Start Here · 3 min read
Exam Overview
The ASWB Masters exam is a pivotal assessment for people seeking licensure as master's-level social workers in the United States. It is developed and administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the nonprofit organization of social work regulatory boards that establishes the exam content, maintains its standards, and provides resources for candidates. The exam evaluates your knowledge and your readiness to practice social work safely, ethically, and effectively. Depending on the jurisdiction, the license it leads to is called LMSW, LGSW, LSW, CSW, or a similar title.
Exam Pattern
The exam is a computer-based test delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers. It contains 122 multiple-choice questions: 110 scored questions and 12 unscored pretest questions that ASWB is evaluating for future use. Pretest questions are mixed in with the scored questions and look exactly like them, so treat every question as if it counts. Questions have either three or four answer options, and many present a practice scenario that asks for the most appropriate response, the first or next step, or the best explanation of a client's situation.
You have 4 hours in total. The exam is divided into two sections of 61 questions, with about 2 hours for each and a scheduled break between the sections during which the exam clock stops.
The Three Content Areas
The current exam blueprint, based on ASWB's most recent analysis of social work practice, organizes the Masters exam into three content areas. Values and ethics carries the largest share of questions.
Values and Ethics
35%
Reviewed in Section 4
Assessment and Planning
33%
Reviewed in Section 2
Intervention and Practice
32%
Reviewed in Section 3
Howthisguide'Sreviewsectionsmaptotheexam
| ExamContentArea | Weight | WhereItIsReviewedinThisGuide |
|---|---|---|
| ValuesandEthics | 35% | Section4:legalissuesandclientrights theNASWCodeofEthicsandethical , |
| decision-making confidentiality and its limits supervision and consultation , , , | ||
| self -care and the use of self , | ||
| AssessmentandPlanning | 33% | Section2:assessmentmethods thementalstatusexamination risk , , |
| assessment DSM-5-TR diagnosis and research for evidence-based practice; , , | ||
| Section1suppliesthedevelopmental cultural andenvironmentalknowledge , , | ||
| everyassessmentuses | ||
| InterventionandPractice | 32% | Section3:thetherapeuticrelationship interventionmodels familyandgroup , , |
| work communityandprogrampractice supportprograms andsupervision; , , , | ||
| Section1suppliesthetheoriesthatguideintervention |
Scoring and Passing Requirements
Only the 110 scored questions count toward your result. Each exam form has a passing standard expressed as the number of scored questions you must answer correctly, and that number can differ slightly from form to form to account for differences in difficulty, so every candidate is held to the same standard. Results are reported as pass or fail; your score report shows the number of questions needed to pass and the number you answered correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect answers, so answer every question.
The exam has 122 questions and a 4-hour time limit, which works out to just under 2 minutes per question. That leaves time to read each scenario carefully, flag difficult items, and review before you submit each section.
Why the ASWB Masters Exam Matters
Exam at a Glance
| ExamAspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Administeredby | AssociationofSocialWorkBoards(ASWB);deliveredatPearsonVUEtestingcenters |
| Format | Computer-based; a mixture of three-option and four-option multiple-choice questions |
| ExamAspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions | 122total:110scoredand12unscoredpretestquestions intwosectionsof61 , |
| Time | 4hoursintotal withascheduledbreakbetweenthetwosections , |
| Contentareas | ValuesandEthics35%·AssessmentandPlanning33%·InterventionandPractice32% |
| Scoring | Pass/failagainstasetnumberofcorrectanswersforyourexamform;nopenaltyforguessing |
| Registrationfee | US$230(paidtoASWB;yourjurisdictionmaychargeseparatelicensingfees) |
| Retakes | Awaitingperiodofatleast90days;yourjurisdictionmaysetadditionallimits |
| Diagnosticreference | DSM-5-TRterminologyandcriteria |
Eligibility and Registration
ASWB develops and administers the exam, but each state social work board decides who may take it, and most require a master's degree in social work from an accredited program. Once your board approves you to test, you register and pay through ASWB and then schedule an appointment with Pearson VUE. Boards may set further requirements to complete licensure, so confirm the process with your own board before you register.
Finished reading?
Next, start the first chapter.