What the letters mean
The route is a master of social work degree, then supervised post-master's clinical hours - usually two years' worth - then a clinical examination and a state licence. Someone holding an LMSW or an MSW is a social worker but not yet independently licensed for clinical practice.
The letters differ by state: LICSW, LCSW-C and others describe the same clinical licence. It is the credential that lets a social worker practise therapy independently and bill for it, and holders are among the largest groups of licensed psychotherapy providers in the country.
Social workers on the public record
Counted from what providers file about themselves, with suppression applied before anything is counted, refreshed 2026-10-05. Names, specialties and practice locations are public; work email and phone are for signed-in customers.
| State | On record | With work email | With practice phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 57,349 | 35,395 62% | 57,343 |
| California | 49,730 | 32,257 65% | 49,722 |
| Michigan | 30,980 | 19,849 64% | 30,975 |
| Massachusetts | 25,111 | 15,844 63% | 25,105 |
| Ohio | 22,765 | 16,557 73% | 22,759 |
| Illinois | 22,649 | 12,479 55% | 22,646 |
| Florida | 21,549 | 12,500 58% | 21,546 |
| North Carolina | 18,672 | 10,985 59% | 18,671 |
Closely related, and where to find them.
Closely related
- Clinical social worker Therapy and the practical circumstances around it - and a very large licensed population.
- Licensed counselor One classification, a dozen state titles - and why this entry stops where it does.
- Psychologist The doctoral behavioural health profession, and the one that does formal assessment.
Find them
- Social workers list counts by state, the fields a record carries, a sample record.
- Mental health psychologists, counsellors and clinical social workers, with psychiatrists counted separately as a physician specialty.
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