Pass-rate trends, exam-level explainers, and specialty-training guidance, written by the team that has authored licensure-prep curriculum since 1976.
First-attempt EPPP pass rates have hovered in the high-70%-to-low-80% range historically, with sharp variation by doctoral program and study format. Candidates who use a structured, mastery-based prep program for 3-6 months pass on the first attempt at meaningfully higher rates than those relying on coursework review alone.
ASWB offers four exams — Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist, and Clinical — and the one you take is determined by your degree and the license your state issues. Bachelors and Masters are for new graduates entering practice; Clinical is for independent clinical licensure (LCSW); Advanced Generalist is for non-clinical advanced practice (LICSW, LCSW-NC).
EMDRIA-approved Basic Training programs in 2026 typically run $1,400 to $2,200 for the full 50-hour curriculum, which includes 20 hours of training, 20 hours of practicum, and 10 hours of consultation. Employer-sponsored cohorts cut clinician cost to zero and are increasingly the norm for community mental health, group practices, and health systems.