Tennessee has 10 CSWE-accredited MSW programs distributed across the state's major population centers and its Appalachian region. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, with 1945 accreditation, is the oldest and most research-intensive program in the state, offering an MSSW (Master of Science in Social Work) degree across Knoxville, a Nashville hybrid evening track, and online delivery. The University of Memphis serves the state's largest city with six dual-degree options and a broad range of graduate certificates. East Tennessee State University in Johnson City covers the Appalachian Tri-Cities region at the intersection of Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Three programs, Austin Peay State University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Tennessee State University, share a 2009 accreditation year as former members of a Tennessee collaborative MSW program that operated jointly until 2021. Each has since developed a distinct institutional identity. TSU is the state's only HBCU MSW program, anchored in Nashville. MTSU operates from Murfreesboro in Tennessee's fastest-growing county. Austin Peay in Clarksville serves a military community adjacent to Fort Campbell and offers a Trauma concentration specifically suited to that context.
Tennessee's four-tier licensing structure (LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, LAPSW) means that MSW graduates begin as LMSW holders and use that credential to accumulate the supervised clinical hours required for the LCSW, the independent clinical practice license. The LMSW is an intermediate step on the path to clinical licensure, not a standalone endpoint for most practitioners pursuing clinical practice. Students should plan to secure LMSW-supervised employment immediately after graduation to begin accumulating hours efficiently.
All 10 CSWE-Accredited MSW Programs in Tennessee
Scored on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking. All data sourced from the CSWE accreditation directory and official program pages (.edu). Accreditation years are Initial Accreditation Dates from the CSWE directory. Austin Peay, MTSU, and Tennessee State (all 2009) previously held a joint collaborative accreditation before independent accreditation. UTK offers an MSSW degree. Southern Adventist and King University are now fully online.
- #1
University of Tennessee College of Social Work
Knoxville, TN · On-Campus or Online
9.0
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1945Why It Ranks Here
The University of Tennessee College of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1945, the oldest social work program in Tennessee. The degree is titled Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW), a CSWE-accredited social work credential; prospective students should confirm with the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure that the MSSW satisfies LMSW and LCSW licensure requirements (as a CSWE-accredited social work master's degree, it is expected to qualify). Two concentrations are offered: Clinical Practice and Organizational Leadership. The College describes the Organizational Leadership track as the only macro-focused social work program in Tennessee, preparing graduates for nonprofit and government agency leadership roles. Three dual-degree programs are available: MSSW/JD, MSSW/MLS (Master of Legal Studies), and MSSW/MBA. Five graduate certificates are offered: Forensic Social Work, Gerontology, School Social Work, Trauma Treatment, and Veterinary Social Work. The program operates from the Knoxville main campus, a Nashville hybrid evening track (meeting in-person every other week with asynchronous online coursework), and an online track added in 2018. Advanced Standing is available. UTK is the flagship R1 research university of the University of Tennessee System.
Public (University of Tennessee System flagship). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #2
University of Memphis School of Social Work
Memphis, TN · On-Campus or Online
8.2
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2011Why It Ranks Here
The University of Memphis School of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2011 and offers an Advanced Practice Across Systems concentration, an advanced generalist approach preparing graduates for evidence-based practice with multiple populations and systems. Multiple program tracks are available: full-time (2 years), spring start (2.5 years), extended study (3-4 years), Advanced Standing full-time (1 year), and Advanced Standing extended (2 years). An online track was added in 2018. Six dual-degree programs are offered per the CSWE directory: MSW/MS (Criminal Justice), MSW/Nonprofit Management, MSW/MPA (Public Administration), MSW/MPH (Public Health), MSW/MURP (Urban Planning), and at least one additional joint degree, the broadest dual-degree menu of any Tennessee program. Four graduate certificates are available: School Social Work, Clinical Social Work, Substance Abuse, and Play Therapy. Advanced Standing is available. Memphis is Tennessee's largest city. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Regional One Health, and the Shelby County Department of Children's Services anchor the Memphis social work practicum and employment network.
