2026 Best Child Development & Psychology Schools in Tennessee

Child Development & Psychology is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their child development & psychology programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for child development & psychology students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Child Development & Psychology Schools in Tennessee

Best Schools for Child Development & Psychology in Tennessee

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall child development & psychology education in Tennessee.

Top Schools in Child Development & Psychology

1

Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

81 Child Development & Psychology Degrees Awarded

$77,997 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked Vanderbilt University the best school in the country for a degree in child development & psychology. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 94% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 81 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $77,997. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete this degree. Read more about the child development & psychology program at Vanderbilt University

2

The University Of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

372 Child Development & Psychology Degrees Awarded

$49,826 Median Starting Salary

The University Of Tennessee is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in child development & psychology, ranking #2. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. The University Of Tennessee graduates 74% of students within six years. There were roughly 372 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at The University Of Tennessee in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child development & psychology degree from The University Of Tennessee earn around $49,826 in the first couple years of their career. The University Of Tennessee graduates carry a median of $22,859 in student loans. More information about a degree in child development & psychology from The University Of Tennessee

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.