Taxation: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Designed for students seeking expertise in tax strategy and compliance, this program equips learners with the analytical and technical skills needed to navigate complex tax environments for both individuals and organizations. It emphasizes practical application, legal precision, and strategic decision-making across diverse financial contexts.
- Tax Law and Regulations: Explores federal, state, and local tax statutes, administrative rulings, and case law that govern tax obligations and compliance.
- Tax Record Systems: Focuses on the design, maintenance, and auditing of accurate financial records essential for tax reporting and audit defense.
- Individual and Corporate Income Taxation: Covers the calculation, reporting, and planning of income tax liabilities for personal and business entities.
- Tax Planning: Teaches proactive strategies to minimize tax exposure while maximizing legal deductions, credits, and deferrals.
- Partnerships and Fiduciary Relationships: Examines tax implications of business structures and the duties of fiduciaries in tax reporting and compliance.
- Estates and Trusts: Addresses the taxation of wealth transfer, estate administration, and trust income, including generation-skipping and income tax considerations.
- Property Depreciation: Analyzes methods for calculating and applying depreciation deductions for tangible assets under IRS guidelines.
- Capital Gains and Losses: Investigates the taxation of asset sales, including holding periods, long-term vs. short-term treatment, and wash sale rules.
- Dispositions and Transfers: Studies the tax consequences of asset sales, exchanges, gifts, and other non-ordinary transactions.
- Liquidity and Valuation: Focuses on assessing financial resources and asset values to support tax planning and compliance decisions.
- Application to Specific Tax Problems: Applies theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, including tax disputes, restructuring, and international tax issues.
Taxation Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Taxation Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Taxation degrees, including Financial Examiners, Accountants and Auditors and Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 1,638,220 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Examiners 13-2061 | $90,400 | $53,420 - $171,540 | 62,830 | $43.46 |
| Accountants and Auditors 13-2011 | $81,680 | $52,780 - $141,420 | 1,448,290 | $39.27 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents 13-2081 | $59,740 | $40,020 - $110,300 | 53,530 | $28.72 |
| Tax Preparers 13-2082 | $50,560 | $30,500 - $96,240 | 73,570 | $24.31 |
Taxation Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $52,835 in West Virginia to $140,290 in District of Columbia—a 166% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, New York, and Connecticut. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 1,638,220 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Taxation by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 90 institutions offering Taxation programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Taxation is found at Stark State College (116 graduates), Golden Gate University (GGU) (87 graduates), CUNY Bernard M Baruch College (83 graduates), University of North Texas (UNT) (42 graduates), and University of Missouri (Mizzou), Columbia (40 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,238 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stark State College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
116 | North Canton, Ohio | Public | starkstate.edu |
| Golden Gate University (GGU) |
Master's
|
87 | San Francisco, California | Private | ggu.edu |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College |
Master's
|
83 | New York, New York | Public | baruch.cuny.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Master's
|
42 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Postbac Cert.
|
40 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| Irvine Valley College (IVC) |
Other Award
|
34 | Irvine, California | Public | ivc.edu |
| Pace University |
Master's
|
29 | New York, New York | Private | pace.edu |
| Weber State University (WSU) |
Master's
|
28 | Ogden, Utah | Public | weber.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
26 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
26 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Master's
|
24 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Master's
|
24 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
24 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Other Award
|
19 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| St. John's University (SJU) |
Master's
|
19 | Queens, New York | Private | stjohns.edu |
| Villanova University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
19 | Villanova, Pennsylvania | Private | villanova.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Master's
|
18 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Other Award
|
18 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| DePaul University |
Master's
|
18 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | depaul.edu |
| Bentley University |
Master's
|
18 | Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | bentley.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Master's
|
18 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) |
Master's
|
18 | Dallas, Texas | Private | smu.edu |
| California State University (CSUN) |
Master's
|
17 | Northridge, California | Public | csun.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Master's
|
17 | Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| Chemeketa Community College |
Other Award
|
17 | Salem, Oregon | Public | chemeketa.edu |
| Gonzaga University |
Master's
|
17 | Spokane, Washington | Private | gonzaga.edu |
| San Joaquin Delta College |
Other Award
|
16 | Stockton, California | Public | deltacollege.edu |
| Portland State University (PSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
16 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pdx.edu |
| Fordham University |
Master's
|
15 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| SUNY Old Westbury |
Master's
|
15 | Old Westbury, New York | Public | oldwestbury.edu |
| Temple University |
Master's
|
15 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) |
Master's
|
14 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | calpoly.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Master's
|
13 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) |
Master's
|
13 | Wilmington, Delaware | Private | gbc.edu |
| Clovis Community College (CCC) |
Residency
|
