Best On-Campus 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$725 per credit

  Goldey-Beacom College

  Master of Business Administration: Major in Taxation

  Delaware · MBA

  Goldey-Beacom College's MBA Review
• Highest Graduate Earnings$132,681 median earnings

  CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

  Master of Science in Taxation

  New York · M.S.

  CUNY Bernard M Baruch College's M.S. Review

Programs the school teaches on campus, or in a hybrid mix of online and on-campus classes.

• Taught on campus, or hybrid with online and on-campus classes
• 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.

Look at How On-Campus Taxation Cohorts Run Day to Day

A cohort means you move through the program with the same classmates, and several on-campus programs are built this way. Arizona State's Master of Taxation and Data Analytics is a full-time, daytime, in-person lockstep program on the Tempe campus, and it takes nine months.

The University at Albany's Master of Science in Taxation is a 30-credit program you complete as part of a cohort over two semesters of full-time study. The University of Washington's Master of Science in Taxation packs 51 quarter credits into nine months of daytime, in-person classes in Seattle. You study full time for three quarters and take 14 classes alongside a structured cohort.

A fixed cohort gives you the same study partners from the first day to the last. Ask how large each one is, whether the schedule is fixed or flexible, and whether a full-time pace leaves room for any outside work.

Find On-Campus Classes That Fit Your Working Hours

On campus doesn't have to mean a daytime schedule. The University of San Diego's Master of Science in Taxation runs year-round, with five-week classes that meet two nights a week and ten-week classes that meet one night a week. That gives you a choice between a heavier night schedule for a few weeks and a lighter one stretched longer.

The University of Washington's Tax Law LL.M. says its curriculum accommodates both traditional students and working professionals, and most classes are in the late afternoon or early evening. Northwestern's LL.M. in Taxation in Chicago lets you choose full-time or part-time study.

Gonzaga's Master of Science in Taxation is primarily in person, with some sessions offered remotely over Zoom on occasion. Cal State Northridge's cohort format has no classes during the busy tax seasons.

Ask for a schedule from a recent term, not only a catalog description, and map the meeting times against your commute and your work calendar.

Use the Campus: Clinics, Law School Classes and Summer Internships

Being on campus puts practice within reach. The University of Colorado Boulder's Master of Science in Taxation is an in-person program completed in 16 months, including space for a summer internship. Three of your courses are taught at the University of Colorado Law School. The program also comes with a student success team and career development coaches.

Several programs connect to clinics. Cal State Fullerton lists Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax preparation for Orange County residents among its standout features. Cal State Northridge lists the Tax Challenge Project, its VITA clinic, the Bookstein Low Income Taxpayer Clinic and a student-run Tax Development Journal as hands-on practice.

The Tax Law LL.M. at Washington runs a Federal Tax Clinic whose closed cases in 2024 cut taxpayers' liabilities, penalties and interest by $4,159,508. Ask any program you're weighing which clinic or internship you'd be able to join in your first year, and what you'd do there.

Match an On-Campus Program to Your State's CPA Rules

If you plan to sit for the CPA exam, check that a program's credits line up with your state. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) describes the traditional pathway as a bachelor's degree in accounting plus 30 additional semester credits, for 150 semester hours in all, plus one year of experience and passing the exam.

That's a model pathway. NASBA says each jurisdiction must enact its own rules and that implementation dates vary, so your state's version decides what counts. You'll see some on-campus programs state their fit for a specific state. Albany's program meets the 150-hour education requirement for initial CPA licensure in New York. Gonzaga lists the 150-hour requirement in Washington. Cal State Fullerton says it meets the California 150-hour CPA requirement.

San Diego created its program with the CPA exam in mind so that students can meet the CPA education requirement. Ask the admissions office for a course map that shows how the credits count where you'll apply for a license. Our master's in taxation jobs guide covers the roles the degree can open up.