Key Takeaways
To become a licensed social worker in Texas, you must earn a CSWE-accredited social work degree and apply for the LBSW, LMSW, or LCSW credential.
Each license requires specific academic and clinical benchmarks, including passing the ASWB exam and the Texas jurisprudence exam and completing supervised experience.
Social workers in Texas earned an average annual salary between $51,000 and $86,000 as of May 2024, with strong job growth across the field.
As an aspiring social worker in Texas, you need to meet strict licensing requirements, which may include an accredited social work degree, professional experience, and a national exam. The challenge for many, however, is figuring out what social worker license they need, what the licensure requirements are, and how to go about applying.
This guide simplifies the licensure process. Explore how to become a social worker in Texas, including details on the specific requirements for each license type.
Popular Online MSW Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Texas Social Work Licensing Requirements
Texas has three social worker licensing levels: the licensed baccalaureate social worker (LBSW), licensed master social worker (LMSW), and the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Each license features a unique scope of practice and eligibility requirements, including pathways for graduates with a bachelor's in social work (BSW) or a master's in social work (MSW).
The Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners manages the state's social worker licensing process. In the sections that follow, we examine the practice capabilities and requirements for each license.
Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker
The LBSW equips you to support clients in a generalist non-clinical setting. Your job may include case management, interviewing and assessing clients, problem-solving, and program development. You can also pursue an independent practice recognition (IPR), which permits you to provide non-clinical social work services without supervision.
An LBSW can also help prepare you for more advanced licensure and future examinations.
Texas licensure requirements for LBSW include:
CSWE-accredited bachelor's degree in social work
Passing score on the ASWB bachelor's exam
Completion of a Texas jurisprudence exam
Licensed Master Social Worker
The LMSW allows you to provide clinical social work services while under supervision. You can offer client assessments, counseling, and treatments, along with all the practice capabilities of an LBSW. You can also pursue the IPR recognition to work independently as an LMSW, but you cannot provide clinical services on your own.
The LMSW license enables you to complete the post-master's supervised experience requirements for the LCSW license as well.
Texas licensure requirements for LMSW include:
CSWE-accredited master's degree in social work or a doctoral degree in social work
Verification of a supervised field placement completed during university enrollment
Passing score on the ASWB master's exam
Completion of a Texas jurisprudence exam
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The LCSW enables you to provide unsupervised clinical social work services, including assessing, diagnosing, and treating various mental and behavioral conditions and disorders. You can provide therapy and counseling to individuals, families, and groups, plus any non-clinical, LBSW, and LMSW services.
While the LCSW license is the end goal for many social workers in Texas, you can pursue a council-approved supervisor designation to supervise other professionals if you wish.
Texas licensure requirements for LCSW include:
CSWE-accredited master's degree in social work or a doctoral degree in social work
Verification of a supervised field placement completed during university enrollment
Verification of 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in social work
Verification of 100 qualified supervision hours by an approved supervisor
Passing score on the ASWB clinical exam
Completion of a Texas jurisprudence exam
Social Work License Reciprocity in Texas
Texas does not have reciprocity agreements with any other states, but out-of-state licensed social workers can pursue licensure in Texas through endorsement. To qualify, you must submit an application and supplementary materials, including:
Jurisprudence exam certificate
Clinical supervision verification form
ASWB exam
Official transcripts
Fingerprinting
National Practitioner Data Bank self-query report
When you have the above materials compiled and ready to submit, create an account on Texas' online licensing system and upload your documents or inform the relevant third-parties where to send them.
Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education in Texas
You need to renew your social worker license every two years in Texas. Within that two-year period, you must complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education to qualify. The 30 hours must include:
Six hours in professional ethics and values
Three hours in cultural diversity
Six hours in supervision
A training course in human trafficking prevention
All Texas social work licenses cost $108 to renew. IPR designations cost $20, and supervisor designations cost $50 to renew.
Social Work Programs in Texas
The following alphabetical directory lists CSWE-accredited social work programs in Texas. To help you compare school options, directories include campus location, in-person or online availability, part-time or full-time enrollment options, and in-state tuition for the 2024-2025 school year. Visit the university websites linked in the first column to explore specific degrees in greater detail.
| School | Format | Enrollment Type | 2024 In-State Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian UniversityAbilenedv | On Campus, Hybrid | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $1,356 per credit hour |
| Angelo State UniversitySan Angelodv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,754 per semester |
| Baylor UniversityWaco and Houstondv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $825 per credit hour on campus, $1,100 per credit hour online |
| Our Lady of the Lake UniversitySan Antonio, La Feriadv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $991 per credit hour |
| Prairie View A&M UniversityPrairie Viewdv | Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $2,595 per semester |
| Stephen F. Austin State UniversityWoodlanddv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $2,631 per semester |
| Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, Waco, and Fort Worthdv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $4,193 per semester |
| Texas A&M University – TexarkanaTexarkanadv | On Campus | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,018 per semester |
| Texas A&M University – CommerceCommerce, Mesquite, and McKinneydv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,669 per semester |
| Texas A&M University – KingsvilleKingsvilledv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Advanced Standing | $6,157 per semester |
| Texas Christian UniversityFort Worthdv | On Campus, Hybrid | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $2,145 per credit hour |
| Texas State UniversitySan Marcosdv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,216 per semester |
| Texas Tech UniversityLubbockdv | On Campus | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,006 per semester |
| Texas Woman's UniversityDentondv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $5,184 per semester |
| University of HoustonHoustondv | On Campus, Hybrid, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,384-$4,273 per semester |
| University of North TexasDentondv | On Campus | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $4,306 per semester |
| University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, Fort Worthdv | On Campus, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $4,479 per semester |
| University of Texas at AustinAustindv | On Campus | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $5,170 per semester |
| University of Texas at El PasoEl Pasodv | On Campus | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,451 per semester |
| University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antoniodv | On Campus | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $3,337 per semester |
| University of Texas – Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, Brownsvilledv | Hybrid, Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $4,335 per semester |
| West Texas A&M UniversityCanyon, Amarillodv | Online | Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing | $2,545 per semester |
Texas Social Worker Career and Salary Information
The professional outlook for social work careers appears strong in Texas. Depending on your interests and licensure level, you can specialize in working with families, schools, or clients experiencing addiction. Your job could take you into mental health clinics, hospitals, or non-clinical community and social service programs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects higher than 13% growth for all four social worker occupational groups in Texas between 2020 and 2030. The state also employs some of the nation's largest workforces in these professions.
Use the table below to compare the average social worker salaries in Texas with the $62,880 national mean annual wage for all social workers.
| Occupation | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $51,490 | $24.76 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $69,280 | $33.31 |
| Mental Health and Substance Use Social Workers | $51,660 | $24.84 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $86,420 | $41.55 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Social Work
Texas has three primary licensure types: the LBSW, the LMSW, and the LCSW. Licensed social workers can pursue additional designations as well, such the IPR and supervisor designations.
