Best Master's in Taxation Programs in 2027

• Highest Score77.6 out of 100

  Strongest CredentialsAACSB stated by the school; prepares for CPA

  California State University-Fullerton

  Master of Science in Taxation

  California · M.S.

  California State University-Fullerton's M.S. Review
• Lowest Price$556.75 per credit

  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

  Master of Science in Accountancy with a Specialization in Taxation

  Illinois · M.S.A.

  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's M.S.A. Review
• Highest Graduate Earnings$170,796 median earnings

  Villanova University

  Master of Laws in Taxation

  Pennsylvania · LL.M.

  Villanova University's LL.M. Review

Every master's program in taxation we verified on the school's own pages. Programs are ranked against each other on one shared score.

• Master's level taxation degree
• Cost, credits, format and admissions confirmed on the school's own pages in October 2026
• Scored on the published methodology

Scores are the weighted sum of eight factors (Tax Specialization 15%, Tax Subject Coverage 15%, Hands-On Tax Practice 10%, Cost 20%, Graduate Earnings 10%, Credential Alignment 10%, Track Record 10%, Program Reputation 10%), version 2.0. The methodology page shows the rubric for each factor.

Decide What a Master's in Taxation Adds to Your Plan

Start with the job you want in five years, since that's what the degree has to serve. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says accountants and auditors typically need a bachelor's degree, and that some employers prefer applicants who have a master's degree in accounting or in business administration with a concentration in accounting.

A master's in taxation gives you graduate study with the tax courses built in, which suits you if tax is the work you plan to keep doing.

What surrounds those courses matters as much as the course list. At California State University-Fullerton, the lead lecturer spent 32 years as a tax partner at EY, and you can join Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) to prepare returns for Orange County residents.

Gonzaga University lists Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, RSM, Baker Tilly, BDO, Grant Thornton and Eide Bailly among the employers of its graduates, and it offers a dual degree with its J.D.

As you compare programs, jot down the hands-on pieces each one offers, such as a clinic, an internship or a capstone. The master's in taxation jobs guide shows where that kind of experience tends to lead.

Work Out the Whole Price Before You Compare Schools

Rate times credits is the quick math, and fees and residency decide how close it lands. University of Akron lists $600 per credit hour for Ohio residents and $601 out of state, and the program is 30 credits. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville charges $556.75 per credit hour, the same for in-state and out-of-state students, with all fees included.

Some schools add a fee on top. Villanova University charges $1,675 per credit hour for tuition plus a $157 General Fee each semester. At the University of Florida, the part-time rate of $815.81 per credit is the Florida resident rate.

Others price by the course or by the whole degree. Bryant University charges $2,379 for each 3-credit course, which comes to $23,790 for the program. California State University-Northridge lists total tuition to degree at $26,850.

Ask each school for the rate, the credit count, the fees and any residency rule. Then write your own total for each program side by side, so you're comparing like with like. A program with a higher rate and fewer credits can land near one with a lower rate and more, and only the full figure shows you which.

Match the Master's in Taxation to Your Week

Look at how a program uses your hours before you look at how many it asks for. University of Cincinnati builds its 30-hour degree from courses that are 2 credit hours and run 7 weeks, so each one is a short sprint you can fit around a job.

Villanova uses an eight-week format that lets you concentrate on one course at a time, and its online classes are live each week, so you meet your instructor and classmates on a set schedule.

Golden Gate University offers live web-conference classes and asynchronous ones, and you can enroll in any term. If your situation changes partway through, Baruch College lets you switch between part-time and full-time course loads.

If you want a campus, Fullerton's program is in person in Orange County and can take 1.5 to 2 years. Gonzaga lists full-time study in 2 semesters. Match the format to the hours you can protect every week, and the rest of your plan gets easier.

If your job has a busy season, ask how each program handles it before you enroll, since a pause or a lighter term can matter more than the length of the degree.

Check What Each Program Expects You to Know Already

Your undergraduate major decides how smooth your first term feels. Fullerton welcomes students from any undergraduate discipline, and Baruch says applicants aren't required to have an accounting or business background. At the University of Washington, students are expected to have an undergraduate accounting background or equivalent preparation, and the school points career changers to a certificate in accounting to meet the prerequisites.

Other schools write the invitation into their admissions page. Akron names CPAs, accounting and business graduates, J.D. holders and others with high potential. Gonzaga lets its own accounting undergraduates begin in senior year, with up to 9 graduate credits (6 for Whitworth students) billed at undergraduate tuition rates.

Ask each admissions office which leveling courses, if any, you'd take before the core starts. A short answer now saves you a surprise bill and an extra term later.

If your degree is in accounting, you already have the background the University of Washington describes. Confirm the same with every school on your shortlist.