2026 Best Value Counseling Psychology Schools in Tennessee
[Counseling Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/counseling-psychology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for counseling psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Counseling Psychology Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in counseling psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Counseling Psychology Schools
For return on investment in counseling psychology, no school beat University Of Memphis this year. Located in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,728, while out-of-state students pay about $15,384. Students borrow a median of $26,315 to complete the counseling psychology program here. Soon after graduation, counseling psychology degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $85,214. That is a strong return on a $26,315 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Austin Peay State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in counseling psychology, landing the #2 spot this year. Austin Peay State University is a large public school located in the city of Clarksville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,006, while out-of-state students pay about $14,766. Students borrow a median of $24,530 to complete the counseling psychology program here. Early-career counseling psychology graduates make about $44,360. Set against $24,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Austin Peay State University admits about 96% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee earned it the #3 place for counseling psychology. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Typical student debt for counseling psychology graduates is $22,859. Soon after graduation, counseling psychology degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $47,265. That is a strong return on a $22,859 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in counseling psychology will find it at Freed Hardeman University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Henderson, Freed Hardeman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $25,620 in tuition and fees. Counseling Psychology graduates carry a median of $24,479 in student loans. Soon after graduation, counseling psychology degree recipients from Freed Hardeman University generally make around $54,530. That is a strong return on a $24,479 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
More Counseling Psychology Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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.
