Become a Social Worker in Maine

Table of Contents

Maine Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Maine Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
Maine Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
Maine Social Work Salary
Maine Social Work Scholarships

Disclaimer: Due to the rapidly changing nature of social work regulations, for the most up-to-date information on becoming a social worker in Maine, contact the Maine Social Work Licensing Board.

Maine law recognizes three classes of social workers: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Licensed Social Worker (LSW). The requirements are as follows:

Sponsored Online Social Work Programs
School	Program Description
University of Denver	Research-driven faculty dedicated to making an impact on social problems Prepares you to apply social work skills across practice settings
Fordham University	Four areas of focus: Individuals and Families, Organizations and Community, Evaluation, and Policy Practice and Advocacy
Simmons University	Four Clinical Specializations: Child and Family, Trauma and Interpersonal Violence, Mental Health and Addictions, and Health and Aging Three program tracks: Traditional, Accelerated, and Extended
Case Western Reserve University	From Case Western Reserve University’s top-10 ranked School of social work Traditional and Advanced Standing tracks available
University of Southern California (USC)	Offered by USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, a top-ranked graduate School by U.S. News and World Report Features virtual and in-person field education in or near student’s own communities
Baylor University	Ethically integrates faith and social work practice Specialize in clinical practice or community practice

Maine LCSW

Maine LCSW Education Requirement: Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program

Maine LCSW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical Level Examination

Field Requirement: Two years of social work experience involving at least 3,200 hours with 96 hours of consultation in a clinical setting if the MSW has a clinical concentration; four years (6,400 hours) of social work experience with 192 hours of consultation in a clinical setting if the MSW does not have a clinical concentration

Fee: $25 application fee, $70 license fee, $21 background check fee, $260 ASWB examination fee

Additional Information: Three current (within the past year) letters of professional recommendation are required for application. The first must be from the applicant’s consultant; the second recommendation must be from an LCSW, a CSW-IP, or a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); and the third recommendation may be from an LCSW, an LMSW, a CSW-IP, a board-certified psychiatrist, a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed clinical professional counselor or an American Nurses Association-approved psychiatric nurse; or by a similarly-credentialed professional from any state or country.

Endorsement: Available upon board approval

License Renewal: Renewal is required every two years. Requirements for renewal are the successful completion of 25 contact hours of continuing education, including 4 hours of ethics and payment of a $70 renewal fee.

Return to top

Maine LMSW

Maine LMSW Education Requirement: Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program

Maine LMSW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Master’s Level Examination

Field Requirement: None

Fee: $25 application fee, $70 license fee, $21 background check fee, $230 ASWB examination fee

Additional Information: Three current (within the past year) letters of professional recommendation are required for application, two of which must be from licensed social workers at any level of licensure from any state.

Endorsement: Available upon board approval

Return to top

Maine LSW (Licensed Social Worker)

Maine LSW Education Requirement: Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program

Maine LSW Exam: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Bachelor’s Level Exam

Field Requirement: None

Fee: $25 application fee, $70 license fee, $21 background check fee, $230 ASWB examination fee

Endorsement: Available upon board approval

License Renewal: Renewal is required every two years. Requirements for renewal are the successful completion of 25 contact hours of continuing education and payment of a $70 renewal fee.

Return to top

In order to become a licensed social work practitioner in Maine, you will need to complete prerequisite coursework, examination requirements, and, in some cases, supervised work requirements. Also, certain levels of social work in Maine can only be reached after completing an on-campus or online MSW program. We are committed to keeping updated information on Maine social work licensure policies available to you.

Disclaimer: There may be additional methods of certification that have not been covered here. Please contact your state social work licensing department for more information. Last updated: 08/30/2018.

Maine Social Work Salary

Maine Social Work Salary
Maine Social Work Career	Average Social Worker Salary
Child, Family and School Social Workers	$51,810
Healthcare Social Workers	$50,530
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$59,680
All Other Social Workers	$52,700
Salary Increase from BSW to MSW	+$9,000

Disclaimer: Social Worker Salary information is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Information about social worker salaries in Maine is subject to change. Please confirm salary information with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. Last updated: 8/22/2018.

Maine Social Work Scholarships

State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)

Type: Loan Repayment

Amount: Varies

Description: The SLRP will pay directly to the provider for any documented, valid and outstanding Undergraduate and/or graduate loans that have been incurred in obtaining the specific health professional degree, at the rate of $12,500.00 per year of service.

Additional scholarship information is available on the national page of social work scholarships.

Return to top