FE Exam Online Preparation, Scores & Helpful Tips – 2025

The Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, or FE Exam, is one of two licensing tests given to those entering the field of engineering. The FE test is computer-based, and administered by the NCEES, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. NCEES tests are given to those seeking licensure in the United States, Guam, The Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands.

The FE Exam is targeted to those completing their undergraduate degree, and fresh graduates from EAC/ABET-accredited programs. You are able to register and take the NCEES FE Exam as early as a year before your graduation date. It is highly recommended that you take this exam as soon as possible so you do not forget vital information from your courses. 

Registering for the FE Exam

You must take the FE Exam at a Pearson Vue Test Center. You can find the closest testing center to you on the NCEES website. FE Exam registration is simple, and can easily be completed online. When you register there is a fee of $175 which goes to NCEES. There are FE Exam dates available throughout the year, and you are able to take the test up to three times. You can register at any time, and select the test window that works best for you.

NCEES FE Exam Testing Windows:

• January-March
• April-June
• July-September
• October-December

What Is the FE Exam?

The FE Exam covers the information you have learned in your undergraduate engineering program. There are different FE tests for the various branches of engineering: chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, computer, and industrial just to name a few. The exam you take will cover the fundamental information you should have learned while working toward your degree. No matter which branch of engineering you are going into, the NCEES FE exam layout is the same.

On your test day, you have 6 hours to complete the exam. The testing schedule is broken down like this:

• Non-disclosure agreement, which takes about 2 minutes.
• A tutorial that is 8 minutes long.
• The exam has 120 questions and takes about 5 hours and 20 minutes.
• 25-minute break.

The FE Exam is not your run-of-the-mill multiple-choice test. While it does contain some multiple-choice questions, it also has what the NCEES refers to as AITs, or Alternative Item Types. The multiple-choice questions may be the standard 4 choices and one correct answer, or they may include multiple correct answers. The FE exam also includes point-and-click questions, drag-and-drop, and fill-in-the-blank.

You are able to use a calculator on your FE Exam, to maintain the integrity of the exam the NCEES has limited the types of calculator permitted for use. Approved FE exam calculators include:

• Casio models FX-115 and FX-991
• Hewlett Packard HP 33s and HP35s
• Texas Instruments models TI 30X and TI 36X

Types Of FE Exams

Each FE Engineering exam covers the foundational knowledge that you need to be a licensed engineer and to eventually pass the PE ( professional engineer)exam. There is some crossover in every FE exam with other branches, but each is designed to give a comprehensive overview of the specialized knowledge needed in your chosen branch of engineering. Although the various FEs have a different number of topics, each test has 110 questions.

FE Chemical Exam- The FE Chemical exam covers 17 topics that are vital to chemical engineering.

• Mathematics – Be ready to put your calculus, analytical geometry, and ability to perform differential equations to work. This section is 6-9 questions and will test all the areas of mathematics you have learned.
• Probability and Statistics – This examines every facet of statistics and probability such as testing hypotheses, statistical control, and using these for decision-making. This will be from 4-6 questions on the exam.
• Engineering Sciences – These are basic areas that apply in most areas of engineering, such as basic dynamics, electricity and voltage laws, and work, energy, and power. You can expect 4-6 questions on this topic.
• Materials Science – This is where you will display your knowledge about various materials, what they are compatible with, and how they perform. There will be 4-6 questions.
• Chemistry and Biology – This covers different aspects of organic and inorganic chemistry, as well as biological processes like the Krebs Cycle, fermentation, and other biochemical and biomechanical processes. You will have 7-11 questions in this area.
• Fluid Mechanics/Dynamics – Fluid properties, dimensionless numbers, flow, turbines, and other fluid physics and traits will account for 8-12 exam questions.
• Thermodynamics – Thermodynamic processes, laws, and other details of thermodynamics are 8-12 questions on the test.
• Material/Energy Balances – Steady State, unsteady state, recycle and bypass processes. You will have 10-15 questions on this topic.
• Heat Transfer – There are 8-12 questions involving conduction, convection, radiation, heat transfer coefficients, and the operation of heat transfer equipment.
• Mass Transfer and Separation – These questions involve the various ways mass can be separated, extracted, and transferred. There are 8-12 questions on this subject.
• Solids Handling – How do you handle, process, transport, and store various solids? There are 3-5 questions about proper handling of solids.
• Chemical Reaction Engineering – There are 7-11 questions about chemical reactions, the equipment used, the different mechanisms, and the rates at which reactions occur.
• Economics – This involves questions about the financial aspects of chemical engineering. Choosing projects, time value and rate of return, and risk and value. There are 4-6 questions to test your knowledge of economics as it relates to chemical engineering.
• Process Design – The questions here focus on planning, processing, designing for various projects, and cost estimation for facilities and equipment. Expect 4-6 questions on this topic.
• Process Control – How do you implement safety measures, what controls can be put in place, and how do you account for variables? What procedures should be put in place? These are the things you need to be aware of to answer the 4-6 questions about process control.
• Safety, Health, Environment – These questions cover your knowledge of safety best practices, the hazards of various materials, risk assessment, and minimizing waste. This topic accounts for 5-8 questions on the exam.
• Ethics and Professional Practice – Make sure you are knowledgeable in codes of ethics, public health and safety, contract law, and intellectual property. You will need to answer 3-5 questions about this.

