Institutional Factors Affecting Social Work Masters Licensure Exam Pass Rates in the US

This study analyzed the Association of Social Work Boards licensing examination data to empirically examine the impact of institutional factors on social work licensure examination pass rates that have not been addressed in previous research.

Using a robust statistical method called mixed-effects modeling, the analysis focused on the impact of characteristics of social work programs or schools, such as racial diversity, age diversity, gender ratio, and the size of institutions, on licensing exam pass rates, while accounting for differences across states.

After analyzing data from 279 institutions, we found that there is a significant difference in pass rates across states. The results showed that institutions with a more age-diverse student body have lower pass rates. The results also indicated that smaller institutions have lower pass rates than larger ones, even when controlling for student body characteristics.

These results imply that institutional investment in tailored academic and licensure preparation infrastructure, especially within institutions serving high proportions of non-traditional or adult learners, may be an effective institutional strategy to enhance overall program pass rates.