13 | Clovis, New Mexico | Public | clovis.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Other Award
|
11 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Master's
|
11 | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| Walsh College |
Master's
|
11 | Troy, Michigan | Private | walshcollege.edu |
| University of Akron |
Master's
|
11 | Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| Taft University System (TUS) |
Master's
|
11 | Denver, Colorado | Private | taftu.edu |
| University of San Diego (USD) |
Master's
|
10 | San Diego, California | Private | sandiego.edu |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs |
Master's
|
10 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Butte College |
Other Award
|
9 | Oroville, California | Public | butte.edu |
| Chaffey College |
Other Award
|
9 | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Public | chaffey.edu |
| CUNY Queens College |
Master's
|
9 | Queens, New York | Public | qc.cuny.edu |
| Baylor University |
Master's
|
9 | Waco, Texas | Private | baylor.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
|
9 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Residency
|
8 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
8 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Master's
|
8 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Master's
|
8 | University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) |
Master's
|
8 | Madison, New Jersey | Private | fdu.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Other Award
|
7 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| Orange Coast College (OCC) |
Other Award
|
7 | Costa Mesa, California | Public | orangecoastcollege.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Master's
|
7 | Kingsville, Texas | Public | tamuk.edu |
| University of Denver (DU) |
Master's
|
6 | Denver, Colorado | Private | du.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Master's
|
6 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| University of Missouri-St Louis (UMSL) |
Postbac Cert.
|
6 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Public | umsl.edu |
| Hofstra University |
Master's
|
6 | Hempstead, New York | Private | hofstra.edu |
| Widener University |
Master's
|
6 | Chester, Pennsylvania | Private | widener.edu |
| Norco College |
Other Award
|
6 | Norco, California | Public | norcocollege.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Postbac Cert.
|
6 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| Chabot College (CC) |
Other Award
|
5 | Hayward, California | Public | chabotcollege.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
5 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Master's
|
5 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| Golden West College (GWC) |
Other Award
|
4 | Huntington Beach, California | Public | goldenwestcollege.edu |
| Community College of Denver (CCD) |
Other Award
|
4 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ccd.edu |
| University of New Haven (UNH) |
Master's
|
4 | West Haven, Connecticut | Private | newhaven.edu |
| Grand Valley State University (GVSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
4 | Allendale, Michigan | Public | gvsu.edu |
| Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) |
Residency
|
3 | Lakewood, Colorado | Public | rrcc.edu |
| University of New Orleans (UNO) |
Master's
|
3 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Public | new.uno.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Master's
|
3 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Olympic College (OC) |
Other Award
|
3 | Bremerton, Washington | Public | olympic.edu |
| Pima Community College (PCC) |
Other Award
|
2 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | pima.edu |
| Citrus College |
Other Award
|
2 | Glendora, California | Public | citruscollege.edu |
| Front Range Community College (FRCC) |
Other Award
|
2 | Westminster, Colorado | Public | frontrange.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Master's
|
2 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| University of Baltimore (UBalt) |
Master's
|
2 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | ubalt.edu |
| Eastern Michigan University (EMU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
2 | Ypsilanti, Michigan | Public | emich.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| Thomas Jefferson University |
Master's
|
2 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | jefferson.edu |
| Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 | California, Pennsylvania | Public | pennwest.edu |
| Cochise County Community College District |
Other Award
|
1 | Sierra Vista, Arizona | Public | cochise.edu |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) |
Master's
|
1 | Los Angeles, California | Private | lmu.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Master's
|
1 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| Northeastern Junior College (NJC) |
Residency
|
1 | Sterling, Colorado | Public | njc.edu |
| Suffolk University |
Master's
|
1 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | suffolk.edu |
| Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Manchester, New Hampshire | Private | snhu.edu |
| Yeshiva University (YU) |
Master's
|
1 | New York, New York | Private | yu.edu |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Gurabo) |
Master's
|
1 | Gurabo, Puerto Rico | Private | uagm.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Taxation programs
How much can I earn with a Taxation degree?
Salaries for Taxation graduates vary by role and location. Financial Examiners earn a median of $90,400 annually, while Accountants and Auditors earn around $81,680. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $140,290 compared to $52,835 in West Virginia. Approximately 1,638,220 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Taxation programs?
Currently 90 accredited institutions offer Taxation degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Stark State College (116 graduates), Golden Gate University (GGU) (87 graduates), and CUNY Bernard M Baruch College (83 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Taxation growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,730 in 2010 to a peak of 1,791 in 2020, before declining slightly to 1,238 in 2023-24. This represents a 28% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Taxation degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Financial Examiners, Accountants and Auditors, and Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents. Related occupations employ approximately 1,638,220 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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