Choosing a counseling program in Nashville means choosing a career path as well as a school: clinical mental health, school, and family counseling lead to different credentials. The 2027 Most Popular Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Nashville, created by the Research.com team of data scientists, helps students identify programs worth considering. This guide is for prospective students and career changers who need to compare training, cost, licensure, and job prospects before deciding whether a counseling degree is the right investment.
Key findings about Counseling degrees in Nashville
Nashville applicants should choose a credential path before comparing schools: clinical mental health, school, and marriage and family counseling can involve different Tennessee requirements.
The U.S. median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors was $59,350 in May 2025; the projected growth for those occupations is 18% from 2025 to 2035, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Neither figure predicts a Nashville graduate's pay or job offer.
A counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years full time, but required placements can affect when a working student can finish. Compare total cost and placement logistics, not tuition alone.
What can I expect from a Counseling degree in Nashville?
A counseling degree combines study of human development and therapeutic approaches with supervised practice. For someone seeking to provide professional counseling, the pivotal choice is usually a master's program whose coursework and clinical training match the intended credential. A bachelor's degree in a related subject can be preparation, but it does not by itself qualify someone for independent professional counseling licensure in Tennessee (Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists).
Nashville offers programs with meaningfully different orientations, including clinical mental health counseling, human development and counseling, and marriage and family therapy. If you want to work with individuals on mental health concerns, compare clinical mental health preparation. If your goal is systems-focused work with couples and families, examine marriage and family therapy training and its separate licensing pathway. Students interested in K-12 settings should check school-counselor preparation and Tennessee educator credential rules rather than assume any counseling concentration will qualify (Tennessee Department of Education).
Where can I work with a Counseling degree in Nashville?
Depending on specialization and credentials, Nashville-area counseling graduates may pursue roles in behavioral health clinics, hospitals, schools, community agencies, substance-use treatment organizations, or private practice. The city's mix of healthcare and education employers gives students several settings to investigate, but a program's placement partners matter more than the number of employers nearby: supervised positions must be appropriate for the credential sought.
Ask programs where students complete practica and internships, who arranges those placements, and whether evening or weekend hours are realistic. Graduating with a degree and becoming licensed are separate steps; an employer may require a particular license, school credential, or supervised status for a given role (Tennessee licensing board; Tennessee Department of Education).
Pay depends on the occupation, setting, experience, and credential - not the degree title alone. The following national medians are useful benchmarks for comparing career directions, but they are not Nashville starting salaries or program-level graduate outcomes (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wages).
Career direction
U.S. median annual wage, May 2025
How to use the figure
Mental health or addiction counseling
$59,350
Compare with the likely cost and length of a clinical training path.
School counseling
$64,330
Consider school schedules and credential requirements alongside pay.
Marriage and family therapy
$66,940
Check the distinct training and licensing path before comparing earnings.
A higher occupational median does not mean one Nashville program will produce a better financial return. Estimate return on investment using your current earnings, aid, borrowing, time away from work, likelihood of completion, and realistic post-degree opportunities - not a national median by itself.
The programs below are worth comparing for different reasons. Their published descriptions establish distinct academic directions, while each school's current catalog and admissions office should confirm requirements, placement arrangements, and licensure alignment before you apply.
Lipscomb University - clinical mental health counseling: The named program focuses on the clinical mental health route rather than a general counseling degree (Lipscomb University). It is a more direct starting point for applicants targeting that practice area; confirm the current curriculum against Tennessee's intended license requirements.
Trevecca Nazarene University - marriage and family: Its program centers marriage and family training, a different professional direction from an individually focused clinical mental health track (Trevecca Nazarene University). Students interested in couples and family systems should ask specifically how its supervised training supports the Tennessee marriage and family therapist pathway.
Vanderbilt University - human development and counseling: The M. Ed. frames counseling within human development, making its academic orientation distinct from a degree named solely for a clinical specialty (Vanderbilt University Peabody College). Applicants should identify the specific pathway they would enter before comparing it with a clinical mental health program.
Belmont University - M.A. in counseling: Belmont's program page provides an M.A. counseling option in Nashville (Belmont University). Applicants who want this degree format should compare its current specialty requirements and field-placement process with those of the other local programs, rather than treating the shared word "counseling" as evidence of equivalent preparation.
Belmont University - catalog requirements: Belmont's academic catalog is the appropriate place to verify the official program requirements behind its overview page (Belmont University Academic Catalog). Use it to check the required courses and any applicable catalog-year rules before estimating completion time or transferable credit.
