Corporate tax preparer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a corporate tax preparer. Corporate tax preparers usually study accounting, business, or finance. 67% of corporate tax preparers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 56 real corporate tax preparer resumes to see exactly what corporate tax preparer education sections show.

The most common colleges for corporate tax preparers are the Fairleigh Dickinson University and the Fairleigh Dickinson University.

There are also many online corporate tax preparer courses to help get the education required to be a corporate tax preparer.

What education do you need to become a corporate tax preparer?

What degree do you need to be a corporate tax preparer?

The most common degree for corporate tax preparers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of corporate tax preparers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Associate, 16%

Master's, 5%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a corporate tax preparer?

You should major in accounting to become a corporate tax preparer. 46% of corporate tax preparers major in accounting. Other common majors for a corporate tax preparer include business and finance.

Accounting, 46%

Business, 13%

Finance, 11%

Military Applied Sciences, 4%

Other Majors, 26%

Most common colleges for corporate tax preparers

Corporate tax preparers often get their degrees at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Arizona State University, and University of Maryland - College Park. Here are the most common colleges for corporate tax preparers in the US based on their resumes.

Corporate tax preparer common college	Percentages
Fairleigh Dickinson University	8.70%
Arizona State University	8.70%
University of Maryland - College Park	8.70%
University of Southern Maine	4.35%
Bob Jones University	4.35%

Show more common corporate tax preparer colleges

Best majors for corporate tax preparers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	45.7%
2	Business	13.0%
3	Finance	10.9%
4	Military Applied Sciences	4.3%
5	Animal Science	2.2%

Show more common corporate tax preparer majors

Best colleges for corporate tax preparers

The best colleges for corporate tax preparers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A corporate tax preparer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for corporate tax preparers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become corporate tax preparers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

4. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Enrollment

14,629

7. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

8. Baylor University

Waco, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$45,542

Enrollment

14,159

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

10. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Enrollment

58,392

20 best online courses for corporate tax preparers

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19. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

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20. Intro to Business Taxation Breezy CPA

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Learn how to file taxes for Partnerships, LLC's, S-Corporations & C-Corporations...

Top 10 most affordable universities for corporate tax preparers

The most affordable schools for corporate tax preparers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for corporate tax preparers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for corporate tax preparers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

10. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for corporate tax preparers

The hardest universities for corporate tax preparers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for corporate tax preparers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for corporate tax preparers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for corporate tax preparers

The easiest schools for corporate tax preparers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and la roche college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a corporate tax preparer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for corporate tax preparers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

7. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

8. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

9. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average corporate tax preparer salary by education level

Corporate tax preparers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $52,347 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, corporate tax preparers earn a median annual income of $48,850 compared to $43,725 for corporate tax preparers with an Associate degree.

Corporate tax preparer education level	Corporate tax preparer salary
Master's Degree	$52,347
High School Diploma or Less	$40,770
Bachelor's Degree	$48,850
Some College/ Associate Degree	$43,725

Corporate tax preparer education FAQs

What is the best college for Corporate Tax Preparers?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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