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The ASWB Clinical exam is passable, and ASWB does publish pass-rate data — useful context
for setting your expectations. Here’s the honest picture.
What is the LCSW pass rate?
Roughly 70–77% of first-time candidates pass the Clinical exam, depending
on the year, per ASWB data. Passing generally requires about 90–107 of the 150 scored questions
correct, depending on the version.
What makes it challenging?
- It rewards judgment, not recall. Many items ask what you’d do first or next in
a clinical scenario. - “Best answer” is subtle. Several options are often defensible; the exam wants the
most appropriate, ethical, client-centered action. - Ethics is precise. Confidentiality limits, duty to protect, and boundaries must
be exact.
How to make it manageable
Internalize the order of clinical operations (engage, assess, diagnose, then intervene), keep the
client’s safety and self-determination central, and practice scenario questions until the logic is
automatic. Our bank gives you 600+ LCSW questions across 4 timed simulators, plus a free sample.
Unlock 600+ LCSW practice questions across 4 full-length simulators — $19.99 lifetime →
Sources & references
The exam facts on this page are drawn from official certifying-body materials, reviewed 2026-06-18 by the DrCertifications exam-prep team (10+ years in exam preparation and publishing).