Exam pass rates
2023 pass/fail summary reports include exam pass rate data for all first time test-takers and for jurisdictions and schools of social work.
2023 Summary report for all first-time test-takers
The following information applies to individuals taking the social work licensing exams for the first time in all ASWB member jurisdictions in 2023.
Pass rates are most representative for groups of more than 200 candidates.
| Exam | Total number of exams administered | 2023 pass rate |
| Associate | 437 | 69.1% |
| Bachelors | 3,240 | 67.9% |
| Masters | 21,551 | 72.5% |
| Advanced Generalist | 132 | 61.4% |
| Clinical | 19,742 | 73.4% |
Summary pass rate reports by state/province
Select a state, province, or territory to download 2023 pass rate data (PDF) for that jurisdiction.
Summary pass rate reports by social work degree programs
Select a state or province, then select a social work degree program to download a report (PDF) of the school’s pass rates for 2023.
Pass rates in context: An exam report series
To more precisely contextualize pass rates by analyzing the systemic factors that influence exam outcomes, ASWB partnered with Joy Kim, MSW, Ph.D., of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Kim and her associate, Michael Joo, MSW, Ph.D., conducted an inquiry into the sources of pass rate disparities, including analyses of pass rates that control for the individual, institutional, and community factors that test-takers carry with them throughout their lives.