With more than two decades of experience in higher education, cultural criticism and politics, Horacio Sierra's writing and public speaking aims to demystify higher education and promote the democratic values of the arts and humanities.
Horacio Sierra, Ph.D. College Professor and Education Expert WriterWith more than two decades of experience in higher education, cultural criticism and politics, Horacio Sierra's writing and public speaking aims to demystify higher education and promote the democratic values of the arts and humanities.
Written By Horacio Sierra, Ph.D. College Professor and Education Expert WriterWith more than two decades of experience in higher education, cultural criticism and politics, Horacio Sierra's writing and public speaking aims to demystify higher education and promote the democratic values of the arts and humanities.
Horacio Sierra, Ph.D. College Professor and Education Expert WriterWith more than two decades of experience in higher education, cultural criticism and politics, Horacio Sierra's writing and public speaking aims to demystify higher education and promote the democratic values of the arts and humanities.
College Professor and Education Expert Writer Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Updated: Nov 2, 2023, 5:03pm
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Getty
Roller coasters. Suspension bridges. Space shuttles. Artificial hearts. The modern world would not know such innovations without the knowledge and skills of engineers. And since we depend on these inventions being safe and reliable, the engineers who design them must first complete a rigorous course of study.
But that’s not all. Many of the most sought-after and respected engineers also earn a Professional Engineer (PE) license after graduating from an accredited college, acquiring years of professional experience and passing two sets of exams.
A PE license provides an official stamp of approval from the state, qualifying engineers to work in highly regulated industries and making them more valuable in a competitive market. A PE-licensed engineer is seen as a qualified, accountable professional who has met rigorous performance standards.
Curious about how to earn a PE license? Read on to learn more.
Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics, education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.
A PE license is a state credential that qualifies engineers for public service jobs, which are often not available to non-licensed engineers. Licensed engineers qualify to submit engineering plans to public authorities, serve as professional consultants to public and private clients, and apply for certain government contracts.
Because public safety depends on the work ethic of engineers, aspiring PEs must pass an set of exams and work under a licensed engineer before applying for their own license.
The first exam an engineer must pass is the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. The FE exam, offered in seven primary categories, is available to engineers who recently graduated from an accredited engineering program or who are in their last year of an engineering degree program.
The second exam is the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, which is offered in 27 disciplines. In addition to passing the FE exam, the PE exam requires candidates to have at least four years of post-college engineering work experience before sitting for the exam.
Because there is no national PE license, engineers must meet the requirements of the state in which they want to be licensed. Though licensing criteria differ from state to state, the following are common stipulations for licensed engineers:
We’ll explore the licensing process in more detail in a later section.
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) offers PE exams in 27 disciplines. The exams, which evaluate engineers’ competence in their specific field, are designed for those with at least four years of post-college work experience as an engineer. Some exams are offered only once a year, and some are offered year-round.
If you’re interested in taking the structural engineering PE exam, note that it is one of the most rigorous options and takes two days to complete. One day focuses on vertical forces and the other on lateral forces. Not all states offer this PE exam.
The 27 PE exams areas are:
Earning a PE license requires more than knowledge and skills. The maturity and know-how that comes with time are also important. For this reason, those who want to earn a PE license must first make their way through college, gain work experience and pass an exam.
Though the path to becoming a PE is not necessarily easy, it is relatively straightforward. Here are the steps you’ll need to take.
In most states, aspiring PEs must earn a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program. ABET accredits hundreds of engineering programs throughout the United States. You can find out whether a particular program is accredited by using ABET’s program finder tool.
Some states may allow you to sit for the PE exam without a degree if you have enough relevant work experience (usually eight to 12 years).
NCEES designs its PE exams for engineers with at least four years post-college professional experience in their engineering discipline of choice. To complete this experience, you might consider working under a currently licensed engineer who can provide you with mentorship about the nuances and realities of your engineering specialty.
Some states may reduce work experience requirements for prospective PEs who hold advanced engineering degrees.
The FE exam is offered in seven disciplines, including chemical, civil, electrical and computer, environmental, industrial and systems, and mechanical. If you pass the FE exam, you become known as an engineer intern or an engineer in training. Between 66% and 76% of first-time test takers passed their FE exams between January and June 2023, according to NCEES.
The FE exam is available in the following primary disciplines:
You can also take an “other disciplines” FE exam, available in engineering areas like agricultural, mechanical, nuclear and ocean.
Test takers should expect to spend around 200 to 300 hours studying for their PE exam. These exams are rigorous and often difficult to pass, as demonstrated by NCEES’s reported pass rates. First-time pass rates for PE exams taken between July 2022 and June 2023 range from 38% (electrical and computer: computer engineering) to 83% (agricultural and biological engineering).
The most common PE exam category for that time frame was the civil: transportation exam, which 67% of the exam’s 1,913 test takers passed.
There is no national PE license. Each state and the District of Columbia administers its own PE license and sets its own criteria for obtaining licensure. Consult with your state’s engineering licensing board to determine the exact application process you must follow.
It is possible to have a successful, high-paying career as a non-licensed engineer. However, the PE license is a way for engineers to expand their careers.
Though you can perform most entry-level engineering jobs with the right education and skills, many states require certain types of engineers to hold PE licensure to provide their services to the public. So if you want to move forward in your career, a PE license may be the next step.
A licensed engineer enjoys the prestige and respect that comes with possessing a license reliant on rigorous exams and qualifying experience. Whether you want to land a multi-million dollar contract with the federal government or serve as an expert witness in court, having a PE license can qualify you to do so.
To obtain a PE license, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program, pass the FE exam, acquire at least four years of relevant work experience, pass the PE exam and meet any other licensing requirements set by the state where you plan to work.
The difficulty of the PE exam depends on the subject area you pursue. As of January 2023, the agriculture and biological engineering PE exam saw a relatively high pass rate of 83%, according to NCEES. On the other hand, only 38% of computer engineers passed their PE exam. Prospective test takers should set aside at least a few months to prepare.
Was this article helpful? Share your feedback Send feedback to the editorial team Thank You for your feedback! Something went wrong. Please try again later. Best Engineering Degree Programs
By Nneoma Uche
By Sheryl Grey
By Sheryl Grey
By Ilana Hamilton
By Matt Whittle
By Liz Simmons
Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
College Professor and Education Expert WriterWith more than two decades of experience in higher education, cultural criticism and politics, Horacio Sierra's writing and public speaking aims to demystify higher education and promote the democratic values of the arts and humanities.
© 2024 Forbes Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Are you sure you want to rest your choices?The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Here is a list of our partners who offer products that we have affiliate links for.
