The social work field is a diverse one, offering a range of specializations with job opportunities in all sorts of organizations that aim to uplift individuals, families, and communities all over the country. In North Carolina, to qualify for most roles in social work practice outside of clinical counseling, one is expected to hold licensure as a Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW).
CMSWs play invaluable roles within social work organizations, from critical administrative roles that keep organizations running to case management positions that help struggling individuals and families get back on their feet.
This guide outlines the steps to becoming a CMSW in North Carolina, with additional information about job opportunities for those who hold the license and the salary you can expect to receive in North Carolina-based social work organizations. To learn everything you need to know about becoming a CMSW, read on.
What You Can Do as a CMSW
As MSW-prepared social workers with field internship experiences under their belts, CMSWs can play essential roles in nearly every context that employs social workers. These include community service nonprofits, government organizations, hospitals and clinics, schools, private practices, and many more.
Beyond finding opportunities in a range of settings, CMSWs can also take on a variety of responsibilities. These can include the following:
- Case management. From assessing client needs and designing individualized care plans to coordinate with other supportive service organizations, this can be a high-impact role that allows you to work directly with people in need.
- Program development and implementation. CMSWs can hold important managerial roles in organizations, overseeing programs and evaluating their efficacy to ensure that they are running smoothly and meeting key objectives.
- Community outreach. CMSWs can do the important work of building relationships with the communities a given social work organization aims to uplift, fostering trust and gaining a richer understanding of a community’s most pressing needs.
- Advocacy, policy, and research. Working on the front lines of serious civic issues, social workers can become powerful advocates for their clients, possessing an in-depth knowledge of public needs and the roles social workers can play to address them. They can also formally take up work as researchers studying key social issues and the existing means by which public services aim to fix them.
As skilled and experienced social workers, CMSWs are equipped for high-stakes roles in service organizations. As they add more years to their resumes, CMSWs can gain the seniority needed to take on leadership roles in social work, which can be motivating to many who enter the field.
Job Titles for CMSWs
The following job titles for CMSWs represent only a selection of the employment opportunities available in North Carolina. These should give you a sense of the diversity of jobs available for social workers.
- Case Manager
- Child Welfare Specialist
- Family Support Coordinator
- School Social Worker
- Medical Social Worker
- Hospice Social Worker
- Community Outreach Specialist
- Housing Case Manager
- Behavioral Health Coordinator
- Policy Analyst
The CMSW License Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
The steps to becoming a CMSW in North Carolina are straightforward, though the process will require no small amount of hard work. After all, CMSWs frequently take responsibility for people in critical situations, meaning it’s imperative to have completed thorough training in order to take on this role. Take a look below to see what you can expect from the CMSW licensure process in North Carolina.
Step One: Obtain your Master of Social Work Degree
To become a CMSW in North Carolina, candidates must first hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited institution. This will ensure that your education meets all of the state’s standards for social work training, qualifying you for licensure exams upon completing your program.
MSW programs typically take two years to complete on a full-time schedule. Your education during this program will include theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and hands-on training in field internships designed to prepare you for the day-to-day responsibilities of a social worker. During this time, many students find their area of specialization within the social work field, allowing them to refine their expertise and focus their careers before they even graduate.
In order to qualify for an MSW program, you must hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject. Those who don’t yet hold bachelor’s degrees but know they wish to enter the social work field are encouraged to pursue Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degrees. Though you will not be able to qualify for CMSW licensure with only a BSW, you will be uniquely qualified to enroll in Advanced Standing MSW programs, which accelerate your coursework, allowing you to graduate within a single year when taken on a full-time schedule (in other words, half the duration of a typical MSW program). This is the fastest path to becoming a licensed social worker if you don’t yet hold an undergraduate degree.
Step Two: Apply for Certification
After earning a Master of Social Work degree, graduates must apply for certification through the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board (NCSWCLB). This will make it possible to sign up for your licensure exam (see step three). Typically, applicants are expected to submit their transcripts, proof of graduation from an accredited program, and documentation of completed field work hours.