Public (University of Memphis). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #3
East Tennessee State University Department of Social Work
Johnson City, TN · On-Campus or Online
7.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2003Why It Ranks Here
East Tennessee State University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2003 and offers a Clinical Practice concentration. An online track was added in 2021. Advanced Standing is available. ETSU is a public university in Johnson City in Northeast Tennessee, in the Appalachian Tri-Cities region (Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol). Cross-state sites in Abingdon, Virginia and Asheville, North Carolina, which operated from 2003 to 2021 and extended the program into the Virginia Highlands and Western North Carolina Appalachian communities, closed in 2021. The Johnson City campus is served by Ballad Health, one of the largest hospital systems in the central Appalachian region, providing strong clinical practicum placement infrastructure. ETSU graduates have cross-state labor market access across the TN-VA-NC tri-state region. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory.
Public (East Tennessee State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #4
Tennessee State University Department of Social Work
Nashville, TN · On-Campus
7.0
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2009Why It Ranks Here
Tennessee State University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2009 as part of the Tennessee collaborative MSW program (with MTSU and Austin Peay), which operated jointly from 2009 to 2021; TSU has held independent CSWE accreditation since 2021. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. No online delivery is currently offered. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. Advanced Standing is available. TSU is a historically Black university in Nashville, Tennessee's capital and largest city. Nashville's social work labor market is anchored by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, HCA Healthcare (headquartered in Nashville), the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, and a large network of nonprofit social services organizations. TSU's HBCU identity and its location in the state capital position the program to serve a significant Black community and policy-engaged workforce in one of the fastest-growing cities in the South.
Public (Tennessee State University, HBCU). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #5
Middle Tennessee State University Department of Social Work
Murfreesboro, TN · On-Campus
6.8
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2009Why It Ranks Here
Middle Tennessee State University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2009 as part of the Tennessee collaborative MSW program with TSU and Austin Peay, operating jointly from 2009 to 2021; MTSU has held independent CSWE accreditation since 2021. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. A dual-degree program is available per the CSWE directory. Nashville and Clarksville sites that operated under the collaborative through 2021 have closed; the program now operates from the Murfreesboro main campus. No online delivery is currently offered. Advanced Standing is available. MTSU is a public university in Murfreesboro, approximately 30 miles southeast of Nashville in Rutherford County, one of the fastest-growing counties in Tennessee. MTSU has the highest total undergraduate enrollment of any university in Tennessee, providing a large student network and proximity to Nashville's social work practicum ecosystem.
Public (Middle Tennessee State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #6
Union University Department of Social Work
Jackson, TN · On-Campus or Online
6.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2008Why It Ranks Here
Union University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2008 and operates from two campus locations: Jackson (main campus in West Tennessee) and Germantown (a Memphis suburb), with an online track added in 2021. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. A dual MSW/MBA degree is available. Advanced Standing is available. Union University is a private Christian institution in Jackson, Tennessee. The Jackson campus serves West Tennessee's social work workforce needs beyond Memphis, covering a region of rural communities, small cities, and agricultural counties with limited MSW access points. The Germantown campus provides Union a Memphis metropolitan presence alongside the University of Memphis program.
Private (Union University, Christian). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
View program page → - #7
Austin Peay State University Department of Social Work
Clarksville, TN · On-Campus or Online
6.3
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2009Why It Ranks Here
Austin Peay State University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2009 as part of the Tennessee collaborative MSW program with MTSU and TSU, operating jointly from 2009 to 2021; APSU has held independent CSWE accreditation since 2021. Two concentrations are offered: Advanced Generalist and Trauma. The Trauma concentration is one of a small number nationally and addresses the clinical and community practice needs of a population heavily shaped by military service. An online track has been available since 2018. A Springfield, TN site that operated under the collaborative from 2009 to 2021 has closed. Advanced Standing is available. Austin Peay is a public university in Clarksville, adjacent to Fort Campbell, the home installation of the 101st Airborne Division. The proximity to Fort Campbell creates a substantial demand for military social work, veterans behavioral health, and family services practitioners that the Trauma concentration directly addresses. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory.
