Best Online Counseling Programs in Chattanooga, TN (2026)

Chattanooga, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,363 to $23,751 per year for indexed programs. Chattanooga has a population of about 182,832. Median household income is $61,028 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $78,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Counseling Schools to Chattanooga

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer counseling programs near Chattanooga. Distances are calculated from Chattanooga city center.

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee counseling page.

Counseling Wages Near Chattanooga

Chattanooga is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Chattanooga at a Glance

Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With Counseling Programs

• East Ridge, TN – 4.9 mi away (21,302 pop)
• Cleveland, TN – 22.8 mi away (71,601 pop)
• Dalton, GA – 25.9 mi away (87,688 pop)
• Calhoun, GA – 43.3 mi away (33,092 pop)
• Rome, GA – 55.4 mi away (61,019 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Chattanooga, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Chattanooga. The closest is Richmont Graduate University in Chattanooga, TN (2.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Gadsden State Community College (85.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Chattanooga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Chattanooga are: Social and Community Service Manager ($78,400), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($56,660), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor ($55,270). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Ridge instead of Chattanooga?

East Ridge, TN is 4.9 miles from Chattanooga and has its own set of local counseling programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chattanooga an affordable place to study counseling?

Chattanooga’s median household income of $61,028 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chattanooga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Counseling Programs

• Counseling accreditation: what to look for
• Counseling concentrations and specializations
• Is a Counseling degree worth it?
• Main Counseling degree guide
• Online Counseling programs in Tennessee
• Counseling programs by state

Other Programs Available in Chattanooga

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chattanooga:

• Criminal Justice programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Nursing programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Business Administration programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Computer Science programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Psychology programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Education programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Engineering programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Technology programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Liberal Arts programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Healthcare programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Cybersecurity programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Accounting programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Healthcare Administration programs in Chattanooga, TN
• Social Work programs in Chattanooga, TN

Related from Our Editorial Library

• Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
• Best Online Colleges Ranking
• Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.