If you’re looking into a career as a social worker, you can obtain your Indiana social work license at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels.
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Indiana offers numerous educational programs and social work licenses for bachelor’s and master’s degree-holders. The state’s affordable cost of living and positive employment growth projections make it an attractive option. Learn about earning your Indiana social work license, explore available social work programs, and review post-graduation salary potential with this helpful guide.
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Learn More About Our Partners Loading. Learn More Visit Site Loading. Learn More Visit Site Loading. Learn More Visit SiteThe Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA)’s Behavioral Health and Human Services (BHHS) Board oversees social work licensing. The department offers three levels: licensed bachelor social worker (LBSW), licensed social worker (LSW), and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). An LBSW needs a bachelor’s degree in social work, while LSWs and LCSWs must hold master’s degrees in social work. Indiana also requires social workers to graduate from Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited programs.
LSWs work with communities, families, groups, and individuals dealing with challenges and connect them with resources. They help clients change their behaviors and emotional responses, working to effect change within surrounding social conditions. These professionals plan, administer, and research community social service delivery systems. LSWs can find employment in community mental health centers, private practice, and school health services.
Indiana licensure requirements for LSW include:
LCSWs perform the client advocacy and community services functions of BSWs and LSWs while providing counseling, psychosocial evaluation, mental health diagnosis, and psychotherapy services. LCSWs work with individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities in child and family service agencies, mental and physical health facilities, and private practice.
Indiana licensure requirements for LCSW include:
Active, equivalent license holders in other states can obtain their Indiana social work licenses through reciprocity. Submission requirements include an application, verification of licensure, and ASWB examination scores on the appropriate level exam.
In addition, each applicant must pass Indiana’s jurisprudence exam, a 30-question multiple-choice and true/false test of the BHHS’s statutes and rules. LCSWs applying for licensing through the reciprocity process must also have two years of professional experience.
Indiana social work license holders renew by April 1st of each even-numbered year. Licenses remain active for two years and expire on March 31. The licensing board sends reminders 90 days before the expiration date. Licensees renew online and are responsible for verifying the completion of their renewal and continuing education (CE) requirements.
Renewal requires 40 hours of CE for each two-year cycle, including two hours of ethics and 20 hours of formal CE experiences. Formal programming can consist of in-person courses, workshops, and seminars, along with home study programs.
Indiana social workers’ average annual and hourly wages fall below the national averages, except in the “all other social workers” category. Indiana’s $73,800 average for all other social workers outpaces the national average of $68,800, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for May 2023. In addition, Indiana’s 90.3 cost-of-living index ranks ninth for affordability, indicating that paychecks can stretch further.
Long-term occupational projections for 2020-2030 from Projections Central point to positive job growth in Indiana. Child, family, and school social workers received a 10.4% growth projection, while healthcare social workers reached 12.4%, mental health and substance use social workers were at 16.2%, and all social workers received a 3.7% growth rate.
| Occupation | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $53,690 | $25.81 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $63,540 | $30.55 |
| Mental Health and Substance Use Social Workers | $56,310 | $27.07 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $73,800 | $35.48 |
Indiana’s Behavioral Health and Human Services Board provides credentials for licensed bachelor social workers (LBSWs), licensed social workers (LSWs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs).
If you’re interested in becoming an LBSW, you’ll need a bachelor of social work and a passing score on the ASWB’s bachelor-level exam. LSWs require a master of social work and a passing score on the ASWB’s master’s exam. LCSWs must also earn a master’s degree, log 3,000 hours of verified past-graduate clinical training, and pass the ASWB’s clinical examination.
Indiana child, family, and school social workers earn an average annual salary of $53,690. Healthcare social workers make an average of $63,590 a year. Mental health and substance use social workers earn $56,310 annually, while all other social workers earn $73,800 each year.
LBSWs can earn their degrees in about four years. LSWs need an additional 1-2 years for a master’s, depending on whether they hold BSWs or bachelor’s degrees in other fields. LCSWs spend 4-6 years in school and another three years completing their clinical experience hours. Full-time, part-time, or advanced standing enrollment and online or on-campus study can influence the time it takes to become a social worker.
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