FE Civil Exam

The FE civil engineering exam covers 14 topics.

• Mathematics and Statistics – These questions consist of vector variations and calculus. Analytical geometry, and various areas of statistics. These will make up 8-12 questions on the test.
• Ethics and Professional Practice – Here you need to be prepared for questions about contract law, professional liability, licensure, and codes of ethics. There will be 4-6 questions.
• Engineering Economics – Be prepared to answer questions about the time value of money, uncertainty, cost, and analyses. There will be 5-8 questions on this information.
• Statics – The topic here is rigid bodies, and how they are affected by force, friction, and inertia. This is a major area with 8-12 questions.
• Dynamics – These questions focus on physics concepts like work, force, and acceleration. There are 4-6 questions on this subject.
• Mechanics of Materials – These questions are about materials and the effects of stresses, shear, strains, how deformation occurs, and diagramming these things. This is another major area with 7-11 questions.
• Materials – This covers specific materials, how to test them, and their specifications. There will be 5-8 questions about materials.
• Fluid Mechanics – Here you will be questioned on the properties of fluids and the physics surrounding them. There are 6-9 questions resting on fluid mechanics.
• Surveying – You will be tested on the various elements of surveying, trigonometry distance and angles, earthwork and volume, elevations, grading, and leveling. There are 6-9 questions covering this topic.
• Water Resources and Environmental Engineering – This is one of the largest sections of the test. It covers a large number of subcategories contained in water management. It covers pumps, hydrology, water quality, and groundwater just to name a few of the areas covered. There are 10-15 questions in this area.
• Structural Engineering – This is another section that is a major focus of the test. The questions cover loads, design, analysis, and reinforcement. There will be 10-12 questions covering this topic.
• Geotechnical Engineering – These questions zero in on the topic of the effect of soil and grading on foundations, loads, and stability along with field and laboratory testing. Expect 10-15 questions.
• Transportation Engineering – Here the focus is traffic flow and capacity, along with design and planning. There are 9-14 questions.
• Construction Engineering – You will be tested on the elements of running a construction project. It covers project administration, construction methods, project estimating, and interpreting engineering drawings. This will be 8-12 questions.

FE Computer and Electrical Engineering

This test has 17 sections covering electrical concepts and computer systems and functions.

• Mathematics – You will be tested on your mathematics ability in algebra, trigonometry, analytical geometry, complex numbers, and other mathematics skills. Mathematics will be 11-17 questions on the test.
• Probability and Statistics – Mean, mode, probability distributions, and other applicable areas of probability will be tested. This is a small segment of 4-6 questions.
• Ethics and Professional Practice – This covers safety, such as the use of PPE, intellectual property, and adherence to a code of ethics. There will be 4-6 questions.
• Engineering Economics – Identifying risk, cost estimates, analysis, and the time value of money make up a small section of 4-6 questions.
• Properties of Electrical Materials – There are 4-6 questions involving semiconductors, electrical properties, and thermal properties.
• Circuit Analysis – Impedance, KCL and KVL, and node and loop analysis are a few aspects of circuit analysis you will be tested on. There will be 11-17 questions since this is a major area of focus.
• Linear Systems – This covers aspects like frequency and resonance. There are 5-8 questions about this topic.
• Signal Processing – These questions focus on sampling and digital and analog filters. This makes up 5-8 questions.
• Electronics – There will be questions about various types of electronic components power electronics, amplifiers, diodes, and transistors just to name a few. There are 7-11 questions.
• Power Systems – These questions cover transformers, generators and motors, and other power systems. Power systems make up 8-12 questions.
• Electromagnetics – You need to demonstrate a firm understanding of electrodynamics, transmission lines, and other fundamentals of electromagnetics. There are 4-6 questions on this subject.
• Control Systems – Be prepared for block diagrams, and questions regarding bode plots, open and closed loop responses, and controller performance. The number of control system questions ranges from 6-9.
• Computer Networks – There are 4-6 questions about the various types of computer networks, their functionality, and network security.
• Digital Systems – Number systems, Boolean Logic, logic gates, circuits, and timing are a few of the aspects of digital systems you will be tested on. There will be 8-12 questions.
• Computer Systems – You can expect 5-8 questions about microprocessors, memory systems, and interfacing.
• Software Engineering – This section encompasses data structure, algorithms, and software implementation. There will be 4-6 questions.

