Missouri Social Work License Requirements and Programs: Become a Social Worker in MO
Written by Maura Deering | Edited by Victoria Hudgeons
Updated July 2024
Missouri offers numerous social work educational options, a low cost of living, and four levels of licensure for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree holders. Learn more about becoming a social worker in Missouri through our program directory, salary and employment growth data, and list of Missouri social work license requirements.
Popular Online BSW Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Missouri Social Work Licensing Requirements
The Missouri Division of Professional Regulation, Committee for Social Workers oversees social worker licensing and offers four types: licensed bachelor social worker (LBSW), licensed master social worker (LMSW), licensed advanced macro social worker (LAMSW), and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). LBSWs can qualify for licensure with a bachelor of social work (BSW), and the three other licenses require a master of social work (MSW).
Scopes of practice and requirements for each licensure level are described below.
Licensed Bachelor Social Worker
LBSWs can practice generalist social work, including assessment and evaluation, counseling, and crisis intervention for individuals, groups, families, and communities. They can also advocate for their clients, refer clients to other professional services, and perform community organizing. They cannot practice clinical social work, including psychotherapy or diagnosis and treatment of emotional disorders and mental illness, at this level.
Missouri licensure requirements for LBSW include:
- Bachelor’s degree in social work
- Passing score on the ASWB bachelors exam
Licensed Master Social Worker
LMSWs can apply social work knowledge, methods, theory, and ethics to enhance and restore the social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functionality of individuals, couples, families, and groups. They can offer the same services as LBSWs but can also supervise LBSWs and practice clinical and advanced macro social work under the supervision of LCSWs and LAMSWs.
Missouri licensure requirements for LMSW include:
- Master’s or doctoral degree in social work
- Passing score on the ASWB masters exam
Licensed Advanced Macro Social Worker
LAMSWs can offer the same services as LBSWs and LMSWs, along with mediation, supervision of non-clinical social workers, expert testimony, education, research, and policy and program development, implementation, and administration. They can provide psychotherapy and diagnose and treat emotional and mental disorders only under the supervision of an LCSW.
Missouri licensure requirements for LISW include:
- Master’s or doctoral degree in social work
- Current Missouri LMSW license
- 3,000 hours of supervised experience within 24-48 months
- Passing score on the ASWB advanced generalist exam
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LCSWs can provide all types of social work services — both clinical and non-clinical — and supervise LBSWs, LMSWs, and LAMSWs. They can practice psychotherapy and diagnose and treat emotional disorders and mental illness independently. Doctoral degree holders can become university professors and researchers in clinical social work, department heads, and high-level administrators.
Missouri licensure requirements for LCSW include:
- Master’s or doctoral degree in social work
- Current Missouri LMSW license
- 3,000 hours of supervised experience within 24-48 months
- Passing score on the ASWB clinical exam
Social Work License Reciprocity in Missouri
Missouri’s Committee for Social Workers offers reciprocity only to those social workers from states with equivalent licensing requirements. Out-of-state social workers seeking reciprocity must demonstrate completion of the relevant ASWB exam and supervised practice hours equitable to Missouri’s requirements.
Applicants also submit proof of active social work licensure in their state and fingerprints for a criminal background check.
Missouri has also enacted legislation to join the Social Work Licensure Compact, which aims to allow for multistate licenses in 2025.
Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education in Missouri
Missouri social work license holders renew their credentials every two years. The renewal window opens on July 1 of each renewal year. Social workers receive email or postcard notifications and can renew online or by mail.
License renewal requires the completion of 30 clock hours of continuing education (CE) during each two-year period. CE must include three hours of ethics and two hours of suicide prevention training. Approved in-person and self-study courses are accepted, along with seminars, webinars, and workshops.