Vanderbilt University - pathway fit: The published human development and counseling M. Ed. is also a useful comparison point for applicants considering work in educational settings rather than assuming every counseling degree targets the same workplace (Vanderbilt University Peabody College). Confirm which pathway is available, its fieldwork setting, and the credential it is designed to support.
For another lens on academic and outcome factors, compare the best counseling programs. No ranking replaces a written confirmation of a program's fit for your intended Tennessee credential.
A counseling master's commonly takes about two to three years of full-time study. Part-time enrollment can extend that timeline, especially when prerequisite courses, sequenced classes, and supervised fieldwork cannot be compressed. Ask each Nashville program for both its published full-time schedule and a term-by-term plan for someone maintaining your work hours.
An accelerated academic schedule is not necessarily a faster route to practice. After graduation, a Tennessee applicant for professional counseling or marriage and family therapy licensure may still need supervised experience and other board requirements; school counseling follows a different credential process (Tennessee licensing board; Tennessee Department of Education). Compare the time to your target credential, not merely the time to graduation.
Online coursework may reduce commuting and make employment easier to maintain. On-campus study can simplify access to faculty, peers, and nearby placement contacts. Neither format eliminates supervised practice, and an online program based outside Tennessee should not be assumed to satisfy Tennessee licensing or educator requirements.
For a Nashville student, the deciding question is where clinical hours can be completed and who secures an approved supervisor. Before enrolling, request written answers about Tennessee authorization and credential alignment, any campus visits, placement assistance in the Nashville area, and whether local sites accept the program's schedule. The same quality criteria matter in either format; delivery mode alone does not establish licensure eligibility (Tennessee licensing board; Tennessee Department of Education).
There is no single reliable Nashville-wide price for a counseling degree: programs differ in required credits, fees, enrollment pace, and whether a student receives institutional aid. Institutional tuition averages also do not equal the price of a particular graduate counseling program. Use each school's current graduate tuition and program requirements to calculate your own comparable total (National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS; institution tuition schedules).
Include required fees, books, transportation to placements, and any income lost when fieldwork conflicts with paid hours. A lower per-credit price can cost more overall if the program requires additional terms; a faster program may have a higher immediate bill but less opportunity cost. Readers prioritizing the upfront bill can compare the most affordable counseling programs, then request individualized aid estimates.
Start with the FAFSA and each institution's graduate-aid office. Depending on eligibility and program, funding may include federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, assistantships, employer tuition support, or support connected to a qualifying placement. Ask whether awards renew during internship terms and whether part-time enrollment changes eligibility (Federal Student Aid; institution financial aid offices).
Do not build a new graduate-school budget around Graduate PLUS without checking current federal rules. Following changes effective July 1, 2026, that loan is generally unavailable to new graduate borrowers; limited transitional eligibility applies to qualifying students already enrolled in, and previously borrowing for, the same program under the federal rules. A financial aid office can determine whether that exception applies to you (Federal Student Aid). Compare net cost and borrowing across the full program, then examine the most valuable counseling programs as one additional decision tool.
View the chart data as a table
Graduates (2024-25) distribution across ranked programs (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
0–9
2
10–19
2
20–29
0
30–39
1
40–49
1
Master's applicants generally need a completed bachelor's degree, an application, transcripts, and materials that let the program evaluate readiness for graduate study and supervised work. Particular schools may also require recommendations, a statement, an interview, or specified prior coursework; verify the current admissions page rather than assume requirements are shared across Nashville programs (institution admissions offices).
Admissions eligibility and future licensure eligibility are different questions. Before paying an application fee, identify your intended Tennessee credential and ask the program to document how its coursework and supervised training address that pathway. If you have prior graduate credits, obtain a written transfer-credit evaluation: accepting a course academically does not necessarily resolve a licensing board's requirement (Tennessee licensing board).
Common graduate subjects include counseling theories, ethics, assessment, human development, research, multicultural counseling, and supervised practicum or internship. Clinical mental health study may emphasize diagnosis and treatment planning; marriage and family training emphasizes relationships and family systems; school-focused preparation addresses student development and educational settings. Exact course titles and required field experiences vary by program (institution academic catalogs).
Read the catalog as a sequence, not just a list. A required course offered only at certain times - or a placement that demands daytime availability - can change your graduation date and total cost. Ask for a sample schedule matching your intended full-time or part-time enrollment.
