Key takeaways
- A standalone bachelor’s degree in taxation is not available in the United States.
- Aspiring tax professionals can pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, business, or law depending on their career aspirations.
- Tax-related skills include mathematical and numerical skills, financial analysis, policy analysis, and more.
- Jobs in taxation include Tax Accountant, Tax Consultant, Tax Lawyer, Tax Manager, and more.
- California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Virginia are the top 5 states with the highest number of employment opportunities for tax professionals.
- Industries with the highest concentration of tax professionals include accounting, bookkeeping, financial services, software publishers, and more.
Taxation and tax administration are what drive government operations. While nobody enjoys paying taxes, we do enjoy the goods and services we receive through public organizations, including schools and hospitals. If you want to pursue tax-related careers, a bachelor’s degree in tax is the ideal option for you.
In this guide, you will find program details for a career in taxation, tax-related job opportunities, and alternative degrees you can pursue for a career in tax.
What is taxation?
Taxation is the process through which the government imposes taxes and compulsory levies on citizens and business organizations. The money collected through taxes is what funds development, and government expenditures. Taxes are imposed on physical assets such as property, on certain events such as sales transactions, production of goods and services, imports and exports, and more.
There are many different types of taxes including income tax, property tax, inheritance tax, sales or value-added tax, and more. However, the two main categories that taxes can be divided into are direct and indirect taxes. A formal education in the field can help you develop an in-depth understanding of taxes and taxation as well as lead to many financially rewarding career opportunities.
Getting a degree in taxation – In-depth guide
A formal education in taxation can help you develop the in-depth knowledge and expertise required to lead a successful career in the field. Through the program, you will learn how governments impose taxes, who has to pay them, how to calculate which segment must pay how much, and more. Skills you develop through the degree include accounting, administration of taxes, calculation of taxes, legal analysis, and more.
Finding a standalone degree in taxation at the undergraduate level is hard. Not many colleges or universities offer an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in taxation. However, you can pursue an accounting or tax major in accounting, pre-law, and business degrees at the bachelor’s level.
Aspiring tax professionals can then pursue advanced degrees in taxation in the form of a master’s or even a doctorate. Some colleges also offer combined accelerated programs such as a BSB in Accounting + MS in Tax Consulting by DePaul University. For tax-focused career opportunities, students can pursue degrees at the following levels.
Associate
An associate degree in accounting can make students eligible for junior entry-level tax-related career opportunities. The program lasts two years and through its curriculum, you can learn about corporate management principles, individual taxation, payroll and local taxes, business communications, and information systems in accounting.
With an associate’s degree in accounting, you can pursue job roles such as Tax Associate and Tax Preparer. If you want to enhance your career opportunities, you can also pursue a bachelor’s degree starting from 5th semester onward if you have the required transferable credits.
Bachelor
At the bachelor level, students can pursue a degree in accounting, business, or pre-law to become eligible for tax-related careers. The learning takeaways and job opportunities available to graduates vary by program. We will discuss each program, skills developed, and available job opportunities in detail further on in this guide.
With a bachelor’s degree, you can pursue a vast range of entry-level job opportunities, including Tax Accountant, Tax Consultant, Tax Manager, Tax Associate, and Tax Analyst.
Masters
A master’s degree in taxation equips students with the specialized knowledge and skills needed for a career in taxation. At the master’s level, you can pursue specific areas of study within taxation. International Taxation, Taxation Accounting, Business Taxation, Corporate Tax Management, and Tax Consulting are just some examples.
At the master’s level, you will develop advanced skills such as:
- Mathematical skills
- Analytical skills
- Numeracy skills
- Problem-solving skills
The program lasts 1 to 3 years and includes courses in Economics, Mathematics, Business, and Public Administration. Through the curriculum, you will develop a wide range of competencies making you eligible for job roles in taxation, business, finance, and accounting.
Doctoral
A doctoral degree is ideal for those who want to pursue careers in tax-related research. The program is research-based so it can last anywhere from 3 to 5 years and can be extended up to 8 years in some cases. Job opportunities you become eligible for with a doctorate include Tax Advisors, Tax Analysts, Auditors, Tax Partners, Policy Makers, and Tax Inspectors.
Bachelor of Business Administration
One degree you can pursue for a career in taxation is a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). Today’s employers seek job applicants with a blend of technical tax-related skills and proficiency in business principles. By pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and majoring in accounting and finance, you can develop the skills necessary for a successful career in taxation.
