State comparison · 2025
Tax Preparers salary: California vs Illinois
Tax Preparers in California earn a median of $70,030. In Illinois, $54,480. After cost-of-living, the gap is 16.1% — not 28.5%.
Nominal pay gap
+28.5%
California vs Illinois
COL-adjusted gap
+16.1%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Tax Preparers
- Median
- $70,030
- p25
- $47,420
- p75
- $84,890
- p10
- $38,910
- p90
- $104,000
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
Illinois
Tax Preparers
- Median
- $54,480
- p25
- $38,120
- p75
- $62,910
- p10
- $33,030
- p90
- $76,150
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 100.0
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.