The most consequential distinction is between preparation for clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, and marriage and family therapy. Programs may also offer coursework relevant to addiction or other client populations, but an elective emphasis is not automatically a separate license. Match the curriculum to the work you want to do and the credential the employer or state requires (Tennessee licensing board; Tennessee Department of Education).
Consider whether you want to counsel clients in healthcare or community settings, support students in schools, or focus on couples and families. If you are undecided, compare required courses and placements before choosing the broadest-sounding degree title: changing paths later can mean additional coursework or supervised training.
Start with the job and credential you want, then compare programs on requirements that could actually change your eligibility, cost, or completion date. Accreditation also needs two separate checks: institutional accreditation and, where relevant to your pathway, programmatic recognition such as CACREP for counseling or COAMFTE for marriage and family therapy. Ask the Tennessee authority responsible for your intended credential how it evaluates the program; accreditation alone does not award a license (CACREP; COAMFTE; Tennessee licensing board).
Use these questions in conversations with each program before committing:
Which Tennessee license or school credential is this specific pathway designed to support, and what requirements remain after graduation?
What is my estimated total cost after aid, including the terms when I will complete fieldwork?
Who finds and approves Nashville-area placements, and what schedules do those sites require?
How long have comparable full-time or part-time students taken to finish, and which of my prior credits will count?
A common mistake is to choose the most popular or cheapest option before checking those answers. Popularity can identify programs to investigate; value depends on credential fit, completion prospects, manageable debt, and the career you can realistically pursue.
View the chart data as a table
Programs by specialization (Source: Research.com)
Category
Value
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
3
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling
2
School Counseling
1
A relevant master's can form part of the path toward professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, or school counseling, depending on the program and additional state requirements. Graduates may also consider supervised roles in community agencies or behavioral health services while working toward a qualifying license. Scope of practice and hiring requirements vary by role (Tennessee licensing board; Tennessee Department of Education).
If you want independent clinical practice, plan for education, supervised experience, examinations, and licensure rather than stopping your plan at graduation. If you prefer school calendars and student-focused work, investigate the educator credential pathway first. Someone seeking an immediate career switch with minimal additional training should consider whether the time and supervised-work commitments of a counseling master's match that goal.
View the chart data as a table
Projected job growth 2025-2035 by counseling career path (U.S., BLS) (Source: BLS)
Category
Value
Mental Health Counselors
18
Marriage & Family Therapists
14
Postsecondary Teachers
7
Psychologists
6
School & Career Counselors
3
Rehabilitation Counselors
2
All occupations
3
National demand is strongest among the counseling occupations closely associated with mental health and addiction work: employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections). That supports investigating clinical and addiction-related pathways, but it does not establish the number of openings, starting pay, or hiring competition in Nashville.
For a local reality check, examine current openings at Nashville-area hospitals, schools, and community providers and record the credential each requires. Ask programs for recent placement destinations and outcomes with a clearly stated reporting year. Treat a national growth projection as context for choosing a field - not as a promise that any particular degree will lead to a job.
2027 Most Popular Counseling Degree Programs Ranking in Nashville
Investing in a counseling degree is a consequential decision. Research.com designed its rankings to help readers compare programs using consistent evidence rather than reputation alone, and its team draws on institutional and federal records to check the quality and credibility of the information used.
The ranking draws on these data sources:
IPEDS database: Institutional reporting on enrollment, completions, and other education measures.
Peterson's database: Program and institutional information used to support comparisons.
Research.com evaluates counseling programs on graduate outcomes, licensure exam pass rates where applicable, accreditation, Title IV eligibility, and cost. Its separate Best ranking first weights completion at 40%, employment or doctoral admission at 20%, applicable licensure exam results at 20%, CACREP accreditation at 16%, and Title IV eligibility at 4%; inapplicable criteria are reweighted. Cost contributes a smaller share - about 7% - to the final Best score. Other rankings order programs by the dimension named in their titles. Popularity should therefore help you build a shortlist, not substitute for checking whether a program meets your career and licensing needs. Research.com explains its approach further on its methodology page.
