So, use our comparisons of the best EA review courses to find the enrolled agent salary right EA course for you, and use our EA discounts to save on your preferred exam prep. Of course, the more experience you have, the more an employer will be willing to pay you. Consequently, entry-level positions start on the low end of these ranges, while senior positions claim the highest salaries.

• It has become a lucrative career option with a combination of technical expertise and oversight by the Federal government.
• EAs with their practice can also have significant income growth as well.
• You can also work independently as a tax consultant for individuals and businesses.
• Moreover, whatever the state of the economy may be, people will always need help preparing their taxes or dealing with the IRS.
• In such a case, it is crucial to determine the amount of tax that the taxpayer has to pay.
• However, San Francisco residents in Enrolled Agent positions earn a median income of $54,504, which is well above the national number.

Midwest/Rockies

Big cities have more job opportunities and a larger pool of skilled workers, but they also typically have a higher cost of living, so location isn’t everything. If you dislike the cold and aren’t comfortable in a big city, you don’t have to live in New York or Chicago to make a living as an Enrolled Agent. Staff accountants handle various financial duties such as ensuring financial statements are prepared correctly and that companies follow the laws and regulations for financial practices.

• However, besides the exam, there are not many bottlenecks to obtaining the designation.
• Internal revenue agents at the senior level can make a respectable living in the accounting industry.
• The figures above are based on data from December 2024, but it’s a no-brainer that the figures will go up this year, in 2026, and beyond.
• For example, daycare can be a considerable expense for young working families.
• Additionally, because Enrolled Agents are federally designated, they can work in any state in the country.
• On the other hand, accounting jobs for enrolled agents at top corporations like Apple, Starbucks, FedEx, and GE typically pay between $60,000 to $80,000 per year.

Salary Trend for Enrolled Agents

For instance, corporations rely on Enrolled Agents to advise them on policy, prepare taxes, and represent them in audits and other proceedings before the IRS. The IRS Remote Bookkeeping designates EAs, but because they represent taxpayers before the IRS, Enrolled Agents cannot work there. In most cases, Enrolled Agents compete with other tax professionals. Many EAs chose to work for large agencies, accounting or otherwise. However, some prefer to work for only one client or for a corporation or a smaller business.

New enrolled rolled agent, questions about pay

I am the author of How to Pass The CPA Exam (published by Wiley) and the publisher of this and several accounting professional exam prep sites. Given that only a few states offer salaries above the national average for Enrolled Agents, considering a move to a new location for economic advancement should be a decision made cautiously. It’s essential to take into account the cost of living expenses in your deliberations as well.

• The Enrolled Agent credential is the highest designation awarded by the Internal Revenue Service.
• Law Firms – Enrolled Agent – US Tax Court Practitioners – (USTCP) – You will retrieve, process, save, and share IRS account transcripts while working as an enrolled agent for a tax law business.
• Elsewhere in the region, such as Baltimore, the majority of the enrolled agent positions pay between $38,197 and $55,306 per year.
• However, the student is eligible for a scholarship on her tuition fees.

Enrolled Agent Salary vs. CPA Salary

We also specialise in CMA USA exam preparation, US CMA courses, ACCA courses, and CPA US courses. Tax managers handle all the tax reporting and compliance with local, state, and federal tax laws for an organization. While this position is commonly filled by a CPA, the Enrolled Agent designation is a great way to secure your tax specialization. If you’re applying for your first tax preparation job, your experience includes your education and any relevant extracurricular activities you participated in (such as the IRS’s VITA program). Once you get your first job, experience starts to include actual time working in the industry and your accomplishments at work. A smaller step, but still one in the direction of earning more for your expertise, is completing the Annual Filing Season Program.

Which U.S. City Offers the Highest Salaries for Enrolled Agents in 2025?

As per information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for CPAs stands at about $79,000. Offer some benefits (e.g., gyms, cafeterias, and daycare) that smaller firms can’t reasonably fit into their budgets. Completing the AFSP is not nearly as comprehensive as receiving an Enrolled Agent designation, and you do not have as many rights as an EA. However, it is vastly cheaper than that contra asset account of preparing and sitting for the EA exam, and takes much less time to complete. This in turn makes you a more popular choice compared to your peers when it comes to a potential client looking for a tax professional.

Employment Projections For Enrolled Agents

• The Circular is a set of regulations that require EAs to act ethically and professionally while performing their jobs of representing clients before the IRS.
• Nevertheless, you can pursue additional credentials, such as CPA licensure for instance.
• For example, a small agency that specializes in escrow accounting may not need an Enrolled Agent.
• Becoming an EA is one of the best investments you can make in your career as a tax preparer.
• Create a Full Dynamic Financial Model in 2 Days (6 hours)

  The big chains pay their more experienced Enrolled Agents between $20 and $30 per hour on average, which comes to between $40,000 and $50,000 annually. However, jobs posted for smaller regional agencies tend to pay higher. For instance, the range for some posted jobs in these types of companies is between $60,000 and $85,000. On average, CPAs do make more money (over $70,000 annually) than Enrolled Agents. But in the long term, corporate salary caps and geographical constraints often limit CPAs’ salaries. So, an Enrolled Agent in the right region who builds up a great interstate reputation and client base can certainly out-earn CPAs in the same area.