FAQ: LMSW vs. LCSW

Sources: ASWB, Becoming a licensed social worker; New York State Office of the Professions, LMSW license requirements, LCSW license requirements and What is the difference between the LMSW and the LCSW?. The New York licensing requirements and the CSWE accreditation information on this page were verified against those official sources on October 15, 2026.

What LMSWs and LCSWs Can Do

An MSW is a degree, while LMSW and LCSW are licenses a state grants after the degree, an exam and, for the clinical license, supervised experience. If you're weighing the degree itself against the clinical license, see our guide to how an MSW differs from an LCSW.

Social work education doesn't split neatly into "macro" and "micro" license types. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which accredits MSW programs, describes generalist practice as applying ethical principles and critical thinking at the micro, mezzo and macro levels, and it expects master's programs to prepare students for specialized practice on top of that foundation, according to its 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.

The bigger difference between the two licenses is clinical authority. An LCSW may provide therapy or counseling to individuals, couples and families facing serious issues like domestic conflict, substance use or terminal illness. In New York, an LCSW can diagnose, plan assessment-based treatment and provide psychotherapy without supervision; an LMSW can do this clinical work only under supervision, according to the New York State Office of the Professions.

New York law spells out how the two scopes relate. Licensed master social workers in New York engage in activities that include social work advocacy, case management, counseling, consultation, research, administration and management, and teaching, according to the state's Education Law Article 154, §7701. The same section defines clinical social work as including that entire master-level scope and adding the diagnosis of mental, emotional, behavioral, addictive and developmental disorders, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning. In New York, then, an LCSW can also do case management, advocacy or administration; what the LMSW cannot do on its own is the added clinical work.

For a general comparison, the clinical license is a step beyond the master's-level license because it adds post-degree supervised practice and a separate exam, and ASWB notes that clinical licensees can practice independently, including in private practice, according to its page on becoming a licensed social worker.

The Essentials of Social Work Licensure

Social work license requirements are set by individual states, provinces and territories, as ASWB notes. In other words, local areas define social work licensure practice requirements through each jurisdiction's licensing board. At a minimum, ASWB's bachelor's-level category calls for a BSW from an accredited institution and a passing score on the Bachelors exam.

A bachelor's degree in social work prepares graduates for generalist practice positions such as casework, according to CSWE's guide to preparing for your education.

ASWB describes three license categories for social workers with an MSW, according to its page on becoming a licensed social worker:

• Masters: Master's degree in social work (MSW) from an accredited institution and a passing score on the Masters exam, with no post-degree experience listed.
• Advanced Generalist: MSW, supervised practice experience after the degree and a passing score on the Advanced Generalist exam.
• Clinical: MSW, supervised practice experience after the degree and a passing score on the Clinical exam.

ASWB doesn't set the number of years or hours of supervised experience; each state does. Most state and U.S. territory requirements stipulate that a social worker pursuing licensure be a graduate of a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), according to CSWE's accreditation page. Social workers can compare licensure and supervision requirements across states and provinces in ASWB's laws and regulations database. Requirements differ from state to state, so check the rules where you plan to practice.

Additional Requirements for LCSW

Generally, to become an LCSW, a certain amount of supervised experience is required after earning an MSW degree. Also, the exam requirement is ASWB's Clinical exam, compared to the Masters exam for an LMSW. ASWB publishes a separate content outline for each exam.

The amount of supervised experience required depends on the state where the license is obtained. In New York, for example, LCSW applicants need at least 36 months of supervised experience, including at least 100 hours of clinical supervision, along with the Clinical exam, according to the state's LCSW license requirements.

Career Paths and Salary Differences

For social workers who want to advance their careers with advanced licensure, an MSW is the first step to becoming either an LMSW or LCSW. The type of license you'll want to pursue will depend on the environment you want to work in and the type of social work services you want to provide.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report wages by occupation, not by license level, so these data don't show how LMSW and LCSW pay compare. We cover social work pay in more detail in our Social Work Salary Guide.

The median annual wage for social workers (SOC 21-1020) was $61,780 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $100,090. These figures cover social workers at all experience and license levels, including those with a bachelor's degree, and are not starting pay.

An MSW holder who later wants clinical practice can qualify for the LCSW once they meet their state's requirements. In New York, for example, that means at least 36 months of supervised experience and a passing score on the Clinical exam, according to the state's LCSW license requirements.

LMSW Career Paths

In New York, master-level social work serves individuals, couples, families, groups, communities, organizations and society, according to Article 154, §7701. The activities that section lists for LMSWs point to career paths such as:

• Case management.
• Counseling and consultation.
• Social work advocacy.
• Research, administration and management, or teaching.
• Clinical work such as psychotherapy, but only under supervision in a facility or other supervised setting the state approves.

In some states, LMSWs may also practice clinical social work only under supervision. In New York, that supervision must come from an LCSW, a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist, according to the state's LMSW license requirements.

LCSW Career Paths

LCSWs may provide counseling in therapeutic settings to individuals, couples, spouses and families. Clinical social work includes the diagnosis and treatment of people with mental, emotional and behavioral health conditions, according to the National Association of Social Workers' Practice Standards for Clinical Social Workers (June 2025).

According to the same standards, clinical social workers may work in:

• Private practice
• Community mental health centers
• Hospitals and hospices
• Primary care centers
• Schools
• Substance use programs
• Child welfare agencies
• Courts and criminal justice settings

Because clinical licensees can practice independently and engage in private practice, as ASWB notes, becoming an LCSW gives social workers a career path to becoming a business owner. Some LCSWs open practices with other LCSWs.

LMSW and LCSW: Common Questions

Can an LMSW provide therapy or diagnose clients?

In some states, yes, but only under supervision. New York, for example, allows an LMSW to provide clinical services such as diagnosis and psychotherapy only under supervision, while an LCSW may provide them without supervision, according to the New York State Office of the Professions. Check your own state board's rules before taking on clinical work.

Is an LCSW better than an LMSW?

Neither is better in general; they fit different goals. The clinical license adds post-degree supervised practice and the Clinical exam, and ASWB notes that clinical licensees can practice independently, including in private practice, according to its page on becoming a licensed social worker. In New York, for example, the master's-level scope already includes case management, advocacy, administration and research, according to Article 154, §7701, so the LMSW may cover what you need if you don't plan to provide clinical treatment without supervision.

How do you go from an LMSW to an LCSW?

In states that issue both licenses, social workers typically earn the master's-level license first, complete the supervised clinical experience their state requires and then pass ASWB's Clinical exam. In New York, that means at least 36 months of supervised experience, according to the state's LCSW license requirements.

How hard are the LMSW and LCSW exams?

ASWB reports that 73.9% of first-time test-takers passed the Masters exam and 75.7% passed the Clinical exam in 2025, according to its exam pass rates. Our ASWB exam study guide covers how to prepare.

Do LCSWs earn more than LMSWs?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report wages by occupation, not by license, so these data don't compare LCSW and LMSW pay directly. The social worker wage figures above include workers at every license level.

Interested in a Social Work Career? Earn Your MSW.

Whatever type of social work career path you want to take, an MSW can help you get there. CSWE expects master's programs to prepare students for specialized practice, according to its 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, and many MSW programs let students choose a specialty for the field they want to enter or become licensed in, including MSW programs with a clinical focus. CSWE notes that many social work programs offer learning options ranging from part- or full-time on campus to fully online, according to its guide to preparing for your education. If you're considering an online program, ask how it arranges field education and whether any campus visits are required.