Step Three: Pass the ASWB Master’s Level Exam
Once your application to the NCSWCLB is accepted, you will be eligible to take the ASWB Master’s Level exam. This test assesses candidates on their knowledge of social work principles, best practices, ethical standards, and on-the-ground decision-making to make sure they are qualified to take on the responsibilities of a social worker.
Step Four: Complete Background Checks
As you await the results of your licensing exam, your next step is to complete a criminal background check. This is a standard procedure that, for reasons that may be obvious, aims to ensure that all social work professionals can be entrusted with the ethical codes and duties of their jobs.
Upon passing your ASWB Master’s Level exams as well as your background checks, you are qualified for CMSW licensure in North Carolina. Congratulations! Now to the next step: finding a social work organization where you can put your hard-won knowledge and skills to use.
CMSW vs. LCSW: A Comparison
As you can see in the guide above, CMSW licensure renders you eligible to perform nearly every responsibility a social worker can take on. There is only one category of jobs within the social work profession that a CMSW license does not cover: direct counseling and therapy for clients struggling with psychological, emotional, or behavioral challenges. In order to take on this type of work in North Carolina and the rest of the country, you are expected to hold Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification.
Becoming an LCSW is a more involved process than becoming a CMSW. Specifically, LCSWs are required to complete a significant amount of additional field work hours at a social work organization between their MSW graduation and their licensure exam. (For those looking at the step-by-step guide above, this falls between steps two and three.) This additional practicum time is intended to build more advanced clinical skills that prepare you for the delicate role of a therapist, which requires more intensive training than case management or other CMSW roles.
For those deciding which license type they wish to obtain after graduate school, good news: it’s entirely possible to pursue LCSW licensure after you have already earned your CMSW license. This means if you wish to spend some time getting your feet wet in the world of social work before becoming a therapist, you have the full ability to do so.
What You Can Earn as a CMSW
As mentioned above, CMSWs are employed by every type of organization that offers social work, which in turn means salaries can vary based on where you are working. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is the authoritative source of salary data for all professions across the U.S., does not offer isolated data on social workers holding CMSW licensure specifically, but its overall statistics for social workers in North Carolina can provide a working estimate for prospective social workers. This report breaks down the social work profession into the following categories:
- Child, family, and school social worker salary: $50,420 per year
- Health care and hospital social worker salary: $63,110 per year
- Mental health and substance abuse social worker salary: $53,940 per year
- Social worker salaries, all other: $63,770 per year
It’s worth noting that these figures reflect averages. Social workers who continue to build their careers over time and gain seniority are often able to take on leadership roles within their organization, which can offer higher salaries. This can give you something to work toward as you launch your social work career.
FAQs
Can I become a social worker without a license?
No. While there may be entry-level roles in social work organizations for those who don’t hold licensure, your opportunities will be greatly limited if you don’t become a CMSW. Though it is technically possible in North Carolina for BSW-holding students to become Certified Social Workers (CSWs), this is still a very limited role that will not legally qualify you for most social work positions. These regulations are to ensure that anyone who takes on the sensitive responsibilities of a social worker has the training and expertise to do so.
Can a CMSW become an LCSW later on?
Absolutely. This is not an uncommon path for social workers, who may wish to get started as case managers or other CMSW roles before taking on the added training to become a counselor or therapist. Since you can take your CMSW licensing exams immediately upon graduating, some students choose to do so and gain several years of work experience before pursuing LCSW training.
Who is qualified for an Advanced Standing MSW?
Only those who hold BSWs can qualify for an Advanced Standing MSW program, which takes only one year to complete on a full-time schedule. This is a great path for those who haven’t yet obtained a bachelor’s degree but are planning for long-term careers as social workers, as it will allow them to complete their schooling (undergraduate and graduate) on the fastest schedule possible.
Do I need to complete Continuing Education (CE) in order to maintain my CMSW license?
Yes. This is true for all who hold social work licenses in North Carolina. In North Carolina, social workers are expected to complete 40 hours of Continuing Education every two years, which can include time spent at conferences and online courses. CE requirements ensure that working social workers are up to date on recent developments in social work practice and continue to be competent practitioners.
2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.