Best Online Counseling Programs in Cleveland, TN (2026)

Cleveland, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs, with tuition ranging from $2,363 to $23,563 per year for indexed programs. Cleveland has a population of about 48,185. Median household income is $55,904 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning counseling-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $88,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Counseling Schools to Cleveland

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

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Cleveland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Richmont Graduate University

Chattanooga, TN 24.9 miles from Cleveland
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN 25.9 miles from Cleveland BOC Score54.4
Published tuition$10,144 - $23,563
Online programsYes

Visit website

#3

Tri-County Community College

Murphy, NC 51.7 miles from Cleveland BOC Score50.5
Published tuition$2,363 - $14,581
Online programsYes

Visit website

#4

Maryville College

Maryville, TN 64.4 miles from Cleveland BOC Score47.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#5

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN 75.4 miles from Cleveland BOC Score74.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

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


Counseling Wages Near Cleveland

Cleveland is part of the Cleveland, TN metro area (BLS area code 17420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor$44,820Cleveland, TN$50,874
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$62,820Cleveland, TN$71,305
Marriage and Family Therapist$46,700TN statewide$53,008
Rehabilitation Counselor$39,640Cleveland, TN$44,994
Counselor, All Other$51,900TN statewide$58,910
Social and Community Service Manager$88,240TN statewide$100,159

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.


Cleveland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population48,185Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,904Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)88.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Counseling-related employment in Bradley County1,316 workers, 175 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Cleveland-Area Cities With Counseling Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited counseling schools are near Cleveland, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering counseling programs near Cleveland. The closest is Richmont Graduate University in Chattanooga, TN (24.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (75.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying counseling roles near Cleveland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying counseling-related roles near Cleveland are: Social and Community Service Manager ($88,240), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor ($62,820), Counselor, All Other ($51,900). 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 Chattanooga instead of Cleveland?

Chattanooga, TN is 22.8 miles from Cleveland 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 Cleveland an affordable place to study counseling?

Cleveland’s median household income of $55,904 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cleveland 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

Other Programs Available in Cleveland

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

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.