Best Private University Master's in Taxation Programs in 2027

• Highest Score69.2 out of 100

  Highest Graduate Earnings$170,796 median earnings

  Villanova University

  Master of Laws in Taxation

  Pennsylvania · LL.M.

  Villanova University's LL.M. Review
• Lowest Price$600 per credit

  Taft University System

  Master of Science in Taxation (MST)

  Colorado · M.S.T.

  Taft University System's M.S.T. Review
• Strongest CredentialsAACSB stated by the school; prepares for CPA

  Gonzaga University

  Master of Science in Taxation

  Washington · M.S.

  Gonzaga University's M.S. Review

Programs at institutions that federal data classifies as private.

• Institution control is private in federal school data
• Cost shown as a per-credit rate 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.

Weigh the Sticker Price of a Private University Master's in Taxation Against Scholarships

Private rates run wide, so look past the sticker price to what you'd actually pay, because aid can change your number. Villanova University's Master of Taxation listed $1,675 per credit hour for 2025-2026, plus a $157 General Fee each semester. It also lists scholarships of $100 per credit hour for select students and 50% off tuition for public interest roles.

The University of San Francisco gives automatic consideration for merit scholarships, and Bentley University considers every applicant for them. Loyola Marymount University's Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program offers full-tuition scholarships toward its M.S. in Taxation. New York Law School gives alumni who start the LL.M. within two years of graduating a scholarship equal to 50 percent of tuition.

Washington University in St. Louis lists a 10% tuition discount for eligible students whose employers are in the AllCampus Workplace Network. Ask every admissions office what applies to you, then subtract it from the rate before you compare.

Ask Whether Your Format Changes the Bill

Some private programs charge the same whether you log in or show up. St. John's University says tuition and fees are identical to its on-campus courses, at $1,280 per credit hour. Washington University in St. Louis charges the same rates and fees across its online graduate law programs, with $57,000 in total tuition for 24 credits.

Other schools publish a per-credit rate you can multiply by the credits you'll take. The University of San Diego's online LL.M. in Taxation lists 2026 tuition of $28,800, or $1,200 per credit. Golden Gate University's M.S. in Taxation runs $1,250 per credit over 15 months. Walsh College lets you choose online, live virtual or on-campus classes.

Fees sit beside the rate at some schools. New York University lists $3,638 per credit plus an $865 fee for the first credit. Fordham University lists fees of $128 general and $249 technology per term, plus a one-time $3,939 enrichment fee in the first term for new M.S. students. Ask for the all-in cost per term, so you aren't comparing rates alone.

Use Joint and Accelerated Paths to Shorten the Route

If you're a law student or already a lawyer, a joint degree can save you time. Washington University in St. Louis lists a joint J.D./Tax LL.M. in six semesters if you're one of its J.D. students. New York Law School's accelerated J.D./LL.M. in Taxation lets J.D. students finish the LL.M. in a single final semester.

Loyola Marymount offers a fully sequenced three-year joint J.D./Tax LL.M. path. Georgetown University, Northwestern University and the University of Denver also list joint or dual J.D. options alongside the LL.M. in Taxation.

Accountants have shortcuts too. The University of Miami has an accelerated path for its own undergraduates that finishes both degrees, the bachelor's and the M.S. in Taxation, in 4½ years.

Golden Gate University's Path2CPA lets you earn the M.S. in as little as one year after its B.S. in Accounting, and it can satisfy the 150-hour CPA education requirement. Ask which path you qualify for, and have the admissions office confirm in writing which credits carry over.

Compare Faculty, Class Size and Career Support

Private schools often emphasize small groups and close advising, so ask what that looks like for you. At Washington University in St. Louis, classes are small, typically fewer than ten students, and you learn from full-time faculty and leading tax practitioners. New York University lists more than 50 graduate tax courses taught by 10 full-time faculty and more than 40 adjunct instructors.

Career help is spelled out at several programs. Georgetown University gives you externships at the IRS, Treasury, the U.S. Tax Court and the Senate Finance Committee. Northwestern University gives full-time students one-on-one advising with a Tax Career Services Advisor. The University of Miami has a career advisor with special training in assisting tax LL.M. students.

Villanova gives you more than 45 faculty to learn from, including practitioners from Big Four firms, law firms and the IRS. Pick the school whose faculty and career team match the work you want to be doing in two years, because you'll lean on them.