Best Master's in Taxation for Working Professionals in 2027

• Highest Score74.9 out of 100

  University of Florida

  Taxation

  Florida · LL.M.

  University of Florida's LL.M. 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
• Strongest CredentialsAACSB stated by the school; prepares for CPA

  Portland State University

  Master of Taxation

  Oregon · M.Tax.

  Portland State University's M.Tax. Review

Programs that are asynchronous, use terms of eight weeks or shorter, or state a part-time pace.

• Asynchronous classes, terms of 8 weeks or shorter, or a stated part-time option
• Format shown for each program
• Ranked on the shared 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.

Plan Around Busy Season With a Master's in Taxation for Working Professionals

If you already work in tax, ask first what a program does in winter. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says overtime hours are typical during tax season for accountants, so a calendar that bends around it matters. Tax season can fill your evenings and weekends for weeks, so you'll want a program that expects that.

The University of San Francisco says each seven-week semester avoids the busy tax season. The University of Minnesota's Master of Business Taxation breaks from classes during tax season so working tax professionals can keep up with their jobs. Portland State University structures its winter term around tax season.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's program is designed for working professionals, with 100% online coursework and multiple start dates. Short terms give you more places to adjust. The University of Cincinnati, the University of Hartford and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville all list seven-week terms, and Taft University System lists eight-week terms.

Ask each school for its calendar, and mark your busiest weeks against it.

Match Live Sessions and Course Load to Your Job

Two things set your week: how many courses you take at once, and whether any class meets at a set time.

Villanova University's Master of Taxation uses eight-week courses, one at a time, and its classes are live each week, so you'd keep a standing weekly slot on your calendar.

Bentley University's hybrid format has live scheduled class times, in person or online. Goldey-Beacom College runs one course per eight-week session across fall, spring and summer. The University of Denver's LL.M. in Taxation mixes live and asynchronous classes, so you'd get some flexibility alongside a few set meetings.

If a fixed slot is hard for you, look at Taft University System. Its LL.M. is delivered in the Independent Study format, so you work at your own pace, with about 64 weeks at one course per eight-week term. Pick the pattern your week can hold in the busiest month as well as the quietest.

Count Continuing Education Hours and Employer Support Together

Continuing education is part of an enrolled agent's calendar. Enrolled agents need 72 hours of continuing education every three years, and the hours must come from an IRS-approved provider. The IRS also sets a minimum of 16 hours per year, 2 of them on ethics.

Taft University System is an IRS-Approved Continuing Education Provider and reports completed hours to the IRS, so ask its admissions office whether your coursework earns hours toward that total.

Employers sometimes help with the bill. Andersen employees may enroll in the University of San Francisco's Graduate Tax Programs at the firm's expense through a long-standing partnership. The University of Hartford discounts tuition for educational partners, and Loyola Marymount's Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program offers full-tuition scholarships toward its M.S. in Taxation.

Ask your human resources office whether your employer has a tuition benefit or a partner school, and get the terms in writing before you enroll.

Use the Degree to Reach the Credential Your Next Role Asks For

Pick the credential first, then the program. BLS says some employers prefer applicants with a master's degree, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) says CPA education requirements vary by state, so check your own state's rules.

Hofstra University says its M.S. in Taxation satisfies in full the New York State educational requirements for CPA licensure.

Baruch College says its credits count toward New York State CPA licensure hours, and the University of Cincinnati says its degree can count toward credits to sit for the CPA exam. Compare the CPA with the enrolled agent credential before you choose. The IRS calls enrolled agent the highest credential it awards.

If you're a lawyer, the tax-specific step is the LL.M. BLS notes that tax lawyers may earn one after a J.D. Read what an LL.M. in taxation is if you're weighing it. Whichever route you take, ask the program office for its course list and hold it up against the rule you need to meet.