BLS OEWS May 2025
Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) salary, Kentucky
Financial Headhunters presents official occupation data and the limitations behind this role area resource. Read the mapping and reference period before using any figure in a hiring decision.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
The median annual wage for Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) in Kentucky is $75,270 (BLS, May 2025, Accountants and Auditors, SOC 13-2011). That is $8,410 (10.1%) below the U.S. median of $83,680.
Broader occupation
BLS reports Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) within a broader occupation. It does not publish separate wages for this exact title, credentials, seniority or industry. Compare the listed SOC duties with your actual role before using this range.
| Percentile | Wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $50,750 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th | $61,040 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $75,270 | Half earned less and half earned more. |
| 75th | $96,780 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th | $121,230 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $80,790 | Average wage across all workers. |
| Percentile | Wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $56,020 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th | $67,020 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $83,680 | Half earned less and half earned more. |
| 75th | $109,810 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th | $144,090 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $94,750 | Average wage across all workers. |
What BLS wages include and exclude
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
- Employment, area
- 11,930
- Location quotient
- 0.64
What changed since May 2024
| Release | Median |
|---|---|
| BLS OEWS May 2024 | $72,220 |
| BLS OEWS May 2025 | $75,270 |
The published medians differ by $3,050. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2024 and May 2025. This is not an annualized growth claim. Area definitions and the workers represented can change.
What belongs in the pay comparison
OEWS includes straight-time gross wages, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits. Filing-season overtime is outside this wage measure. A year-end or retention bonus is not automatically included: the BLS distinction is whether it is production pay. Ask what the bonus is tied to and put the overtime arrangement in writing. Partnership profit and an owner's draw are not an employee wage for this comparison.
Pay up and down the role ladder
BLS uses a different occupation for these related jobs. A higher percentile is not a promotion level. Compare the duties and the SOC before comparing the wages.
- Tax Preparer (seasonal and year-round): SOC 13-2082 Tax Preparers
- Tax Manager (CPA firm): SOC 11-3031 Financial Managers
- Tax Director: SOC 11-3031 Financial Managers
Recruiter's read
Qualitative view from our desk. Not BLS data.
For Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season), discuss the work behind these requirements: 1040, 1065 and 1120S preparation; CPA exam progress; CCH Axcess, UltraTax, GoSystem or Lacerte. Ask what the person completed themselves and what a manager or specialist reviewed. A system name on a resume does not establish depth in that workflow. The BLS figure describes the listed occupation, not a separately measured rate for this exact opening.
Common questions
What is the median annual wage for Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season)?
$75,270 in Kentucky, KY, based on BLS May 2025 data for Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011).
What does the middle half of workers earn?
The 25th percentile is $61,040 and the 75th percentile is $96,780 in Kentucky, KY. That is where the middle half of workers in this occupation fall.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimates 11,930 workers in Accountants and Auditors in Kentucky, KY.
How much do the highest paid workers earn?
The 90th percentile is $121,230. 10% of workers earned more.
Does BLS publish this exact title?
BLS reports Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) within a broader occupation. It does not publish separate wages for this exact title, credentials, seniority or industry. Compare the listed SOC duties with your actual role before using this range.
Related areas and roles
Hiring in Kentucky?
Start a search Call 305-306-4829Get the Hiring Market Brief
Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) in Kentucky, from BLS data.
Your download appears here after the request is saved. This does not confirm email delivery.
BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. These are published occupation estimates, not a quote for an exact niche title. Tool calculations use BLS values or your inputs, not predictions.