Becoming a Social Worker in Nevada
Social workers are needed now more than ever in the United States. Social workers are employed in several different professional settings, including hospitals, state departments, and rehab programs. If you’re a compassionate person who cares about helping others, then social work could be a great fit for you.
If you’re looking for how to become a social worker in Nevada, you’ve come to the right place. Nevada is known for its nightlife, hotels, and gambling scene, and boasts some of the highest pay in the country for social workers, ranging from $79,940 to $94,250.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the process of getting your degree and license in social work in Nevada. We’ve included education and licensing requirements, types of licenses offered, and the job outlook and pay scale in this exciting field.
Basic Steps to Becoming a Licensed Social Worker
Starting on the path to becoming a social worker can feel overwhelming, so we’ve broken down the process into three major steps. You must be at least twenty-one years of age and a citizen of the United States to qualify to work as a social worker. Your next steps will be obtaining your education and completing field work requirements.
Earn a Degree in Social Work from a CSWE Accredited School
Your first step to becoming a licensed social worker in Nevada is completing at least a bachelor’s degree in social work. Field work and licensure requirements depend on which field of study you pursue.
Finish Post Graduate Field Work Hours
You won’t need field work hours to obtain an LSW or LMSW, though you can find degree programs that include internship hours in the field as part of your education. This can give you field experience before stepping into your career. At the higher LISW and LCSW levels, you’ll need supervised field experience hours to apply for these licenses. At the LCSW level, your field work experience will be more specific to clinical work.
Get Your License
Before applying for your license, you’ll also need to pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exams at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Once all of the requirements have been met, you’ll need to fill out forms to apply for your license. Learn more about licensing costs, requirements, and how to become a social worker in Nevada.
Social Work Degrees in Nevada
You’ll need to attend a college or university social work program that has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, or the CWSE. Only the University of Nevada offers accredited programs in social work, but degree programs are offered at both their Las Vegas and Reno locations.
A bachelor’s degree in social work will prepare you for entry level work in the field, as well as giving you the necessary foundation for higher education at the master’s level. Here’s what the University of Nevada has to offer in the way of a bachelor’s degree in social work:
- On campus, online, and hybrid learning
- Full-time or Part-time enrollment
- 120 credit hours to completion (4 years)
- Reno offers a unique professional sequence program that includes a 450-hour internship in the field during senior year
The University of Nevada also offer master’s degree programs in social work. The university’s goal is to prepare students for work in individual or community practice, or social work management. You can choose from four subplans in your master’s degree at UNLV, or complete an on campus or online master’s degree program at the Reno campus. Let’s take a look at what the University of Nevada offers in their master’s program:
- On campus, online, and hybrid learning
- Full-time or Part-time enrollment
- 42-63 credits to completion, depending on the campus and degree requirements (1-2 years)
- A unique Master of Social Work and Juris Doctor program for those seeking to go into the legal end of social work
Types of Social Workers in Nevada
The State of Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers offers four different types of licenses:
- Licensed social worker (LSW)
- Licensed master social worker (LMSW)
- Licensed independent social worker (LISW)
- Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW)
The Nevada chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has different requirements for each level of social work.
Licensed Social Worker
This is the most basic license that will help you obtain entry level jobs in the field. To obtain this license, you must do the following:
- Complete a bachelor’s degree in social work through an accredited program
- Pass the ASWB Bachelor’s exam
- Pay the necessary fees
Licensed Master Social Worker
A masters license can increase your pay and open new opportunities in the field. For this level of licensure, you’ll need to do the following:
- Complete a master’s degree through an accredited social work master’s program
- Pass the ASWB Master’s exam
- Pay the necessary fees
Licensed Independent Social Worker
An independent social worker can work more broadly across different areas in the field, and work either individually or with communities. This is a more specialized license, meaning better pay and more diverse work. To obtain this kind of license, you’ll need to complete the following requirements:
- Obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited program
- Complete 3,000 hours of field work supervised by a board approved LISW
- Pass the ASWB Advanced Generalist Exam
- Pay the necessary fees
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Clinical social workers move more into the psychological side of social work, helping individuals through counseling, diagnosis, and treatment. LCSWs often work in hospitals or other medical settings to help those with mental or emotional disorders. To achieve this license, you’ll need to complete these requirements:
- Obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited program
- Complete 3,000 board approved field work hours
- Ensure that at least 2,000 of those hours are in areas of psychotherapy, with a focus on diagnosing and treating mental and emotional conditions
- Pass the ASWB Clinical exam
- Pay the necessary fees
Nevada offers a 50% discount on the initial license fee for active military personnel. You can take the exams an unlimited number of times, but you must wait 90 days from the date of testing to try again.
Social Worker Salaries in Nevada
Social work salaries depend on your location, your level of education, and the type of social work you do. However, Nevada social workers are among some of the highest paid social workers in the county. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are some quick statistics about the number of employed social workers and current annual salaries.
| Number of social workers | Annual mean salary | |
| Child, Family and School Social Workers | 3800 | $59,060
|
| Healthcare Social Workers | 920 | $70,500
|
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 890 | $52,530
|
| All Other Social Workers | 530 | $52,530
|
| Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | Between 30 and 80 | Between $72,330 and $78,240
|
Nevada Social Work Scholarships
You can find several scholarships offered through the school of social work at the University of Nevada, Reno. UNLV also offers a scholarship application form on the school of social work website. If you choose to attend UNLV, you’ll fill out a scholarship application form as part of your requirements for the school of social work.
Nevada Social Work Organizations
Aside from the Nevada chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the state licensing board, there don’t appear to be any statewide organizations for social workers. However, both University of Nevada campuses offer student groups for social work majors. At UNLV, you can join the University Association of Social Work Students, where you can exchange ideas and voice concerns in your major. The Reno campus also offers a variety of programs for social work students to gain volunteer experience, meet other social work majors, and make a difference in areas of social justice.
FAQ
Does Nevada have social work reciprocity?
- The Nevada state licensing board will allow you to apply for the equivalent to your current license as long as your license is current and you are in good standing. LSW, LISW, and LCSW licenses may be renewed with no documentation if you’ve been working under your current license for more than five years. If you have worked less than five years under your license, you’ll need to provide documentation of your field work hours (as applicable) and contact the ASWB to transfer your exam scores to the Nevada licensing board.
According to the Nevada chapter of the NASW, you’ll need to renew your license every year, but CECs only need to be submitted biannually. The requirements for obtaining and submitting CECs are different for each type of license.
How do I become a LSW/LMSW/LASW in Nevada?
Complete at least 30 hours in two years. You’ll need two hours in the area of suicide prevention, six hours in the area of diversity and inclusion, four hours in ethical social work practices, and ten hours in your field of practice. You’ll submit proof of these credits along with your renewal fees. In Nevada, you must renew your license and submit proof of any CECs by the last day of your birth month.
How do I become a LISW/LCSW in Nevada?
The requirements are the same as LSW/LMSW/LASW except that you’ll need 36 instead of 30 cumulative hours, and 12 of them need to be in your field of practice.
What is the easiest way to look up my social work license in Nevada?
You can look up your license on the State of Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers. You’ll need to submit your first and last name, as well as your license number.