FE Environmental Engineering

This exam covers 15 fundamentals of environmental engineering.

• Mathematics – The mathematics tested here includes algebraic equations, trigonometry, calculus, and numerical methods. There are 5-8 mathematics questions.
• Probability and Statistics – Your knowledge of testing hypotheses, estimation for a single mean, and other methods of determining probability and statistical analysis will be tested with 4-6 questions.
• Ethics and Professional Practice – You will be tested on your knowledge of codes of ethics, public safety and welfare, and other standards and best practices pertaining to engineering. There are 5-8 questions.
• Engineering Economics – These questions regard the financial aspects of projects and project planning. There will be 5-8 questions.
• Fundamental Principles – These questions regarding estimating population and calculating demand, reactors, and material science. There are 7-11 questions.
• Environmental Chemistry – Relevant topics on this subject include stoichiometry, organic chemistry, and kinetics. There will be 7-11 questions.
• Health Hazards and Risk Assessment – This includes dose-response toxicity, exposure routes, and occupational health. There will be 4-6 questions.
• Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics – You will be questioned extensively on this topic. This includes fluid statics, closed conduits, flow measurement, and steady and unsteady flow. There will be 12-18 questions on this subject.
• Thermodynamics – This is a relatively short section with questions about heat, energy, and work, the behavior of ideal gasses, and thermodynamic laws. There are 3-5 questions.
• Surface Water Resources and Hydrology – Expect questions about runoff calculations, water storage, water quality and modeling, and routing. There are between 9 and 14 questions.
• Groundwater, Soils, and Sediments – This includes basic hydrogeology, drawdown, and soil and sediment remediation. This will be 8-12 questions.
• Water and Wastewater – This is another large section with questions concerning water and water treatment, biological processes, chemical processes, and physical processes. There will be between 12-18 questions.
• Air Quality and Control – This will cover topics like ambient air quality, atmospheric modeling, and gas treatment technologies. This will be between 8-12 questions on the exam.
• Solid and Hazardous Waste – Areas covered here include waste management, hazardous waste treatment, solid waste disposal, and hazardous waste compatibility. There are between 7-11 questions on this subject.
• Energy and Environment – These questions concern the environmental impact of energy sources and energy sources concepts. There are 4-6 questions that focus on this.

FE Industrial and Systems

There are 13 topics that are the focus of the Industrial and Systems engineering FE.

• Mathematics – You will be tested on analytical geometry, calculus, and linear algebra. There are between 6-9 mathematics questions.
• Engineering Sciences – These questions include thermodynamics, electricity and electrical circuits, statics dynamics, and materials. There are 4-6 questions.
• Ethics and Professional Practice – These questions concern ethics and best practices. There will be between 4-6 questions.
• Engineering Economics – This covers the financial aspect of project planning. There are between 9-14 questions.
• Probability and Statistics – You will be questioned on probability distribution, linear regression, and experiment design. This is a fairly large portion of the exam with 10-15 questions.
• Modeling and Quantitative Analysis – These questions cover stochastic models, data ad logic development, and other aspects of modeling and analytics. There are 9-14 questions.
• Engineering Management – You will be tested on various aspects of project management, including decision-making and risk, principles and tools, and performance measurement. There will be 8-12 questions.
• Manufacturing, Service, and Other Production Systems – This section covers the various processes that go into manufacturing and production. There are 9-14 questions.
• Facilities and Supply Chain – These questions focus on things like flow and layout, capacity analysis, and supply chain management. There are 9-14 questions.
• Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Safety – This includes questions on safety, biomechanics, ergonomics, and human factors. This will be 8-12 questions on the exam.
• Work Design – These questions focus on methods analysis, work measurement, and learning curves. There are 7-11 questions.
• Quality – This section focuses on quality management and control. There are 9-14 questions.
• Systems Engineering, Analysis, and Design – The focus here is risk management, life-cycle engineering, and functional analysis. There are between 8-12 questions.

