Are you looking for a CPA but unsure how much it will cost you? You are not alone. Hopefully this CPA fee index will help you get a good estimate for how much it will be.
75% of CPAs actually “hide” how much they charge behind a phone call or pricing estimate. This index was put together on the other 25%, the firms that are willing to actually disclose their prices. The fee index is broken out by state, by individual or business return, and by hourly work (e.g. tax consulting).
This is not a quote sheet, but rather a map of advertised fees, such that you can know exactly what to expect.
How this fee page was created
Pricing was pulled from the pricing field on FindCPA profiles. A keyword classifier sorted each dollar figure into one of four buckets (individual return, business return, hourly, monthly bookkeeping).
I then reviewed the classification rules, dropped “fake“ data, such as “starting at $100” floors, and wrote the analysis.
If a state did not have enough of its own published prices, we used the best estimate available. More details are in Methodology section.
National baseline
| Service | Median | Middle 50% |
|---|---|---|
| Individual return (Form 1040) | $363 | $217-$600 |
| Business return (1120, 1120S, 1065) | $550 | $406-$963 |
| Hourly billing | $200/hr | $125-$280/hr |
| Monthly bookkeeping / advisory retainer | $480/mo | $236-$825/mo |
Independent industry surveys actually shows similar numbers. Comparing the dataset of 1,100 profiles against the NATP 2025 fee study, put base Form 1040 at around $280.
Our medians are higher than those survey floors because we excluded advertised teaser rates, and our members are actual CPAs, not just seasoned tax professionals trying to make a quick buck.
The full 2026 CPA fee index
| State | Region | Individual return | Business return | Hourly rate | Monthly bookkeeping |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Midwest | $420 | $525 | $225/hr | $1,000 |
| Indiana | Midwest | $490 | $690 | $340/hr* | $1,625 |
| Iowa | Midwest | $505* | $785* | $340/hr* | $490* |
| Kansas | Midwest | $375 | $580* | $250/hr* | $490* |
| Michigan | Midwest | $335* | $435* | $330/hr* | $450 |
| Minnesota | Midwest | $245* | $425 | $180/hr | $390* |
| Missouri | Midwest | $390* | $650 | $260/hr* | $490 |
| Nebraska | Midwest | $305* | $470* | $205/hr* | $400 |
| North Dakota | Midwest | $450 | $695* | $300/hr* | $590* |
| Ohio | Midwest | $275 | $780* | $340/hr | $415* |
| South Dakota | Midwest | $375* | $580* | $250/hr* | $490* |
| Wisconsin | Midwest | $345* | $535* | $280/hr | $350 |
| Connecticut | Northeast | $235* | $450 | $165/hr* | $460 |
| Maine | Northeast | $220* | $375* | $140/hr* | $390* |
| Massachusetts | Northeast | $300* | $500 | $175/hr* | $450 |
| New Hampshire | Northeast | $205* | $485* | $130/hr* | $260* |
| New Jersey | Northeast | $145* | $245* | $90/hr* | $390* |
| New York | Northeast | $220 | $300 | $130/hr | $350* |
| Pennsylvania | Northeast | $220* | $375* | $140/hr* | $390* |
| Rhode Island | Northeast | $145* | $245* | $90/hr* | $390* |
| Vermont | Northeast | $220* | $375* | $140/hr* | $390* |
| Alabama | South | $340* | $655* | $175/hr* | $360* |
| Arkansas | South | $455* | $885* | $235/hr* | $1,000 |
| Delaware | South | $220* | $425* | $115/hr* | $200 |
| District of Columbia | South | $220* | $655* | $115/hr* | $235* |
| Florida | South | $390* | $800 | $165/hr* | $300 |
| Georgia | South | $275 | $675* | $140/hr* | $345* |
| Kentucky | South | $390* | $575* | $235/hr* | $500 |
| Louisiana | South | $295* | $570* | $235/hr* | $235* |
| Maryland | South | $220* | $475 | $115/hr* | $130 |
| Mississippi | South | $240* | $470* | $125/hr | $260* |
| North Carolina | South | $410 | $650* | $160/hr* | $250 |
| Oklahoma | South | $450* | $595* | $115/hr* | $350 |
| South Carolina | South | $340* | $885* | $235/hr* | $490* |
| Tennessee | South | $455* | $885* | $235/hr* | $360* |
| Texas | South | $420 | $425 | $125/hr* | $150 |
| Virginia | South | $455* | $885* | $235/hr* | $600 |
| West Virginia | South | $180 | $425* | $115/hr* | $225 |
| Alaska | West | $595* | $550* | $200/hr* | $650* |
| Arizona | West | $615* | $550 | $235/hr* | $900 |
| California | West | $600 | $550 | $195/hr | $675 |
| Colorado | West | $610* | $650 | $250/hr | $475 |
| Hawaii | West | $595* | $550* | $200/hr* | $650* |
| Idaho | West | $595* | $550* | $200/hr* | $650* |
| Montana | West | $595* | $550* | $200/hr* | $650* |
| Nevada | West | $385* | $360* | $130/hr* | $200 |
| New Mexico | West | $595* | $550* | $200/hr* | $650* |
| Oregon | West | $565* | $1,400 | $235/hr* | $345 |
| Utah | West | $595* | $790 | $175/hr* | $680* |
| Washington | West | $805* | $740* | $300/hr | $2,000 |
| Wyoming | West | $595* | $550* | $200/hr* | $650* |
How to read the state table
- No asterisk = actuals (at least a few firms in that state published a usable dollar figure for that service)
- Asterisk (*) = estimated (not enough clean state level prices, so the cell is the regional median)
Individual vs business
The interesting comparisons are the states with actual prices.
For example, in Illinois, the data showed a roughly 1.25x between individual vs business return. So individual can be around $420, while business can be $525.
But some firms in Texas, have essentially a 1:1 ratio. This could be a data size issue, but definitely something to consider as you are selecting the CPAs.
How to use this when you hire a CPA
- Find your state row median pricing.
- Get a quote in writing for your facts (e.g. entity type, states, payroll, crypto, rentals, prior-year cleanup, etc)
- Compare two or three local firms to the median pricing. Are you in line?
If a quote is far below the observed cells for that state, ask what is excluded or not provided. If it is far above, ask what planning is in the number, or the additional value proposition.
Methodology
The source is a free text pricing fields on 1,148 FindCPA firm profiles. Only entries with an explicit dollar figure were used.
- Actual = real prices firms in that state reported.
- Estimated = regional median for that service, adjusted by how the state’s own pricing compares to its region on services where it does have data.
The actual source is from FindCPA firm listings.
Why we published this
People searching for a CPA are making a money decision with incomplete information.
Many firms leave the searcher looking at the “call for quote” button.
This index exists so that conversation starts with a number that someone in that market was willing to put in writing, and can help you actually know what it may cost you.
CPA Fee Calculator
You can also use our proprietary CPA fee calculator that can help you estimate additional cost based on your complexity needs.