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Become a Social Worker in California
California has the second most amount of social workers compared to every other state in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), with social workers in environments like schools, healthcare and independent practices. If you want to help disadvantaged communities and individuals who need social resources to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives, you might be curious how to become a social worker in California.
In this career guide, learn about education and license requirements, social worker salaries and social worker schools in California. Discover some of the common steps to becoming a social worker in California if you’re interested in this meaningful career.
Steps to Become a California Social Worker
Wondering how to become a social worker in California? The steps required include getting a social work education, gaining work experience in the field and becoming licensed in California, according to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).
1. Earn a CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work.
To become a licensed social worker in California, you must have earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited school of social work; this includes associate clinical social worker (ACSW) and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) requirements.
2. Complete additional required coursework.
In addition to an MSW, future social workers in California must ensure that they also have proof of completion for the following courses:
- Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting
- Human Sexuality
- Alcoholism and Chemical Substance Abuse and Dependency
- Aging, Long Term Care and Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse
- Spousal/Partner Abuse Assessment, Detection and Intervention
- Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention
3. Complete post-graduate field hours.
Before you begin accruing post-graduate hours, you must register as an ACSW. While an MSW program will require field work experience to graduate, California requires 3,000 total supervised social work hours over a minimum of 104 weeks in order to become licensed as a clinical social worker. A minimum 2,000 hours overall must be in clinical experience, including a minimum of 750 hours performing in-person group or individual psychotherapy. A maximum 1,000 hours must be in non-clinical experience, in settings like client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research and workshops.
4. Apply for licensure.
You’ll need to pass a criminal background check, take and pass the California Law & Ethics exam, and take and pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical exam. There are also various fees to pay and applications to fill out throughout the licensure process.
If you want, you can pursue additional certifications and continued education once you’ve become a California social worker.
Learn more on how to become a social worker.
Degree Pathways to Become a Social Worker in CA
The two social work licenses offered in California require a Master of Social Work (MSW) from an accredited school. Learn more about MSW programs in California. There are several other types of MSW programs available:
- Online Master’s in Social Work (MSW): There are several online MSW programs available, with locations inside the state of California and across the country, that are accredited by the CSWE.
- Advanced Standing MSW Program: If you have already earned your Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, you may be able to pursue an advanced standing MSW program which builds upon your BSW coursework to graduate in less time than pursuing a full MSW program.
- Online Clinical Social Work (LCSW) Program: While a clinical MSW program is not explicitly required to pursue a license as a LCSW in California, it may help when completing the required clinical exam for licensure.
- Online MSW with No GRE: Some universities offer admissions without requiring the GRE but may still have GPA and other requirements.
- Doctorate of Social Work (DSW): While a DSW program is not required for licensure as a social worker in California, it is available for social workers who wish to pursue advanced careers as an university instructor, administrator or director of social services.
University of Denver • Denver, CO
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
As few as 12 months
Credits
54-81 graduate-level credits
Concentrations
Mental Health and Trauma, Health, Equity and Wellness
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution to be considered for admission
- Minimum undergraduate GPA is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree
- Official transcripts
- Letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Career goals statement
Syracuse University • Syracuse, NY
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
As few as 24 months
Credits
36-60
Concentrations
Advanced Integrated Practice, Advanced Clinical Practice
Admission Requirements
- Minimum 3.0 GPA is preferred
- Transcripts
- Resume
- Essays
- Prerequisite coursework
- Letters of recommendation
Simmons University • Boston, MA
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Enrollment Type
Accelerated and Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
As few as 9 months
Credits
37-65
Concentrations
Mental Health Practice Optional Certificate, Trauma Practice Optional Certificate, Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families
Admission Requirements
- Resume
- Transcripts
- Recommendation forms
- Statement of professional and educational intent
Howard University • Washington, DC
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
As few as 12 months
Credits
45+
Concentrations
Direct Practice, Community, Administration and Policy (CAP) Practice
Admission Requirements
- Three (3) letters of recommendation
- College transcripts
- A personal statement
- An application essay
- A resume
- Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE-accredited institution, award within four years of first term start date
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all social work foundation and undergraduate coursework
Hawaii Pacific University • Honolulu, HI
Master of Social Work
Enrollment Type
Full-Time and Part-Time
Length of Program
12-36 months
Credits
30-57
Concentrations
Military and Veterans Affairs, Child or Adult Protective Services, Health Care, Mental Health, Individual and Families, Social Agency Administration
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree with at least 30 credits in Liberal Arts from an accredited four-year institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA, but applicants below that will be considered for provisional admission
- Completed courses in Statistics and Research Methods
- Applicants must have completed each course with a grade of a "C" or higher
- Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited program within the past five years
- Minimum 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale in social work courses
- Online application
Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW) in California
Before becoming an LCSW in California, you must be registered as an ACSW.
- Education Requirement: Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and required coursework
- Field Requirement: None
- Exams: California Law & Ethics Exam
- Fees: $150 application fee
- License Renewal: Registration may be renewed five times in a six-year time span.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California
To become an LCSW in California, social workers must meet certain requirements. These include:
- Education Requirement: Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work, verified by electronic transcripts
- Field Requirements: 3,000 total supervised hours, over 104 weeks (minimum)
- Exams: California Law & Ethics Exam (if not applying as a ACSW), ASWB Clinical exam
- Fees: $100 application fee
- License Renewal: Every two years
Learn more about how to become an LCSW.
Social Work Salaries for California
The average social worker salary in California depends on your role and work environment.
Social Work Careers | Number of Social Workers in California | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
Child, family and school Social Workers | 55,220 | $73,150 |
Health care social workers | 19,680 | $97,090 |
Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 18,020 | $83,110 |
Social workers, all other | 5,780 | $81,480 |
Information on the above social work salaries in California was retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics – State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates California as of November 2025.
Learn more about different social work salaries.
California Social Work Scholarships
There are social work scholarships in California and grants available to aspiring social work students to cover school costs, such as tuition and supplies. Be sure to check with your preferred university for other financial aid options available. Some California scholarships we have found for social workers include:
- California State University at Chico – MSW Scholarships
- California State University at Northridge – Funding Social Work Education
- NASW-California Financial Aid Options
- San Diego State University Scholarships
California Social Work Organizations
Social work organizations in California give students the ability to connect with other social work students, network with social workers and get more involved in the local social work community. The following are some California social work organizations:
- California Association of School Social Workers (CASSW): CASSW has a volunteer board of professional school social workers that promotes and supports school social workers in districts, state and national legislative bodies, advocacy groups and the larger community.
- California Society for Clinical Social Work (CSCSW): For licensed clinical social workers, the CSCSW advocates and promotes the practice of clinical social work through education, legislative advocacy, networking opportunities and more.
- National Association of Social Workers California Chapter (NASWCA): The California chapter of the NASW is actually divided into nine additional geographic regions, covering the whole state. Each region provides support to social workers in the form of networking opportunities, continuing education options, conferences and more.
FAQs
No, there is no social work license reciprocity in California or endorsement licensure. Social workers who have a current out-of-state license must submit a California LCSW application, pass the California Law and Ethics Examination, have an MSW that is accredited by the CSWE and complete California-specific coursework.
Information last updated: November 2025