Your One-Stop Resource For NCEES® FE Electrical & Computer Exam Prep

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam is a crucial first step for aspiring engineers seeking to earn a professional engineering license (PE). This FE exam tests your knowledge in core engineering principles, and passing it is often required for entry into the engineering profession.

The FE Electrical and Computer exam covers 17 key knowledge areas as outlined by NCEES, ensuring you’re tested on the full scope of foundational electrical and computer engineering concepts. While every topic on the NCEES FE Electrical and Computer exam matters, some carry more weight because they have a higher number of questions and can significantly impact your score.

Based on the official exam specifications, the most important and heavily tested areas are:

1. Mathematics – 11–17 questions

2. Circuit Analysis (DC and AC) – 11–17 questions

3. Power Systems – 8–12 questions

4. Digital Systems – 8–12 questions

5. Electronics – 7–11 questions

Registration for the FE Electrical and Computer exam is done through NCEES, but eligibility rules vary by state. Most states allow you to take the exam in your final year of an ABET-accredited engineering degree or after graduation, while some, such as California and Louisiana, require prior approval from the state licensing board before registering.

NCEES® has a Cancellation and Refund Policy for those who need to cancel NCEES® exam registration and it depends on your NCEES® exam schedule. If you’ve registered for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES®) exam but can’t take it on the date you scheduled, you can cancel your registration and receive a refund.

With that said, it needs to be done more than 48 hours before the scheduled exam. If your cancellation request is received within 48 hours prior to the exam, you will be eligible to receive a full refund of NCEES® registration fees minus a $50 administration fee.

The electrical FE exam dates are not fixed and are available throughout the year. You can take the exam at any approved Pearson VUE test center near you.

Some of the best study tips to pass the FE Electrical exam include creating a focused study schedule, practicing with NCEES-style questions, mastering high-weight topics first, and simulating timed exam conditions. For a detailed guide on how to pass the FE exam and the best study tips to pass the FE exam, read our selected tips to pass the FE electrical exam by Wasim Asghar..

The average student who passes studies around 200-400 hours, which is typically distributed over 3-4 hours per day for 3 months. In contrast, the average failing student studies around 100-300 hours, or around ~2 hours per day for 3 months.

Read more on how long does it take to prepare for the FE electrical exam.

The FE exam passing score on average is 70%. As NCEES® does not have a fixed scoring method, FE exam pass rates are constantly changing twice a year.

A number of changes were made to the FE Electrical and Computer Exam sections:

• Mathematics: Added ordinary differential equations
• Probability and Statistics: Removed point and confidence intervals, removed conditional probability.
• Engineering Economics and Ethics: Added safety topics
• Properties of Electrical Materials: Removed mechanical and chemical topics. Added semiconductor materials.
• Engineering Sciences: Section Removed
• Linear Systems: Removed 2-port theory
• Signal processing: Removed convolution, difference equations, Z-transforms
• Electronics: Removed Solid-state fundamentals
• Electromagnetics: Removed electromagnetic compatibility
• Control Systems: Removed root locus and state variables
• Computer Networks: Added network intrusion detection and prevention
• Digital Systems: Removed data path/controller design
• Computer Systems: Removed architecture
• Software: Removed software design methods
• Engineering Economics, Circuit Analysis, Power Systems, Communications: No changes

The list of NCEES® approved calculators is revised each year by NCEES®, which includes the most appropriate and best calculators for the FE exam. You are strictly obliged to use calculators approved by NCEES®.

No. The FE Electrical and Computer exam is closed book, but you will have access to the official NCEES FE Reference Handbook in a searchable PDF format during the test. This handbook contains the formulas, tables, and reference material you’ll need, so there’s no need to bring your own notes or books.

After you pass the FE Electrical and Computer exam, you earn the Engineer in Training (EIT) or Engineering Intern (EI) designation (the title varies by state). Your state licensing board will issue this certification once you meet any additional state requirements, such as completing an application or paying a fee.

Holding the EIT/EI credential is the first major step toward becoming a Professional Engineer (PE). From there, you’ll typically need to gain four years of qualifying engineering experience under a licensed PE and then pass the PE exam in your discipline to earn your full PE license.

Yes, you can take the FE Electrical and Computer exam multiple times if you don’t pass, but NCEES limits you to three attempts in a 12-month period. Some state licensing boards may impose additional restrictions, such as mandatory waiting periods or re-application requirements before you can retake the exam, so it’s important to review your state’s specific rules before scheduling another attempt.

The cost of FE exam is $225, which is directly payable to NCEES® during the process of registration. However, multiple factors contribute to the overall FE exam cost. 

These include:

• Accommodation expenditures
• Travel expenditures 
• Reference material expenditures
• Review course expenditures 

In addition:

Some states may call for separate application submission as a part of their approval process. This may lead you to pay an additional application price to take the FE exam.