State comparison · 2025
Tax Preparers salary: California vs Montana
Tax Preparers in California earn a median of $70,030. In Montana, $63,080. After cost-of-living, the gap is 5.1% — not 11%.
Nominal pay gap
+11%
California vs Montana
COL-adjusted gap
-5.1%
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
Montana
Tax Preparers
- Median
- $63,080
- p25
- $47,470
- p75
- $82,850
- p10
- $44,300
- p90
- $100,060
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 94.6
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.