Which FE Exam Should I Take
Wasim Asghar 
March 17, 2023If you are an engineering student and have recently graduated or are still an undergraduate, now is the perfect time for you to take the FE exam.
But, as there are a lot of FE exam disciplines to choose from, a question must be revolving around in your mind, that:
“Which FE exam should I take?”
No need to get worried, as in this article, we are going to solve all your queries regarding the FE exam and which FE exam you should consider taking.
So, let’s start by taking a look at the FE exam disciplines.
FE Exam Disciplines
As the field of engineering is very vast, it has multiple categories and subcategories.
So if you are planning to become an engineer by taking the FE exam, you will have a variety of options available to choose from which discipline you want to go into.
Because:
The FE exam is divided into seven disciplines, which are:
- FE Chemical
- FE Civil
- FE Electrical and Computer
- FE Environmental
- FE Industrial and Systems
- FE Mechanical
- FE Other Disciplines
The exams of all these disciplines are:
- Six hours long
- Computerized based
- Closed book
- Comprised of 110 questions
Passing Rates
Let’s have a look at the passing rates of all the FE exam disciplines provided by NCEES to get a better idea about choosing the right field for yourself:
| FE Exam Discipline | Passing Rate (2021) | Passing Rate (2022) |
| FE Chemical | 74% | 73% |
| FE Civil | 70% | 62% |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 72% | 73% |
| FE Environmental | 79% | 70% |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 67% | 62% |
| FE Mechanical | 75% | 71% |
| FE Other Disciplines | 63% | 65% |
In the table above, the NCEES had reported the passing rates of only those examinees who:
- Attempted the exam for the first time
- Earned a degree from ABET-accredited program
- Took the exam within twelve months after graduating
What is Meant by FE Other (General) Test?
The FE Other (General) Test is one of the disciplines of the FE exam. It is considered as an additional discipline for engineers across the board who don’t fit into the primary disciplines. This test is appropriate for those students who don’t have any idea about which program they should opt for and find themselves as an odd fit for the other primary FE exam disciplines. It is not much topic-specific like the other six FE exam disciplines but is a blend of all the topics of the rest of the disciplines.
Let’s breakdown the subjects/programs of the FE Other (General) test by their passing rate:
| Subject/Program | Passing Rate |
| Architectural | 66% |
| Civil | 68% |
| Engineering Science | 76% |
| Materials | 76% |
| Mechanical | 64% |
| Structural | 100% |
Which FE exam is the Easiest?
As per the passing rates of different FE exam disciplines mentioned in the table above, the FE environmental exam has the highest passing rate of 79% in 2021, and FE chemical and FE electrical and computer have the highest passing rate of 73% in 2022.
But still, the FE environmental exam takes the lead in terms of the passing rate.
So, by this analysis, we can easily determine which FE exam is the easiest, and it would not be wrong to say that the FE environmental exam is the easiest exam out of all the seven FE Exams, based on the passing ratios.
But, if we take a look at the passing ratios of undergrad courses of FE (other) discipline, we can see that it has a pretty good record too. In fact, its structural undergraduate course has a passing rate of 100%!
Unbelievable, right?
So, if you are an undergraduate school student, consider taking the FE (other) exam, as it is the easiest exam for you.
Does It Matter Which State You Take the FE Exam?
One of the most frequently asked questions we often get is:
“Does it matter which board I select for FE exam?”
The answer for this is simple:
Since FE is a national exam and not particularly related to any individual state, it doesn’t matter which state you take the FE exam in, because the test is the same for all the states.
Moreover, the boards of states don’t oblige you to take the FE exam physically at any specific place, so you don’t need to be worried about which board for FE exam you should select as you can take the FE exam wherever it is feasible for you.
In fact, you don’t even need to be a resident of any specific state to take the FE exam in that state.
For example:
If you are a resident of Florida but want to take the FE exam in Alaska, you can easily do it by registering yourself at the NCEES website by creating an account and clicking the option ‘’Alaska’ when it prompts you to select the state you want to take the FE exam in.’’
Seems like a magic trick, right?
Which FE Exam Should I Take?
If you have no knowledge about the FE disciplines and you are constantly worried and wondering about:
“Which FE exam should I take?”
Then, you should opt for the FE (other) Exam.
The reason is:
The FE (other) exam is a perfect fit for those who are unsure about which specialty or FE discipline they want to get into and build their career on.
Furthermore:
It is also appropriate for those students who do not have engineering backgrounds.
But, does it matter which FE exam you take to get the PE license?
Well, taking a particular FE discipline in the desire to take the PE exam for the PE license doesn’t really matter.
For instance:
You can choose to take the FE mechanical to gain the PE chemical license instead of taking the FE chemical exam.
Conclusion
If you are planning to take the fundamentals of engineering exam, it does not matter which FE exam you should take. You can even take the FE exam in any of your desired states.
We hope that this post has helped you answer all the questions that you had regarding the FE exam. Do let us know in the comments section if you have any further queries related to this topic, we will be as much as responsive as we can.
Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas (PE), Florida (PE) and Ontario (P. Eng) with consulting experience in design, commissioning and plant engineering for clients in Energy, Mining and Infrastructure.