Compare · FE and PE · checked Oct 29, 2026
FE vs PE: two exams, two stages
The FE tests what an engineering degree taught you and is taken around graduation. The PE tests what years of practice taught you in one discipline and leads to the license. You take the FE first, gain experience and then sit the PE, though some boards let you sit the PE before the experience is complete.
Updated Oct 29, 2026 · Not affiliated with NCEES.
- questions, FE / PE110 / 80
- exam time5 h 20 min / 8 h
- fee per attempt$225 / $400
FE vs PE, side by side
| Attribute | FE Civil | FE Mechanical | PE Civil | PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leads to | Engineer intern (EI) or engineer-in-training (EIT) certification from a state boardNCEES writes and scores the exam; the state licensing board issues the EI/EIT certificate. | Engineer intern (EI) or engineer-in-training (EIT) certification from a state boardNCEES writes and scores the exam; the state licensing board issues the EI/EIT certificate. | Professional engineer (PE) license from a state boardThe license also needs the board’s experience requirement and any state exams. | Professional engineer (PE) license from a state boardThe license also needs the board’s experience requirement and any state exams. | [1][2][3] | |
| Questions | 110 questionsIncludes unscored pretest questions that are not marked. | 110 questionsIncludes unscored pretest questions that are not marked. | 80 questions | 80 questionsIncludes unscored pretest questions that are not marked. | [1][2][3][4][5] | |
| Exam time | 5 hours 20 minutes | 5 hours 20 minutes | 8 hours | 8 hours | [1][2][3] | |
| Reference supplied | FE Reference Handbook, on screen as a searchable PDFThe current version is free in your MyNCEES account; on exam day search with the box on the left (Ctrl+F does not work); no personal copies. | FE Reference Handbook, on screen as a searchable PDFThe current version is free in your MyNCEES account; on exam day search with the box on the left (Ctrl+F does not work); no personal copies. | NCEES reference handbook, on screen as a searchable PDF | PE Mechanical reference handbook, on screen as a searchable PDFThe current version is free in your MyNCEES account; NCEES sells no printed copy; on exam day search with the box on the left (Ctrl+F does not work); no personal copies. | [1][2][3] | |
| Design standards supplied | None | None | Supplied on screen | None | [2][4] | |
| Units | SI and USCS | SI and USCS | SI and USCS | USCS onlySea-level conditions unless a problem says otherwise. | [4][5][6][7] | |
| Exam fee | $225 to NCEESFor each attempt, registrations from January 1, 2024 ($175 before). | $225 to NCEESFor each attempt, registrations from January 1, 2024 ($175 before). | $400 to NCEESFor each attempt, registrations from January 1, 2024. | $400 to NCEESFor each attempt, registrations from January 1, 2024. | [1][2][3][8] | |
| Who can sit | Set by your state board; the exam is designed for students close to finishing and recent graduates of EAC/ABET-accredited engineering programs | Set by your state board; the exam is designed for students close to finishing and recent graduates of EAC/ABET-accredited engineering programs | Set by your state board; the exam is designed for engineers with at least four years of post-college work experience | Set by your state board; the exam is designed for engineers with at least four years of post-college work experience | [1][2][3] |
What each exam tests
The FE is breadth. Each discipline covers 13 to 17 knowledge areas of an undergraduate curriculum, and every FE shares mathematics, probability and statistics, ethics and engineering economics (shared FE sections). The pace is quick: under three minutes a question, with the FE Reference Handbook on screen as the only reference.
The PE is depth. One area of practice, problems that take several steps and engineering judgment, and in some disciplines the design standards an engineer would use at work. In the PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration exam, for example, a single problem can run from a psychrometric state point to an equipment selection.
When you take each
- The FE: in the final year of school or soon after, where the board allows; first-time pass rates drop once a year or more has passed since graduation (FE pass rates).
- The PE: after the experience, four years after an EAC/ABET bachelor's under the Model Law, or earlier in states that decouple the exam from the experience, such as Texas and California (how to become a PE).
Passing the FE makes you eligible for engineer-intern certification from your board (EIT certification); passing the PE is one of the requirements for the license, not the license itself.
Which is harder
The PE, judging by who sits it. On paper the first-time rates look alike, but the groups are not: FE figures count recent EAC/ABET graduates, PE figures mostly engineers who passed the FE and have worked for some years, so a similar rate suggests a deeper exam. Each exam's rates, with their periods, are on FE pass rates and PE pass rates.
What the two exams cost
$225 for the FE and $400 for a year-round PE, each per attempt, plus whatever your board charges for the EIT certificate, the PE application and the license. Retakes cost the full fee again. The FE side: registration and cost; the HVAC&R side: PE HVAC&R cost.
Bottom line
FE Civil
Take the FE first, near graduation
- The standard Model Law path to a PE license starts here
- 110 questions across your whole degree, handbook on screen
- Sit within a year of graduating, while the coursework is fresh
- Same format and fee in every discipline; pick the one that matches your degree
PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration
Take the PE when your board allows
- After the experience, or before it where the board has decoupled
- One discipline in depth: 80 questions, 8 h
- Design standards supplied in some disciplines, none in PE Mechanical
- The license still needs the board's experience and application
PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration practice test About the PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration exam
FE and PE HVAC&R problems on your phone
FE Civil app
FE Civil questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Mechanical app
FE Mechanical questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Electrical and Computer app
FE Electrical and Computer questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Environmental app
FE Environmental questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Chemical app
FE Chemical questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration app
PE Mechanical HVAC & Refrigeration questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
Source notes
- NCEES: FE exam ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: PE pass-rate table and PE Mechanical exams page ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: PE Civil specifications, April 2024 (Water Resources and Environmental module, PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: PE Mechanical HVAC and Refrigeration specifications, October 2025 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: FE Civil specifications, July 2020 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: FE Mechanical specifications, July 2020 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: new exam prices effective January 1, 2024 ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
FE vs PE questions
Is the FE a prerequisite for the PE HVAC&R exam?
On the standard Model Law path, yes: the FE comes first and leads to engineer-intern certification. Boards write their own exceptions, so check yours.
Which of the two takes more preparation?
The PE, in depth: one discipline, multi-step problems and, in some exams, design standards. The FE is broader but shallower.
When can I write P.E. after my name?
Only once your board has issued the license. The Model Law makes it unlawful to use a title that suggests you are a professional engineer without a license. Until then, the title that fits is the one your board certifies: engineer intern or engineer-in-training.
Could the FE and the PE fall in one calendar year?
Only where the board lets you sit the PE before the experience is complete; even then, the license waits for the experience.