Tax Specialist

The following article discusses the career of Tax Specialist highlighting what they do, the work environment, how to become, training and certification, education, job and salary outlook.

What We Do

As a tax specialist, you will work together with clients on issues relating to tax. You will research the various tax laws and understand their implications. You will also meet with clients so that they know what options are out there for them. You will also frequently meet with customs officials and the IRS, completing forms and auditing records. Your primary duty, however, is tax planning and helping your clients pay as little tax as possible while remaining compliant.

Work Environment

You will usually work in an office and follow regular business hours. However, as tax deadlines approach, some overtime may be required.

How to Become

As a tax specialist, you have to be able to work under tight deadlines with minimum supervision. You must also have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and you must have good computer software skills. Finally, you must be highly knowledgeable on local, state and federal tax laws.

Training & Certification Requirements

To become a tax specialist, you will need at least a bachelor’s degree in a field such as economics, accounting or business. Furthermore, most employers will want you to hold CPA status.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents can expect a 6% decline in demand between 2014 and 2024. This is much slower than the national average.

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Tax Specialist was $30,931. This number is estimated from over 1,116 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $16.11 and monthly of $2,578.

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$7.25

$39.55

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Tax Specialist salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, Connecticut had the largest quoted salary of $92,745 while Alabama had the smallest quoted salary of $712.

Alaska$38,000Rank: 49th

The average salary ranks 49th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Alabama$712 (●Meets national average)Rank: 12th

The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like S&M Tax Professionals.

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$200

$1,500

Salary Distribution
Arkansas$52,000Rank: 13th

The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Arizona$31,315 (●Meets national average)Rank: 44th

The average salary ranks 44th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Maricopa County and City Skills.

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$7.25

$33.65

Salary Distribution
California$40,396 (▲31% Above national average)Rank: 8th

The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like California State Personnel Board, Payroll Tax Management, Professional Career Placements, and Accountemps.

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$7.25

$49.60

Salary Distribution
Colorado$42,484 (▼19% Below national average)Rank: 33rd

The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CPS, Inc. and Restaurant Solutions Inc..

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$14,000

$88,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut$92,745 (▲76% Above national average)Rank: 4th

The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Accounting Career Network and Pascale & LaMorte.

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$44,000

$159,000

Salary Distribution
DC$75,501 (▲44% Above national average)Rank: 1st

The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Internal Revenue Service and Green Key Resources.

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$27,000

$147,000

Salary Distribution
Delaware$45,000Rank: 38th

The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Florida$28,012 (▼9% Below national average)Rank: 28th

The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Stephen James Associates, Inc., MyFlorida, PwC, and The State Of Florida.

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$7.25

$30.75

Salary Distribution
Georgia$25,612 (▼17% Below national average)Rank: 5th

The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Synergy Solutions, EHRS Accounting Services, 2MaxTax, and Umb Services.

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$7.25

$31.00

Salary Distribution
Hawaii$32,000Rank: 52nd

The average salary ranks 52nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Iowa$28,166 (▼9% Below national average)Rank: 16th

The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Accountemps and OfficeTeam.

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$7.25

$26.60

Salary Distribution
Idaho$40,588 (▲31% Above national average)Rank: 51st

The average salary ranks 51st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like IDAHO DEPT. OF LABOR.

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$10.25

$35.80

Salary Distribution
Illinois$30,105 (●Meets national average)Rank: 6th

The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like 6 Degrees Executive Recruiters, Illinois Department of Revenue, The CSI Companies, and Randstad.

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$7.25

$38.25

Salary Distribution
Indiana$27,417 (▼11% Below national average)Rank: 24th

The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Jackson Hewitt, State of Indiana, and Accountemps.

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$7.25

$28.05

Salary Distribution
Kansas$47,000Rank: 31st

The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Kentucky$44,000Rank: 42nd

The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Louisiana$50,496 (●Meets national average)Rank: 34th

The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like H&R Block, State of Louisiana, and Pro Tax & Accounting Corp.

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$1,200

$14,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts$68,882 (▲31% Above national average)Rank: 2nd

The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Kforce Finance and Accounting, BNY Mellon, and Daley and Associates.

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$14,000

$166,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland$56,440 (▲7% Above national average)Rank: 10th

The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Anne Arundel Community College.

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$18,000

$114,000

Salary Distribution
Maine$46,000Rank: 35th

The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Michigan$52,000Rank: 14th

The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Minnesota$45,196 (▲46% Above national average)Rank: 39th

The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, State of Minnesota, Accountemps, and Doherty Staffing Solutions.

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$7.25

$52.10

Salary Distribution
Missouri$29,337 (●Meets national average)Rank: 17th

The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Professional Employment Group and H&R Block.

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$7.25

$33.20

Salary Distribution
Mississippi$54,000Rank: 9th

The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Montana$43,000Rank: 43rd

The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

North Carolina$42,670 (▼19% Below national average)Rank: 25th

The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Liberty Tax Service.

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$16,000

$82,000

Salary Distribution
North Dakota$46,000Rank: 36th

The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Nebraska$25,804 (▼17% Below national average)Rank: 50th

The average salary ranks 50th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like American Title Inc.

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$7.25

$31.40

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire$51,000Rank: 19th

The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

New Jersey$68,617 (▲30% Above national average)Rank: 7th

The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tax Staffing Solutions.

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$18,000

$149,000

Salary Distribution
New Mexico$33,580 (▲9% Above national average)Rank: 40th

The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Sabio Systems.

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$7.40

$31.75

Salary Distribution
Nevada$39,000Rank: 47th

The average salary ranks 47th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

New York$59,882 (▲14% Above national average)Rank: 3rd

The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tax Staffing Solutions, JAM Recruitment Ltd, The Forum Group, and Huxley Associates.

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$14,000

$159,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio$31,180 (●Meets national average)Rank: 26th

The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Internal Revenue Service and Accountemps.

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$7.25

$37.35

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma$43,564 (▼17% Below national average)Rank: 29th

The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Accounting Principals.

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$14,000

$100,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon$50,000Rank: 21st

The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Pennsylvania$54,847 (●Meets national average)Rank: 22nd

The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Contemporary Staffing Solutions, RemX OfficeStaff, PwC, and Accountemps.

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$14,000

$127,000

Salary Distribution
Rhode Island$47,000Rank: 32nd

The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

South Carolina$51,000Rank: 20th

The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

South Dakota$39,000Rank: 48th

The average salary ranks 48th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Tennessee$38,186 (▼27% Below national average)Rank: 30th

The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Simple Tax Solutions.

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$14,000

$81,000

Salary Distribution
Texas$30,067 (●Meets national average)Rank: 23rd

The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Kforce Finance and Accounting, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Deacon Recruiting, and Gain Money Now.

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$7.25

$33.25

Salary Distribution
Utah$40,000Rank: 46th

The average salary ranks 46th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Virginia$51,428 (●Meets national average)Rank: 15th

The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like H&R Block, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Green Key Resources, and Chesterfield County, VA.

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$14,000

$113,000

Salary Distribution
Vermont$45,000Rank: 41st

The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Washington$49,644 (▼7% Below national average)Rank: 11th

The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Washington State Government, State of Washington, Employment Security Department, and Robert Half Management Resources.

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$1,600

$7,800

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin$26,860 (▼13% Below national average)Rank: 37th

The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The QTI Group.

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$7.25

$26.00

Salary Distribution
West Virginia$49,000Rank: 27th

The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Wyoming$42,000Rank: 45th

The average salary ranks 45th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Tax Specialist. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary

References

*Indicates number of job postings as of June, 2017.