United States · Licensing examQuestions and time, exam by exam
| Exam | Questions | Exam time | Scheduled break |
|---|---|---|---|
| FE (all 7 disciplines) | 110 | 5 hr 20 min | 25 min |
| PE Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Environmental, Electrical Power | 80 | 8 hr | 50 min |
| Other PE exams (offered once a year) | 85 | 8 hr 30 min | 50 min |
| PE Structural breadth components | 55 | 5 hr 30 min | 20 min |
| PE Structural depth components | 60 | 6 hr | 20 min |
These come from the NCEES Examinee Guide. Every appointment also includes a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement and an 8-minute tutorial.
How scoring works
Your result is based on how many questions you got right. Wrong answers don’t cost you anything, so never leave a question blank.
NCEES then converts your raw score to a scaled score. That evens out small differences in difficulty between versions of the exam. The scaled score is compared with a passing standard that subject experts set. Because it shifts slightly from form to form, NCEES doesn’t publish it.
You see pass or fail, usually 7 to 10 days after the exam. If you fail, you get a diagnostic report showing how you did in each topic.
FE pass rates
| FE exam | Pass rate |
|---|---|
| Chemical | 68% |
| Civil | 66% |
| Electrical and Computer | 70% |
| Environmental | 71% |
| Industrial and Systems | 67% |
| Mechanical | 73% |
| Other Disciplines | 61% |
NCEES publishes pass rates for first-time FE takers from EAC/ABET-accredited programs who test within 12 months of graduating. These were updated in July 2026.
PE pass rates
| PE exam | First time | Repeat |
|---|---|---|
| Civil: Construction | 60% | 38% |
| Civil: Structural | 62% | 43% |
| Civil: Transportation | 61% | 43% |
| Civil: Water Resources and Environmental | 71% | 49% |
| Electrical and Computer: Power | 62% | 42% |
| Mechanical: HVAC and Refrigeration | 71% | 40% |
| Mechanical: Machine Design and Materials | 61% | 39% |
| Mechanical: Thermal and Fluid Systems | 70% | 46% |
For the PE, NCEES shows first-time and repeat pass rates separately. Repeat takers pass much less often. A few of the biggest exams, updated in July 2026:
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Sources: NCEES Examinee Guide, NCEES and 1 more. Checked October 2026.
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.