However, since you are not pursuing a direct degree, focus on developing the skills necessary for your career aspirations. For careers in taxation, the skills you need to develop include:
- Proficiency in accounting software
- Financial analysis
- Research and report writing
- Tax laws and regulations
Some courses you can take to develop tax-related skills include:
- Accounting Systems
- Management of Information Systems
- Business Taxation
- Business Analytics
- Taxation of Business Entities
- Federal Taxation
- Corporate Financial Analysis
- Auditing Principles and Procedures.
Bachelor of Accounting
At the bachelor level, you can either pursue a BSBA, a BA, or a BS in Accounting. The curriculum in these programs only varies slightly and that too in the general education requirements. The program features a blend of math, business, finance, accounting, and statistics courses. The core competencies and skills developed are essentially the same and include:
- Financial analysis
- Business analytics
- Tax information
- Risk analysis
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Communication
What makes an accounting degree ideal for aspiring tax professionals is the availability of Taxation as a specialization. Through the specialization, you will learn how to file tax returns for corporations, nonprofits, and individuals. You will also learn tax laws in detail, ethics, and even international taxation. Some tax-specific courses you can expect to take in an undergraduate accounting degree include:
- Federal Income Taxation – Individual
- Federal Income Taxation – Corporate
- Contemporary Financial Accounting Issues
- Data Analytics for Accounting
- Auditing Theory and Problems
- Business Law
- Internal Accounting
- Advanced Taxation
Bachelor in Finance
A bachelor’s degree in finance is another excellent option for aspiring tax professionals. While the program doesn’t offer a specialization in taxation, the core competencies and skills developed make graduates eligible for a career in taxation. Additionally, aspiring tax professionals can choose relevant electives to tailor their learning outcomes to their career aspirations. Tax-related electives include:
- Financial Decision-Making Tools and Techniques
- Advanced Taxation
- Financial Accounting
- Multistate Taxation
- Credit Analysis
Bachelor in economics
An economics degree features multiple mathematics, statistics, and calculus courses as mathematical skills are essential for a career in economics. Additionally, students will undertake courses in micro and macroeconomics, econometrics, public policy, finance, international trade, financial economics, and taxation.
Through the program, students gain in-depth knowledge of policy analysis, understand how taxes are calculated and imposed, and how they affect the economy. Additionally, they develop a comprehensive understanding of how people use resources, how markets behave, how people manage wealth, and how they react to incentives.
With the help of the blended curriculum, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of economic principles and skills such as:
- Data interpretation
- Data analytics
- Perform complex calculations
- Policy analysis
- Microeconomic calculations
- Macroeconomic understanding
- Understanding tax policy
- Research
All these are essential for a career in taxation. Career paths you can explore with a degree in taxation include Tax Advisor, Tax Accountant, Tax Policy Analyst, and Corporate Tax Specialist.
Bachelor of Law
If you want to go into tax law, then a bachelor’s degree in law is the ideal undergraduate program for you. At the undergraduate level you cannot pursue taxation as a concentration area in a law degree, but after graduating with one you can pursue a specialized master’s in taxation, an MSc in Accounting and Taxation, or a Master of Business Taxation with Data Analytics.
At the undergraduate level, the competencies you will develop include:
- Quantitative fluency
- Communication
- Integrative Knowledge
- Critical Thinking
- Applied Learning
- Critical Analysis
List of colleges offering a bachelor’s degree in taxation
Finding a college offering a taxation degree can be quite a challenge, especially since colleges and universities in the US don’t offer a standalone degree in taxation at the bachelor’s level. Here, we list colleges offering an accounting degree with a tax major as well as alternative degrees you can pursue for a career in taxation.