FE Mechanical

If you are a mechanical engineering undergrad, then your FE will have 13 topics:

• Mathematics – The mathematics portion tests your proficiency in calculus, linear algebra, numerical methods, and algorithm and logic development. There are 6-9 questions.
• Probability and Statistics – These questions focus on regression, probability distributions, and expected values. There are 4-6 questions.
• Ethics and Professional Practice – You will be examined on codes of ethics, intellectual property, and other professional best practices. There are 4-6 questions.
• Engineering Economics – These questions focus on the financial aspects of project management and planning. There are 4-6 questions.
• Electricity and Magnetism – Here your knowledge of electrical fundamentals and AC/DC circuitry will be evaluated. There are 5-8 questions.
• Statics – Force, equilibrium, centroids, and inertia will feature in these questions. This is a large portion of the exam with 9-14 questions.
• Dynamics, Kinematics, and Vibrations – Be prepared to answer questions about Newton’s Law, kinetic friction, kinematics of particles, and the work energy of particles. This subject makes up one of the largest portions of the test at 10-15 questions.
• Mechanics of Materials – These questions are all about stress, strain, shear, loads, and deformations. There will be 9-14 questions on this topic.
• Materials Properties and Processing – These questions dive into the selection of materials, manufacturing, and the properties of various materials. There will be 7-11 questions.
• Fluid Mechanics – Flow rates, fluid properties, power and efficiency, and performance curves are the focus of these questions. This is another large section at 10-15 questions.
• Thermodynamics – Properties of ideal substances, energy, the laws of thermodynamics, and power cycles are a few of the things you need to be knowledgeable about to answer these 10-15 questions.
• Heat Transfer – These questions are about conduction, convection, radiation, and heat exchangers. There are 7-11 questions.
• Measurements, Instrumentation, and Controls – Be sure to study for questions about sensors and transducers, control systems, dynamic system response, and measurement uncertainty.
• Mechanical Design and Analysis – These questions will cover many areas of this subject. Stress analysis, springs, pressure and piping, and quality and reliability are a few of the areas you will be tested in. There are 10-15 questions.

FE Other Disciplines

This test is for those who do not fit into the other 6 engineering branches and covers more general engineering topics than the other FE exams. It focuses on 14 areas of engineering. The topics covered in this test have been covered in the tests listed earlier.

• Mathematics
• Probability and Statistics
• Chemistry
• Instrumentation and Controls
• Engineering Ethics and Societal Impacts
• Safety, Health, and Environment
• Engineering Economics
• Statics
• Dynamics
• Strength of Materials
• Materials
• Fluid Mechanics
• Basic Electrical Engineering
• Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

How Are the FE Exams Scored?

Scoring for the FE Exams is straightforward. Your score is based on the number of correct answers. You will not be penalized for incorrect answers. The exams are graded on a scale since there is some difference in difficulty between the different exams. Your score is compared to a predetermined minimum ability score that has been set by experts in the field.  There is a change in scoring for people who have taken the FE exams multiple times. Your test will be scored the same way whether it is your first time taking it, or your fifth. If you do not pass, you will receive a report that shows you your weak areas. Use this to help improve your score for your next attempt.

How to Prepare for the FE Exam?

The idea of being tested on everything you’ve learned over the past several years is daunting. This is why it is recommended that you take the FE exam within a year of completing your undergraduate studies. Even with the information fresh in your mind, the test can be a source of stress. This is where your studying habits and prep work come into play.

There are many resources to help you perform to the best of your ability on the FE exam. The NCEES offers practice tests to those who are preparing to take the exam. These are offered as digital downloads on the NCEES website, however, there is a fee.

Whether you are in civil exam prep or mechanical engineering there are FE exam prep courses that are offered. Prep courses can be helpful in identifying your weak areas, and getting over testing anxiety. You can find prep courses online, or attend in person. Be sure to carefully vet your course if this is of interest to you. One drawback to these courses is the expense. They can run close to $1000.

Since ideally you are taking the exam while still attending classes, or have only been out of classes for a short time, you can study on your own.  Devoting 3-5 hours per day for three months is recommended. This may seem like a lot, but if you incorporate it with your regular studies and practice tests you can find it just as beneficial as a prep class. You already have all the material you need to go over, and you can easily use your class study materials as resources for FE prep. Consider forming a study group to help you prepare. You can take turns providing practice questions and help each other overcome the areas in which you are weakest.

No matter how you prepare for the test, the FE Reference Handbook is a resource all FE test takers need. You can download it for free from the NCEES website. It has all the charts and formulas you need to be familiar with prior to taking the FE exam.