Tax examiner vs tax preparer

The differences between tax examiners and tax preparers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tax preparer has an average salary of $51,020, which is higher than the $44,886 average annual salary of a tax examiner.

The top three skills for a tax examiner include business tax returns, tax accounts and technical assistance. The most important skills for a tax preparer are customer service, good communication, and exceptional client.

Tax examiner vs tax preparer overview

	Tax Examiner	Tax Preparer
Yearly salary	$44,886	$51,020
Hourly rate	$21.58	$24.53
Growth rate	-7%	-
Number of jobs	40,004	41,736
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	48	47
Years of experience	2	-

Tax examiner vs tax preparer salary

Tax examiners and tax preparers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tax Examiner	Tax Preparer
Average salary	$44,886	$51,020
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $64,000	Between $30,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Maine	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Pwc	Goldman Sachs
Best paying industry	Government	Finance

Differences between tax examiner and tax preparer education

There are a few differences between a tax examiner and a tax preparer in terms of educational background:

	Tax Examiner	Tax Preparer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Business	Accounting
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Southern California

Tax examiner vs tax preparer demographics

Here are the differences between tax examiners' and tax preparers' demographics:

	Tax Examiner	Tax Preparer
Average age	48	47
Gender ratio	Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2%	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 9.2% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 10.3% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between tax examiner and tax preparer duties and responsibilities

Tax examiner example responsibilities.

Train new hires by performing OJT.
Supervise for AML policies, complaint resolution.
Complete client month end close checklist and treasury adjustment analysis and resolution.
Assist in development of regulations and DOR publications regarding the estate tax.
Collect facts from appeals to decide if participants have resolved their financial or criminal issues.
Create new procedures, policies and directives and provide both classroom and OJT instruction to team.

Tax preparer example responsibilities.

Verify data input and totals on forms prepare by others to detect errors in math, data entry, or procedures.
Follow IRS's guidelines in accurately preparing taxes and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
Prepare a wide range of tax returns, help prepare subscription agreements, and help small start-up companies comply with GAAP.
Perform monthly bank statement reconciliations and create monthly financial statements.
Assist outside real property tax appeal providers by providing information necessary for filing appeals.
Create engaging Microsoft PowerPoint sides about associate trading arrangements with transfer pricing policy for upcoming speeches for the group director.

Tax examiner vs tax preparer skills

Common tax examiner skills

Business Tax Returns, 23%
Tax Accounts, 14%
Technical Assistance, 8%
Income Tax Returns, 6%
Sound Judgment, 6%
Corrective Action, 5%

Common tax preparer skills

Customer Service, 27%
Good Communication, 14%
Exceptional Client, 8%
Math, 7%
Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
Taxable Income, 6%