Accounting Degree
Here are 5 US colleges and universities from where you can pursue an undergraduate accounting degree.
| College | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
| Mercy College | 86% | 61% | $22,106 |
| SUNY Fredonia | 85% | 64% | $8,771 in-state
$19,191 out-of-state |
| Rowan University | 77% | 78% | $5,906 per semester |
| Fordham University | 54% | 83% | $61,992 |
| Samford University | 83% | 76% | $19,500 per semester |
Finance Degrees
Build essential mathematical, analytical, and other tax-related skills through a degree in finance. Here are some colleges and universities offering a finance bachelor.
| College | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
| Northeastern Illinois University | 63% | 62% | $12,383 in-state
$22,726 out-of-state |
| Eastern Kentucky University | 64% | 44% | $10,130 in-state
$20,820 |
| Georgia College & State University | 80% | 62% | $30,046 |
| University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown | 97% | 57% | $14,646 in-state
$26,520 out-of-state |
| Northern State University | 78% | 48% | $8,845 in-state
$11,947 out-of-state |
Economics Degree
Through an economics degree, you can build a wide range of competencies that can prove useful in a taxation career. These include the ability to interpret and analyze financial policies and statements, perform complex calculations, understand the impact of taxation on the economy, and more. If you want to be a part of the policy-making process, this is the degree for you.
Here are some colleges and universities offering a bachelor’s degree in economics.
| College | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
| University at Buffalo | 68% | 73% | $10,782 in-state
$30,572 out-of-state |
| Morehouse College | 60% | 53% | $31,725 |
| University of Southern Indiana | 94% | 50% | $299.19//credit in-state
$727.23/credit out-of-state |
| Pace University | 77% | 61% | $51,382 |
| George Mason University | 90% | 70% | $13,815 in-state
$39,397 out-of-state |
Business Administration Degree
A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree majoring in accounting, finance, or economics can equip you with the competencies required for a career in taxation. Here are some colleges offering a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
| College | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
| Greensboro College | 84% | 32% | $20,400 |
| Theil College | 82% | 53% | $36, 864 |
| Hult International Business School – Boston | 48% | 57% | $54,890 |
| Georgia College & State University | 80% | 62% | $30,046 |
| Siena Heights University | 65% | 68% | $29,778 |
Bachelor of Law Degree
With a Bachelor of Law degree, you will become eligible to pursue a specialized master’s in taxation or earn a graduate certificate in the field. Here are some colleges offering an undergraduate degree in Law.
| College | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
| Gannon University | 81% | 67% | $37,951 |
| Park University | 69% | 31% | $16,500 /per year |
| University of New Mexico | 96% | 54% | $8,115 in-state
$26,450 out-of-state |
| Fort Hays State University | 88% | 68% | $5,923 – local
$8,276 MSEP resident $17,772 out-of-state |
| Millersville University | 92% | 56% | $3,858 in-state
$9,645 out-of-state |
What jobs can you get in taxation with a bachelor’s degree?
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, you can either pursue a career in taxation or explore job opportunities in the field in which you pursue a formal education. An accounting degree opens a variety of employment opportunities in taxation. However, other degrees like finance, law, and economics can also make you eligible for several roles in the field.
Here is a list of job opportunities you can explore in taxation, and in other related fields.
| Job title | Average salary |
| Tax Examiner | $58,530 |
| Tax Consultant | $87,547 |
| Tax Accountant | $78,647 |
| Forensic Accountant | $86,327 |
| Tax Manager | $124,402 |
| Tax Preparer | $58,160 |
| Budget Analyst | $84,940 |
| Tax Associate | $60,145 |
| Auditor | $79,880 |
| Financial Analyst | $78,850 |
Taxation industry hiring trends and job outlook
Job opportunities in the tax industry are vast and varied ranging from Tax Preparers and Examiners to Tax Consultants and Managers. The employment trends, required education, work experience, and average pay vary for each.
According to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for Tax Examiners and Preparers is low. The job growth rate for each is 2% and 1.2% respectively, which is lower than the national average. Another report by the platform highlights the drastic change in employment levels in Tax Preparation Services by month and time of year.
| Year | Average annual employment | Highest employment
February/March |
Lowest employment
August/September |
| 2023 | >65,000 | 147,761 | 64,459 |
| 2022 | 95,097 | 142,242 | 62,255 |
| 2021 | 96,868 | 143,630 | 60,537 |
Monthly variation in employment levels in tax preparation services is quite significant. Employment in the industry usually peaks around February and is the lowest in August or September and sometimes even July. The annual average employment average doesn’t even come close to the employment figures for the months with the highest employment levels.
In contrast, job roles such as Tax Consulting, Tax Management, and Tax Accountants offer higher job stability and better job growth rates. The outlook for accountants and auditors is 6% which is much faster than the national average of 4%. This indicates a high demand for qualified accounting professionals. In 2023 alone, 1,562,000 jobs opened for qualified accounting professionals’ accountants and auditors.
