State comparison · 2025
Tax Preparers salary: California vs Iowa
Tax Preparers in California earn a median of $70,030. In Iowa, $53,660. After cost-of-living, the gap is 3.5% — not 30.5%.
Nominal pay gap
+30.5%
California vs Iowa
COL-adjusted gap
+3.5%
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
Iowa
Tax Preparers
- Median
- $53,660
- p25
- $38,970
- p75
- $73,660
- p10
- $33,520
- p90
- $84,700
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 87.8
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.