tax returns for individuals and small businesses.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
- Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then persuasion & leadership?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Active Learning.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $54,920 a year and 9,400 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- AccountingSee the degree →
- AccountingCIP 52.0301
- Accounting Technology/Technician and BookkeepingCIP 52.0302
- TaxationCIP 52.1601
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$62,370 · -1.0%
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680 · +5.0%
- Personal Financial Advisors$105,070 · +1.4%
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670 · -5.6%
- Credit Counselors$52,230 · +3.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.