How Much Does a Senior Tax Accountant Make? (2025)
Senior tax accountant review, assess, and interpret financial records to create accurate reports, provide guidance, or audit and verify statements prepared by others. They may also design or recommend systems for tracking expenses, as well as other financial and budgetary information.
As a senior role, it offers a high salary. As of August 2025, senior tax accountants in the United States earn an average annual salary of $88,301.
Below is a comprehensive overview tailored to help humans interested in this career learn about salary expectations, regional variations, and strategies to boost earnings.
What is the Senior Tax Accountant’s Salary
As of August 2025, the average senior tax accountant salary in the country is $88,301 per year or $42 per hour. The salary range for senior tax accountant is between $76,265 and $96,707, with most earnings of $82,001 to $92,701 per year.
2025 Average Salary for Senior Tax Accountant: $88,301 per year ($42 per hour)
A senior tax accountant reported an average monthly salary of $7,358, while the average weekly pay is $1,698. Moreover, the average salary per hour is $42, according to the recent Salary.com report.
| Percentile | By Hour | By Week | By Month | By Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $37 | $1,467 | $6,355 | $76,265 |
| 25th Percentile | $39 | $1,577 | $6,833 | $82,001 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $42 | $1,698 | $7,358 | $88,301 |
| 75th Percentile | $45 | $1,783 | $7,725 | $92,701 |
| 90th Percentile | $46 | $1,860 | $8,059 | $96,707 |
Apart from base pay, senior tax accountant may receive additional cash compensation, which contributes to their total compensation package. The average total compensation for a senior tax accountant is $148,989 per year.
Senior Tax Accountant Salaries State by State
Senior tax accountant salaries vary by state because of differences in wages, job demand, location, and living costs.
The table below shows the states with the highest pay for senior tax accountants are the District of Columbia ($97,801), California ($97,401), and Massachusetts ($96,101).
Meanwhile, the lowest average salaries for senior tax accountants are found in Mississippi ($78,801), West Virginia ($79,501), and Arkansas ($79,801).
| State | Average Pay |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $95,601 |
| Alabama | $81,101 |
| Arkansas | $79,801 |
| Arizona | $86,101 |
| California | $97,401 |
| Colorado | $90,101 |
| Connecticut | $94,401 |
| District of Columbia | $97,801 |
| Delaware | $89,401 |
| Florida | $83,601 |
| Georgia | $85,201 |
| Hawaii | $92,301 |
| Iowa | $84,501 |
| Idaho | $82,401 |
| Illinois | $90,001 |
| Indiana | $84,801 |
| Kansas | $84,101 |
| Kentucky | $83,101 |
| Louisiana | $84,001 |
| Massachusetts | $96,101 |
| Maryland | $91,101 |
| Maine | $86,101 |
| Michigan | $87,001 |
| Minnesota | $90,401 |
| Missouri | $83,901 |
| Mississippi | $78,801 |
| Montana | $83,401 |
| North Carolina | $83,901 |
| North Dakota | $87,201 |
| Nebraska | $83,201 |
| New Hampshire | $89,301 |
| New Jersey | $95,701 |
| New Mexico | $81,801 |
| Nevada | $87,401 |
| New York | $93,901 |
| Ohio | $86,001 |
| Oklahoma | $81,701 |
| Oregon | $89,701 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,901 |
| Rhode Island | $91,601 |
| South Carolina | $82,801 |
| South Dakota | $80,301 |
| Tennessee | $82,501 |
| Texas | $86,101 |
| Utah | $84,601 |
| Virginia | $88,901 |
| Vermont | $86,701 |
| Washington | $95,801 |
| Wisconsin | $86,901 |
| West Virginia | $79,501 |
| Wyoming | $84,701 |
What are the Best-Paying Cities for Senior Tax Accountant?
Salaries also vary by city because of differences in living costs, local demand, and industry pay in urban areas.
For example, California cities like San Jose and San Francisco offer a high average salary for senior tax accountant, with $111,401 and $$110,301, respectively.
| City | Average Pay |
|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $111,401 |
| San Francisco, CA | $110,301 |
| Oakland, CA | $107,801 |
| New York, NY | $102,301 |
| Queens Village, NY | $101,701 |
| Paramus, NJ | $101,001 |
How Does Experience Affect Senior Tax Accountant Salaries?
The salary of senior tax accountant increases with experience. According to a Salary.com report, entry-level senior tax accountant earn an average of $85,580 per year, while experienced accountants with over 8 years of experience earn an average of $90,897 per year.
| Level | Average Pay |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Senior Tax Accountant | $85,580 |
| Intermediate Level Senior Tax Accountant | $86,050 |
| Senior Level Senior Tax Accountant | $86,991 |
| Specialist Level Senior Tax Accountant | $89,714 |
| Expert Level Senior Tax Accountant | $90,897 |
How to Increase Salary as a Senior Tax Accountant?
Individuals looking to boost their income as a senior tax accountant can adopt several strategies to learn and grow in the field:
Senior Tax Accountant Advancements
- Build a strong performance record: Consistently deliver high-quality work by meeting deadlines, minimizing errors, and providing valuable insights. This reliability can position individual human for raises and promotions.
- Get promoted: Seek leadership roles, such as managing larger accounts or leading a tax team, to show you’re ready for more responsibility. A promotion often comes with a significant salary increase, reflecting your expanded duties.
- Specialize: Develop expertise in high-demand areas such as international tax, mergers and acquisitions, or tax technology. Specialization makes you a sought-after expert, allowing you to command higher compensation.
- Pursue education and certifications: Earning credentials like CPA, CMA, MBA or MST can significantly boost your earning potential. Continuous learning through workshops and courses keeps your skills sharp and enhances your market value.
Senior Tax Accountant Skills
Senior tax accountant with certain skills can also increase their salaries. According to our Real-time Job Posting Salary Data Report, a tax accountant with forecasting skills can earn a 7.47% salary increase, followed by power BI skills with a 7.05% increase.
| Skill | Demand (%) | Salary Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Forecasting | 10.70% | 7.47% |
| Power BI | 10.50% | 7.05% |
| Payroll Tax | 10.70% | 7.02% |
| Systems Applications and Products (SAP) | 10.40% | 6.65% |
| Oracle | 10.70% | 6.50% |
| Data Entry | 10.40% | 6.37% |
What are the FAQs About Senior Tax Accountant Salaries?
Here are some common questions about or related to senior tax accountant:
What does a Senior Tax Accountant do?
As mentioned, A senior tax accountant examines, evaluates, and interprets financial records to produce precise reports, offer advice, or audit and confirm statements prepared by others. They may also develop or suggest systems for monitoring expenses and managing other financial or budget-related data.
Is a Senior Tax Accountant a stressful job?
Yes, being a senior tax accountant can be stressful due to strict deadlines, complex regulations, and the need for high accuracy in financial reporting. The workload often peaks during tax season, requiring long hours and intense focus.
Do Senior Tax Accountant make good money?
Yes, senior tax accountants typically earn strong compensation. In the U.S., their average annual salary ranges notably—such as around $88,300—with the upper 90th percentile reaching $96,700 or more—reflecting a solid earning potential for experienced professionals.