BSW Programs Available in Missouri
- Avila University — Kansas City (On Campus, Online)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time
- 2024 Tuition: $40,200 per year (full time)
- Evangel University — Springfield (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $13,609 per semester (full time), $1,134 per credit hour (part time)
- Lincoln University — Jefferson City (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $256 per credit hour in state, $519 per credit hour out of state
- Lindenwood University — St. Charles (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $663 per credit hour
- Maryville University — St. Louis (Online)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $540 per credit hour
- Missouri Southern State University — Joplin (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $290 per credit hour in state, $580 per credit hour out of state
- Missouri State University — Springfield (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $290 per credit hour in state, $621 per credit hour out of state
- Missouri Western State University — St. Joseph (On Campus, Online)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $277 per credit hour in state, $583 per credit hour out of state
- Park University — Parkville (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $$8,250 per semester (full time), $575 per credit hour (part time)
- Saint Louis University — St. Louis (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time
- 2024 Tuition: $54,760 per year
- Southeast Missouri State University — Cape Girardeau (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $285 per credit hour
- Southwest Baptist University — Bolivar (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $28,656 per year
- University of Central Missouri — Warrensburg and Lee’s Summit (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $285 per credit hour in state, $570 per credit hour out of state
- University of Missouri — Columbia (On Campus, Online)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time
- 2024 Tuition: $7,770 per semester in state (full time), $18,375 per semester out of state (full time)
- University of Missouri – St. Louis — St. Louis and Park Hills (On Campus, Online)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time
- 2024 Tuition: $504 per credit hour in state, $756-$1,253 per credit hour out of state
- William Woods University — Fulton (On Campus)
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time
- 2024 Tuition: $29,100 per semester (full time, 12-18 credits); $575 per credit hour (part time, 1-9 credits), $950 per credit hour (part time, 10-11 credits)
MSW Programs Available in Missouri
- Missouri Baptist University — St. Louis (Online)
- Available Concentrations: Advanced Generalist
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $668 per credit hour
- Missouri State University — Springfield (Online)
- Available Concentrations: Advanced Generalist
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $379 per credit hour
- Saint Louis University — St. Louis (On Campus, Online)
- Available Concentrations: Aging and Gerontological Practice, Clinical or Direct Practice, Community Development and Social Systems, Macro Social Work, Management or Administration, Mental Health, Social Policy
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $48,000 total program cost (foundation track), $30,000 total program cost (advanced standing)
- University of Missouri — Columbia (On Campus, Online)
- Available Concentrations: Clinical Practice and Policy, Planning, and Administration in Human Services
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $5,434 per semester in state (full time), $604 per credit hour in state (part time); $12,522 per semester out of state (full time), $1,391 per credit hour out of state (part time)
- University of Missouri – Kansas City — Kansas City (On Campus)
- Available Concentrations: Advanced Generalist
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $512 per credit hour in state, $769-$1,286 per credit hour out of state
- University of Missouri – St. Louis — St. Louis (On Campus, Online)
- Available Concentrations: Children, Youth, and Families, Leadership, Social Justice
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $645 per credit hour in state, $968-$1,533 per credit hour out of state
- Washington University in St. Louis — St. Louis (On Campus)
- Available Concentrations: American Indian and Alaska Native, Children, Youth, and Families, Domestic Social and Economic Development, Health, Individualized, International Social and Economic Development, Mental Health, Social Impact Leadership
- Enrollment Type: Full Time, Part Time, Advanced Standing
- 2024 Tuition: $24,005 per semester (full time), $1,600 per credit hour (part time)
Missouri Social Worker Career and Salary Information
Missouri social workers across the career paths listed below can expect positive employment growth, according to long-term Projections Central data for 2022-2032. Healthcare social workers and mental health and substance use social workers should see the largest occupational gains at 10.6% and 10%, respectively.
Social workers’ average annual salaries in Missouri, as shown in the table below, fall below the national averages. However, cost-of-living data for the first quarter of 2024 ranks Missouri 6th in the nation for affordability. Housing costs stand out at 77.7% of the U.S. average.
| Occupation | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $44,380 | $21.34 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $53,060 | $25.51 |
| Mental Health and Substance Use Social Workers | $42,760 | $20.56 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $58,970 | $28.35 |
Social Work Associations in Missouri
- The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Missouri Chapter: The NASW provides continuing education opportunities and works on issues of workplace safety, compensation, and education debt relief in Missouri.
- School Social Workers Association of Missouri (SSWAM): SSWAM provides professional development and networking opportunities for social workers in education.
- The Missouri Society for Clinical Social Work (MSCSW): The MSCSW promotes the development of Missouri clinical social workers by offering professional development opportunities, advocating for the field, and connecting members.
Frequently Asked Questions About Missouri Social Work
What are the different types of social workers in Missouri?
Missouri offers four types of social work licensure: licensed bachelor social worker (LBSW), licensed master social worker (LMSW), licensed advanced macro social worker (LAMSW), and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
How do I get licensed as a social worker in Missouri?
Depending on the licensure type, social workers need a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work and a passing score on the appropriate ASWB examination. LAMSWs and LCSWs must also hold a MIssouri LMSW license and complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience.
How much do social workers in Missouri make?
Missouri mental health and substance use social workers earn average annual salaries of $42,760, and child, family, and school social workers make $44,380. Healthcare social workers and “all other” social workers average $53,060 and $58,970 per year, respectively.
How long does it take to become a social worker in Missouri?
LBSWs can earn a BSW in four years and become eligible for licensure. LMSWs need an additional year to earn their MSWs with advanced standing admission or two more years if they hold a non-social work bachelor’s degree LAMSWs and LCSWs spend 24-48 months after earning their MSWs to complete their supervised training.