# 1 position
Lipscomb University
Master
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
53.30
/ 100
Final score
Program length
7 semesters
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
95.4%
Employment or doctoral admission
100%
Licensure exam pass rate
100%
Application deadline
Fall 2027: Mar 4, 2027
Application process
direct
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree (any major) with a 3.0 GPA; if GPA is below 3.0, applicant may submit an explanation, GRE scores, or transcripts of a completed master's degree
Additional requirements
Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended (unofficial accepted for initial review), resume, and Bachelor's degree with 3.0 GPA (if below 3.0, submit one of: a short explanation of the GPA, GRE scores, or transcripts of a…
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Lipscomb University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 53.3/100, supported by 45 graduates (2022-23) and 95.4% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2031-03-31.
# 2 position
Trevecca Nazarene University
Master
Master of Marriage and Family Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
48.70
/ 100
Final score
Specialization
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
2.70 - 4.00
Program completion rate
94% (2024-25)
Application deadline
Fall: May 1; Spring: October 1; Summer: February 15
Application process
direct
GRE
Conditional: GRE (minimum 290 verbal + quantitative) required if undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, unless the applicant holds an MA
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree conferred from a regionally accredited college/university.
Additional requirements
Online application, official transcript(s) showing bachelor's degree conferred, GRE score (min 290 combined; typically waived for applicants who hold an MA or have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher), two reference assessment forms…
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Trevecca Nazarene University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 48.7/100, supported by 32 graduates (2024-25) and 94% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2032-10-31.
# 3 position
Vanderbilt University
Master
Human Development Counseling (M.Ed.)
Delivery mode: campus
38.60
/ 100
Final score
Program length
3 years
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
Program completion rate
88% (2023-24)
Employment or doctoral admission
100% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Priority Decision 1: Dec 1; Priority Decision 2: Jan 3; Final Decision: Jul 27 (Fall admission)
Application process
direct (Vanderbilt online application, apply.vanderbilt.edu)
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree
Additional requirements
Application, transcripts, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose; interview in January; no application fee
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Vanderbilt University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 38.6/100, supported by 15 graduates (2024-25) and 88% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2030-03-31.
# 4 position
Belmont University
Master
M.A. in Mental Health Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
35.70
/ 100
Final score
Program length
2 years full-time (6 consecutive semesters, including summers)
Specialization
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Program completion rate
95% (2024-25)
Employment or doctoral admission
95% (2025-26)
Licensure exam pass rate
100% (2025-26)
Class size
13
Prerequisites
Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Belmont University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 35.7/100, supported by 12 graduates (2025-26) and 95% program completion rate. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2028-03-31.
# 5 position
Belmont University
Master
M.A. in Mental Health Counseling
Delivery mode: campus
27.10
/ 100
Final score
Program length
6 consecutive semesters
Specialization
Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; applicants should have a strong academic record with a GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Belmont University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 27.1/100, with 6 graduates (2025-2026) among the verified supporting factors. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2028-03-31.
# 6 position
Vanderbilt University
Master
Human Development Counseling (M.Ed.)
Delivery mode: campus
0.00
/ 100
Final score
Program length
3 years
Specialization
School Counseling
Required credits
60 semester credits
Employment or doctoral admission
98% (2023-24)
Application deadline
Priority Decision 1: Dec 1; Priority Decision 2: Jan 3; Final Decision: Jul 27 (Fall admission)
Application process
direct (Vanderbilt online application, apply.vanderbilt.edu)
GRE
no
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree
Additional requirements
Application, transcripts, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose; interview in January; no application fee
Accreditation
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), with institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Vanderbilt University earned a Research.com Student Interest Score of 0.0/100. The program is CACREP-accredited, valid through 2030-03-31.
Frequently asked questions about Counseling degree in Nashville
Do I need a master's degree to become a licensed counselor in Tennessee?
A relevant graduate degree is part of Tennessee's professional counseling licensure pathway. The state also evaluates other requirements, including supervised experience and examinations; graduation alone is not a license (Tennessee licensing board).
Is a popular counseling program necessarily the best choice?
No. Use popularity to find options, then compare the specific credential pathway, placement support, total cost, accreditation, and schedule against your goals.
Can I complete a Nashville counseling degree online?
Online coursework may be an option, but supervised training still requires appropriate placements. Confirm any campus visits, Nashville-area placement support, and Tennessee credential alignment with the program before enrolling.
How long should I budget for a counseling master's?
About two to three years full time is a useful planning range. Part-time study and placement schedules may extend it; qualifying for a license or school credential can take additional time.
Is a counseling degree worth the cost?
It may be if it leads toward the credential and work you want at a manageable total cost. Compare your likely aid and debt, time away from earnings, completion plan, and realistic job options rather than relying on a salary median.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Counseling
