Tax Preparers
Business and Financial Operations · SOC 13-2082
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 13-2082 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 12.8%
- Medium · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 43/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $54,920
- H-1B offered wage $58,000; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 10,600
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +4.5%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 15
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 13,849 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
Explore all pathways→Lower AI-exposure roles that reuse your skills, ranked by a transition score (skills that transfer, safety gain, pay and retraining effort).
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~62.5% of this role but only ~12.8% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
Common titles: CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Enrolled Agent, Income Tax Preparer, Tax Accountant, Tax Advisor, Tax Associate
Representative Tasks
- •Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
- •Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- •Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
- •Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- •Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Calculate tax information.
- •Advise others on financial matters.
- •Interview clients to gather financial information.
- •Examine financial records.
- •Verify accuracy of records.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 12.8% | 29.0% |
| Outlook | Average | 48% Bright |
| Median Salary | $54,920 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 87/100 | N/A |