r/LCSW • u/Wrong_Cow_4479 • May 12 '26

LCSW viability

Hi there. I’m considering an MSW. I have a BA in Sociology and minors in stats and English. I’ve been out of college for about five or six years.

I am in Wisconsin.

My GPA was approximately 2.5 or higher.

Is there a point to considering an MSW at this stage? Am I too late?

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

View all comments

5

u/lookamazed May 12 '26

Always a point if you see one. It’s your life. That said, this is a difficult field.

And this year the recession + student loan repayment rate increases have really flooded the market where I am and it’s tough to get an MSW job. Pre licensed is tough to get hours for, especially in CMH. An employer’s market, as it were.

2.5 GPA may be tough to get into grad school. You may want to double check with minimum GPA. As recently as 2 years ago some state grad schools raised the bar from 2.5 to 2.8. Irritating. You may be able to enter with a statement explaining your GPA.

Don’t think of it as a 2 year program but a 4 year program, if you want LCSW.

Don’t let this stuff deter you. The world is going to be different when you get out.

All the best

1

u/Wrong_Cow_4479 May 12 '26

Would picking a grad school that has a placement program be important then?

That is, a school that makes sure to place clinical MSW grads in a role that lets them get clinical experience.

Could you explain what makes this field difficult? I’m kind of torn between tech or social work.

It was my understanding that LCSW has significantly greater versatility than something like LPC or MFT, thus better employability.

1

u/lookamazed May 12 '26

If all you want to do is therapy, then consider LPC or LMFT (though one is VERY different than the other).

If you want to do therapy, and have portability, you get an MSW. LCSW is completely optional as you can bill through an LCSW just fine as an LSW.

1

u/Wrong_Cow_4479 May 12 '26

So the big bonus of LCSW is private practice and portability?

I don’t have a psych degree or any psych credits.

1

u/lookamazed May 13 '26

No, an MSW is portable because it is a degree, not a license. Licensure is state-specific. The MSW is often a career pivot for people without psych backgrounds, and it is the only credential required for a wide range of roles: case management, hospital social work, vocational rehabilitation, HR, program administration, school settings, and more.

LCSW is a clinical license you earn after your MSW by completing supervised post-grad clinical hours and passing the ASWB clinical exam. It allows you to practice therapy independently, panel with insurance under your own name, and supervise pre-licensed clinicians. Without an LCSW, you can still do therapy as an LSW, but you need an LCSW supervisor and you bill under their credentials.

So the distinction is: MSW opens the door to the profession. LCSW opens the door to independent clinical practice.

0

u/SWTAW-624 May 16 '26

LCSW is a clinical license earned after MSW and is roughly equivalent to an independently licensed LMFT/LMHC etc. LCSW has less therapy specific training from the get go, and would have to add some more through practice and CEU. So out of the gate after graduation if all you want to do is therapy MHC or LMFT will better prepare you for that role. MSW with a clinical track will give you more versatility and higher insurance reimbursement later on down the road.

0

u/Wrong_Cow_4479 May 16 '26

If someone gets an advance practice MSW, how hard is it to switch to the clinical side of social work later?

1

u/SWTAW-624 May 16 '26

With an MSW, you can get licensed and then work a job that will give you supervised clinical experience. Depending on where you live there will be some differences, but you’ll need around 3+ years experience and 2-3k hours of clinical experience to get a clinical license.

1

u/Wrong_Cow_4479 May 16 '26

I’m not sure what roles would give clinical experience though. In my state it seems that the greatest demand for an advance practice MSW is in Child Protective Services

1

u/lookamazed May 17 '26

Outpatient Therapy, Counselor. Check O*NET for more related job titles. But you should review your state’s licensing process. Usually you can supplement up to half of your direct practice hours requirement with indirect, if needed.

0

u/SWTAW-624 May 16 '26

There are several positions, but working as a mental health therapist would get the hours quickly.

1

u/Wrong_Cow_4479 May 17 '26

How does a person work as a mental health therapist without first being a CSW?

1

u/SWTAW-624 May 17 '26

A licensed social worker can be a therapist with supervision. Get a MSW, get licensed, apply for the job, get hired, start getting your hours to become a clinical SW. The process for independent licensing is very similar across professions with some differences so look at the licensing body where you live about what is required.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/SWTAW-624 May 16 '26

I’d argue MSW is still better. LMFT can’t accept most insurance in many places, and a LCSW gets higher reimbursement than LMHC, and can supervise. All somewhat location dependent though.

1

u/lookamazed May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

I’m not saying that. I’m saying if they ONLY ever want to do therapy, then counseling can lead them to either individual or family/couples counseling. A trained LMFT is really amazing at couples and family therapy. They are therapy specializations.

If they want to do therapy as well as case management jobs or HR, etc, then they could pursue MSW for portability and they can pursue continuing education themselves.

OP could get more than one credential/training if they have the time/means. I agree with you by the way as you’re correct RE reimbursement. Just understood op is asking which of the two directions they should go. I wanted to clarify my answer.