Three California law schools earned the highest grade on preLaw magazine’s latest Tax Law Honor Roll, a list that measures the breadth of schools’ offerings for students interested in the field.

Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law, LMU Loyola Law School and the University of San Diego each received an A+. Fourteen other schools earned grades of A or A− in the assessment published by [The National Jurist](https://nationaljurist.com/top-law-schools-for-tax-law/).

The honor roll focuses on the educational infrastructure law schools have built around tax law, from concentrations and clinics to journals and student groups. Its results offer prospective students a way to compare the range of tax-specific opportunities available during law school.

Under preLaw’s methodology, a tax law concentration accounts for 30% of a school’s score, while a clinic accounts for 24%. A center and an externship each contribute 12%; a journal accounts for 9%; a student group, 8%; and a certificate, 5%. Schools can receive additional credit for other offerings.

The schools receiving A-level grades were:

A+

- Chapman Fowler School of Law - LMU Loyola Law School - University of San Diego

A

- George Washington University - Quinnipiac University - St. Thomas University - Temple University - University of California, Irvine - UC Law San Francisco - University of Baltimore - University of Connecticut - University of Idaho - University of Memphis - University of San Francisco - Washburn University

A−

- University of Pittsburgh - University of Washington

The list stands out in part for the absence of some prominent names often associated with tax law education, including New York University and Georgetown University. Instead, the A-level grades highlight a mix of institutions across the country whose programs offer students a variety of ways to study and practice in the field.

The methodology also matters when interpreting the results. Because the grades are based on the breadth of curricular offerings, they should be read as an assessment of the programs’ educational features rather than a direct measure of graduates’ employment outcomes.

For prospective J.D. students who want to take multiple tax courses or gain practical experience through a clinic or externship, the honor roll provides a starting point for comparing programs. Students considering an eventual LL.M. in tax may also want to weigh those offerings alongside the broader fit and strengths of each law school. The National Jurist published the full honor roll on its website.