Become a Social Worker in Minnesota 
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: Due to the rapidly changing nature of social work regulations, for the most up-to-date information on becoming a social worker in Minnesota, contact the Minnesota Social Work Licensing Board.
Minnesota law recognizes four classes of social workers: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) and Licensed Social Worker (LSW). The requirements are as follows:
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Minnesota LICSW Education Requirement: A
graduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, or a similar accreditation body designated by the board; or a doctorate in social work from an accredited university
Minnesota LICSW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical Level Examination
Field Requirement: 200 hours of clinical supervision must be obtained in no less than 4,000 hours, and no more than 8,000 hours of post-graduate clinical social work practice authorized by law (of the 4,000 hours of clinical practice, 1800 hours must be “direct clinical client contact”)
Fee: $45 application fee, $262.35 license fee, $260 ASWB examination fee
Additional Information: 360 clock hours in
clinical knowledge areas Endorsement: Available upon board approval
License Renewal: Renewal is required every two years. Requirements for renewal are the successful completion of 40 contact hours of continuing education and payment of a $262.35 renewal fee. LICSW licensees must document at least 24 of the 40 continuing education hours in clinical content.
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Minnesota LISW Education Requirement: A
graduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, or a similar accreditation body designated by the board; or a doctorate in social work from an accredited university
Minnesota LISW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Advanced Generalist Level Examination
Field Requirement: None
Fee: $45 application fee, $237.60 license fee, $260 ASWB examination fee
Additional Information: 100 hours of supervision for 4,000 hours of non-clinical practice; for LISWs engaged in clinical practice, the post-licensure practice requirement is the same as the field requirement for LICSWs
Endorsement: Available through board approval
License Renewal: Renewal is required every two years. Requirements for renewal are the successful completion of 40 contact hours of continuing education and payment of a $216 renewal fee.
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Minnesota LGSW Education Requirement: A
graduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work or a similar accreditation body designated by the board, or a doctorate in social work from an accredited university
Minnesota LGSW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Master's Level Examination
Field Requirement: None
Fee: $45 application fee, $158.40 license fee, $230 ASWB examination fee
Additional Information: After licensure, 100 hours of supervision for 4,000 hours of supervised practice; for LGSWs engaged in clinical practice, the post-licensure practice requirement is the same as the field requirement for LICSWs
Endorsement: Available through board approval
License Renewal: Renewal is required every two years. Requirements for renewal are the successful completion of 40 contact hours of continuing education and payment of a $158.40 renewal fee.
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Minnesota LSW Education Requirement: A baccalaureate degree in social work from a program accredited by CSWE, the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work or a similar accreditation body designated by the board; or a doctorate in social work from an accredited university
Minnesota LSW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Bachelor's Level Examination
Field Requirement: None
Fee: $45 application fee, $89.10 license fee, $230 ASWB examination fee
Additional Information: 100 hours of post-licensure supervision and 4,000 supervised practice hours are required once licensure is awarded
Endorsement: Available through board approval
License Renewal: Renewal is required every two years. Requirements for renewal are the successful completion of 40 contact hours of continuing education and payment of an $89.10 renewal fee.
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In order to become a licensed social work practitioner in Minnesota, you will need to complete prerequisite coursework, examination requirements, and, in some cases, supervised work requirements. Also, certain levels of social work in Minnesota can only be reached after earning a Master of Social Work. We are committed to keeping updated information on Minnesota social work licensure policies available to you.
Minnesota Social Work Salary
| Minnesota Social Work Career |
Average Social Worker Salary |
| Child, Family and School Social Workers |
$59,620 |
| Medical and Public Health Social Workers |
$52,840 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers |
$49,010 |
| All Other Social Workers |
$59,280 |
| Salary Increase from BSW to MSW |
+$9,000 |
Minnesota Social Work Scholarships
Minnesota State Loan Repayment Program
Type: Loan Repayment
Amount: Up to $20,000 annually
Description: The purpose of Minnesota’s State Loan Repayment Program is to improve access to primary care by assisting underserved communities with recruitment and retention of primary care providers. The program provides funds for repayment of qualifying education loans in exchange for practicing full time in a nonprofit private or public site in a Health Professional Shortage Area. Primary care providers may receive up to $20,000 annually per year of practice.
Minnesota Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Educational Fund
Type: Grant
Amount: Varies
Description: This fund annually offers monetary grants to LGBT post-secondary students. The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding LGBT students and activists. Applicants must be legal residents of Minnesota, identified as LGBT, and planning to attend a post-secondary (undergraduate or graduate) educational program in the next academic year. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1. For further information, go to the website.
Additional scholarship information is available on the national page of social work scholarships.
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