Public (Austin Peay State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #8
Southern Adventist University Department of Social Work
Collegedale, TN · Online
6.0
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2010Why It Ranks Here
Southern Adventist University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2010 and initially operated from the Collegedale campus in Southeast Tennessee near Chattanooga. The program transitioned to fully online delivery in 2021 when the campus site closed. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. A dual MSW/MBA degree is available. Advanced Standing is available. Southern Adventist University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution in Collegedale, Tennessee. The fully online format makes the program accessible to students nationally. Students arrange local field placements in their home communities regardless of their geographic location. No additional dual-degree programs beyond the MSW/MBA are listed in the CSWE directory.
Private (Southern Adventist University, Seventh-day Adventist). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
View program page → - #9
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Social Work
Chattanooga, TN · On-Campus
5.8
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2016Why It Ranks Here
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2016. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. No online delivery is currently offered. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. Advanced Standing is available. UTC is a campus of the University of Tennessee System and is located in Chattanooga in Southeast Tennessee. The Chattanooga metro has a growing healthcare and nonprofit social services sector anchored by CHI Memorial and Erlanger Health System, as well as significant immigrant and refugee community organizations, outdoor and adventure therapy services, and a rapidly expanding technology and corporate sector creating new social work workforce demand. UTC is the only public CSWE-accredited MSW program with a campus in Chattanooga.
Public (University of Tennessee System). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #10
King University Department of Social Work
Bristol, TN · Online
5.3
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2021Why It Ranks Here
King University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2021, the most recently accredited MSW program in Tennessee. The program previously operated from a Bristol, Tennessee campus, which closed in 2023; the program is now fully online. Advanced Standing is available. King University is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee, on the Tennessee-Virginia state line. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. As the most recently accredited program in the state, its short accreditation history limits its composite score relative to longer-established programs. The fully online format makes it accessible to students across Tennessee and beyond who prefer distance learning.
Private (King University, Presbyterian Church-affiliated). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
View program page →
Job Market for MSW Graduates in Tennessee
Tennessee's social work labor market is divided between two major metropolitan centers. Nashville is the state capital and largest city, with a healthcare sector dominated by HCA Healthcare (the nation's largest for-profit hospital system, headquartered in Nashville), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and the state's mental health and child welfare agencies (Tennessee Department of Children's Services, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services). Nashville's rapid population growth over the past decade has expanded both nonprofit and healthcare social work demand substantially.
Memphis is Tennessee's second social work labor market, with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Regional One Health (a Level I trauma center), and the Shelby County Department of Children's Services as major employers. Memphis has some of the highest poverty rates of any large U.S. city, which corresponds to strong and persistent demand for social workers in community mental health, poverty services, and child welfare.
Outside the two major metros, the Knoxville area has University of Tennessee Medical Center and a network of Appalachian community health centers. The Chattanooga metro is a growing market anchored by CHI Memorial and Erlanger Health. Northeast Tennessee (Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol) is served by Ballad Health, which operates 20 hospitals across the TN-VA region. The Fort Campbell corridor (Clarksville, TN and Oak Grove, KY) creates distinctive military social work employment, particularly in behavioral health, family services, and trauma-informed care.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Tennessee; Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure.
How We Ranked These Programs
Each program is scored on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking. The state ranking uses identical criteria and weights. No Tennessee-specific adjustments are made. Programs are ordered by composite score. For the full methodology, see our ranking methodology page.
- CSWE Accreditation (25%): Active accreditation status and continuous accreditation history.
- Program Leadership (15%): Faculty credentials, research output, and peer-assessment scores.
- Pathways (15%): Concentration variety, Advanced Standing availability, and dual-degree options.
- Delivery Format (15%): Online, hybrid, and in-person availability; start-term flexibility.
- Employer Signal (15%): Field placement hours required, practicum site depth, and documented placement infrastructure.
- Cost & Affordability (10%): Published tuition per credit or per year, in-state vs. out-of-state differential.
- Reputation (5%): U.S. News peer-assessment scores and institutional recognition.