Education required for jobs in taxation
Whether you want to become a tax accountant, Tax Consultant, Tax Manager, or Tax Associate, a bachelor’s degree is the entry-level educational requirement. However, since multiple degrees lead to careers in taxation in the United States, it is important to determine which degree is ideal for which role.
Tax Accountants should ideally hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Additionally, majoring in taxation, or choosing tax-specific electives can enhance their eligibility for tax-related jobs. Pursuing an Enrolled Agent Certification can strengthen your resume making you eligible for a wider range of positions. With an Enrolled Agent Certification, tax professionals can represent their clients in front of the IRS, making you a more attractive job applicant.
To become a Tax Consultant, an accounting, finance, or economics degree will do. All of these programs will help you develop the skills needed to understand complex financial and tax policies, learn how to implement and analyze them, perform complex mathematical calculations, and more. These learning takeaways can prepare you for a career in consultancy, and analysis.
If you want to pursue a career in Management, a BBA or other business management program majoring in accounting and finance can be the ideal qualification. However, if you want to go into law, a pre-law bachelor and then a master’s degree in taxation should be your qualification of choice.
Industries employing tax professionals
All companies and individuals have to pay taxes. Thus, big and small companies all hire qualified tax professionals to prepare tax documents. Additionally, there are also tax and accounting service providers which employ tax specialists.
Here are the industries with the highest level of employers of Tax professionals along with the number of employed professionals.
- Accounting/Tax Preparation/ Bookkeeping/Payroll Services – 78,450
- Legal Services – 740
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services – 650
- Securities, Commodity, and Financial Investments and Related Activities – 550
- Software Publishers – 320
These are also the industries with the highest concentration of employed tax professionals as reported by BLS. Here are the industries with the highest concentration as well as the percentage of employed professionals in the industry.
- Accounting/Tax Preparation/ Bookkeeping/Payroll Services – 7.13%
- Legal Services – 0.06 %
- Software Publishers – 0.05 %
- Securities, Commodity, and Financial Investments and Related Activities – 0.05 %
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services – 0.03 %
State with the highest level of employed tax professionals
The top 5 states with the highest level of employed tax professionals as reported by BLS are:
- California – $70,740 (Average wage)
- Texas – $54,070 (Average wage)
- New York – $72,810 (Average wage)
- Florida – $50,120 (Average wage)
- Virginia – $64,400 (Average wage)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about taxation
Taxation is a complex study discipline requiring knowledge of multiple disciplines and a wide range of mathematical and numeracy skills. Given that there aren’t standalone degrees in taxation at the bachelor’s level, it is natural to have questions about the programs. Here are the answers to some FAQs about taxation.
Can I pursue an online degree in taxation?
Colleges and universities in the United States do not offer a stand-alone degree in taxation at the bachelor’s level. However, there are other degrees you can pursue for a career in taxation. Depending on your career aspirations you can pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, business, or law.
Several colleges across the US also offer online programs for the degrees mentioned above. So, in a way, you can pursue an online bachelor’s degree for taxation. You can use All Bachelor Degrees’ college search tool to find the ideal online program for your career aspirations.
What does no taxation without representation mean?
“No taxation without representation” is a slogan used by American Colonists against the British Taxation System. They believed the taxes imposed on them were tyrannical and unfair as they were imposed on them without their consent.
With this slogan, the colonists demanded a say in how the taxes were used, and how much they should pay, and demanded political representation in the government.
What is taxation without representation?
Taxation without representation represents taxes imposed on people who do not have representation in the government. It was a slogan or theme pervasive during the American Revolution.
What do people think about taxation?
The public opinion on taxation is divided. While many are opposed, some are neutral, and some are for. A survey by the Pew Research Centre found that a significant portion of the American population is unhappy with the country’s taxation system.
- 53% feel that the taxation system is overly complicated.
- 56% feel they pay more taxes than they feel is their fair share.
- Over 60% feel that the wealthy and major corporations don’t pay their fair share of taxes.
Pursue a lucrative career in taxation with a bachelor’s degree!
To become eligible for the majority of high-paying jobs in Taxation, you need at least a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, business, or law can make you eligible for different tax-related career opportunities. Make sure you explore each program in detail and analyze the learning outcomes, and skills learned before choosing a program, and college.
All Bachelor Degrees provides many educational resources and career guides that you can use when planning for college. Moreover, the platform also offers AI tools such as the Essay Generator that can make applying to colleges a breeze.