SalaryByCity

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive vs Tax Preparers: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Tax Preparers

$50,560

Median annual salary

73,570 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Tax Preparers professionals earn $4,270 more per year than Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals — that's 9.2% higher. At the 90th percentile, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $64,150 compared to $96,240 for Tax Preparers.

Salary Range Comparison

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
Tax Preparers$30,500 – $96,240
$30,500$96,240

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveTax PreparersDifference
10th Percentile$31,600$30,500+$1,100
25th Percentile$37,770$37,750+$20
Median (50th)$46,290$50,560$-4,270
75th Percentile$55,650$75,590$-19,940
90th Percentile$64,150$96,240$-32,090
Mean (Average)$47,640$58,860$-11,220

Employment Numbers

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Tax Preparers

73,570

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Best Cities for Tax Preparers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$83,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$83,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$74,670
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$71,990
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX$68,160

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive or Tax Preparers?
Tax Preparers professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $4,270 (9.2% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
What is the salary range for Tax Preparers?
Tax Preparers salaries range from $30,500 (10th percentile) to $96,240 (90th percentile), with a median of $50,560.
How many Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive and Tax Preparers jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions and 73,570 Tax Preparers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Tax Preparers to Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive has a median salary of $46,290 while Tax Preparers earns $50,560. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS