How to Become a Social Worker in Vermont

Vermont Social Work License Requirements

Vermont offers a single type of license for social workers:

• LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)

Once you have earned the proper degrees, you can then apply for Vermont social work licensure. Before you can obtain this licensure, you must also pass a difficult licensing examination and complete a few thousand hours of supervised work experience. For more information, interested parties should check out the website of the Vermont Board of Social Work Examiners.

How Do I Get My LBSW in Vermont?

The Vermont Office of Professional Regulation requires that all Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) applicants hold a minimum of a Master’s degree in social work (MSW). Once you earn this degree, you can then get started completing the rest of the Vermont social work licensure requirements. The degree must come from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Students should use the list of accredited undergraduate and graduate social work degree programs that is available on the CSWE website.

Start working toward completing the necessary work experience requirements. In Vermont, you are required to complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience over a period of two years, with one hour of every 40 hours being practice hours. Keep in mind that you are only allowed to log a maximum of 1,500 hours during each year. Half of this experience must be spent with individuals and half must be spent with groups.

For more information on supervised work experience arrangements and for approval of such arrangements, you should contact the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation.

Once you’ve completed the required work experience, apply for Vermont social work licensure. You can do this by downloading the application from the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation website. The application must be filled out in its entirety and be accompanied by required supporting documentation and necessary application fees.

After your application has been reviewed, you will be notified of your eligibility to sit for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing examination.

Take and pass the ASWB Clinical Level licensing examination. More information about this exam can be found on the licensing exam page on the ASWB website.

Once you have passed the examination, your application will be reviewed once more. If everything is in order, you will be granted Vermont social work licensure.

Social Worker Career Outlook in Vermont

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has collected employment and wage data from Vermont employers in all different industries, including social work. As of May 2022, Vermont is home to about 2,200 professional social workers. According to the BLS, there are 1,000 family, child, and school social workers employed in Vermont, 440 healthcare social workers, 660 substance abuse and mental health social workers, and 120 social workers in other specialties. The average annual salary ranged from $54,820 for child, family, and school social workers to $65,290 for healthcare social workers. The Vermont chapter of the National Association of Social Workers has a career center that aspiring social workers should check out as well.

The Importance of CSWE Accreditation

The State of Alaska’s licensure board does not specifically require accreditation in order for a degree program to be board-approved, but accreditation from organizations like the Council of Social Work Accreditation can improve the overall quality of the coursework given.

The Council of Social Work Accreditation develops rigorous accreditation standards, and it also administers a multi-step accreditation process to eligible postsecondary and graduate-level degree programs. Most U.S. states require licensees to attend a CSWE-accredited program in order to obtain initial licensing or for license-holders from other states to transfer their credentials. This requirement ensures that graduates are prepared with both the knowledge and capacity for critical thinking that is necessary to successfully practice professional Social Work.

Persons without a CSWE-accredited degree could potentially apply with their respective state board for an exemption. However, the majority of exemptions are typically granted to individuals already licensed to practice other related disciplines like medicine or psychology.

Search Accredited Social Work Programs

Additional Resources for Social Workers in Vermont:

• Vermont Psychologist Licensing
• Vermont Counselor Licensing
• Vermont Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing
• Explore Additional Social Worker Careers

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for social workers, child, family, and school social workers, healthcare social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and social workers (all other) are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2023.