
Once you get your first job, experience starts to include actual time working in the industry and your accomplishments at work. Compare enrolled agent salaries for individual cities or states with the national average. Compare enrolled agent salaries for cities or states with the national average over time. The other way to become an enrolled agent is by having enough IRS experience. According to the Treasury Department guidelines, you must have at least 5 years of active, continuous service in order to become an EA.
Who should earn the EA?
Ken has gained a wealth of business experience through his previous employment as a CPA, Auditor, Tax Preparer and College Professor. Today, Ken continues to use those finely tuned skills to educate students as a professional writer and teacher. It’s really a personal choice what size company you want to work for, but you should consider benefits that can affect your quality of life.
What is the average Enrolled Agent salary?
Take a look at our Enrolled Agent Salary Guide to get an idea about industry salary range. 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. As per information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for CPAs stands at $78,000. Find a place you want to live or a firm you want to work for and then use the table below to inform your salary expectations.
- Yet, both paths to the EA also involve extensive background investigations.
- Additionally, clients often prefer to work with a single individual or a small team for the sake of efficiency.
- So, use our comparisons of the best EA review courses to find the right EA course for you, and use our EA discounts to save on your preferred exam prep.
- On-site daycare could save thousands of dollars and dozens of hours in commuting each year.
- Today, Ken continues to use those finely tuned skills to educate students as a professional writer and teacher.
- In the Pacific Northwest, where tech and trees reign, Seattle enrolled agents earn anywhere from $49,275 and $68,692.
Average enrolled agent salary
A mid-career enrolled agent with 3-6 years of experience makes $35,171 a year on average. A senior level enrolled agent with 7-12 years of experience enjoys an average annual salary of $41,077. If you’re planning to start your own book of business, then earning the enrolled agent designation is a great way to differentiate yourself from the bulk of your competitors.
What state pays Enrolled Agents the most?

Of jobs posted in the city by the bay, nearly half pay above $125,000 annually. Moving down to Southern California reveals EA salary numbers that are as sunny as the beaches. Enrolled agent salary numbers in Los Angeles show that about half of the jobs available pay in the six-figure range.
- Therefore, because the CPA is a state certification, not a federal one, a CPA may want to earn an enrolled agent designation as well to expand her credentials and earning potential.
- 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.
- Find a place you want to live or a firm you want to work for and then use the table below to inform your salary expectations.
- In order to become an enrolled agent, you must satisfy the EA requirements of Treasury Department Circular 230.
- The average enrolled agent salary in Alaska, Wisconsin, and Washington are the highest in the U.S.
Because enrolled agents have the authority to represent clients before the IRS, they can fulfill a more specialized niche than non-enrolled tax preparers and accountants. Therefore, while CPAs do earn more on average than enrolled agents in the short run, the potential for earnings over the span of a career can be higher for enrolled agents. Self-employed enrolled agents who operate their own accounting agencies can expect more earnings than their counterparts at large brokerages and corporations. At a median of over $53,000, the salary for an independent enrolled agent is not bad. Furthermore, when you consider the lack of an upper limit on your earning potential, the idea of self-employment becomes very attractive.

Enrolled Agent (EA) Salary Guide
- And, in addition to the standard background check, the IRS also investigates your personal tax history.
- In 2014, the average enrolled agent earned $31,983 annually, but today, they earn $35,171 a year.
- Agents with more than 20 years of experience may see a pay raise up to $60,000 per year.
- Becoming an EA is one of the best investments you can make in your career as a tax preparer.
- For example, many small to mid-sized businesses prefer to outsource their accounting.
This is because the income potential for enrolled agents tends to taper out over time. By comparison, a CPA can have a number of opportunities for earning money. For instance, CPAs working for conglomerates or in a CPA firm could easily https://www.bookstime.com/articles/managerial-accounting bring in six-figure salaries. According to Indeed.com, over half of the enrolled agent jobs in Atlanta pay more than 6 figures. Therefore, the EA salary range in that city is a little lower, with the average salary about $51,560.
Becoming an EA is one of the best investments you can make in your career as a tax preparer. The benefits you’ll gain from earning the EA designation will far outweigh the cost of taking the EA exam. In addition to the salary benefits, you’ll also enjoy increased representation rights so you can expand your client base and the services you can offer.

This is a great time to go into accounting, and becoming an Enrolled Agent will help you land an even bigger starting salary than you could without it. Enrolled agent salaries at IDEMIA and Acuity Insurance are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average enrolled enrolled agent salary agent salary at companies like Smoker Craft Boats and Independent Health are highly competitive. But the fact that smaller firms have to specialize can be both a blessing and a curse for enrolled agents. For example, a small agency that specializes in escrow accounting may not need an enrolled agent.
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