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The differences between tax assistants and tax associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tax associate has an average salary of $62,466, which is higher than the $43,893 average annual salary of a tax assistant.
The top three skills for a tax assistant include individual tax returns, low-income families and income tax returns. The most important skills for a tax associate are strong customer service, CPA, and tax planning.
| Tax Assistant | Tax Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $43,893 | $62,466 |
| Hourly rate | $21.10 | $30.03 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 29,307 | 42,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The tax assistant is responsible for supporting an organization's tax or accounting department. Their job is a combination of accounting support and administrative assistance. They should be able to run an office, as well as perform higher-level tasks, such as processing tax returns and sustaining databases. A tax assistant works under the direction of a tax manager or executive, but most of their duties are performed with less supervision. Tax assistants should also be dynamic and can comfortably work alone.
Tax associates are responsible for helping businesses and individuals with state and federal income tax preparation and compliance. These professionals often work for accounting firms and financial services companies. They perform varied tasks that include reviewing income statements, financial records, and expenditures, interviewing clients about income and expenses, and minimizing their clients' tax liability. Tax associates also conduct research on tax issues and assist with tax audits, advise clients on compensation and tax information, and maintain accurate and current client records.
Tax assistants and tax associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tax Assistant | Tax Associate | |
| Average salary | $43,893 | $62,466 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $79,000 | Between $40,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Ernst & Young | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a tax assistant and a tax associate in terms of educational background:
| Tax Assistant | Tax Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between tax assistants' and tax associates' demographics:
| Tax Assistant | Tax Associate | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.3% Female, 60.7% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 11.1% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |