Sources, data, and methods · retrieved September 26, 2026
FE Exam Sources and Data
Every fact on our FE exam pages comes from an NCEES document listed here. The pass-rate history is transcribed from seven editions of NCEES's annual Squared report, checked row by row, and offered as a free CSV. If you find a discrepancy, email hello@ozentestprep.com and we'll correct it.
FE first-time pass rates by discipline, FY2019–FY2025
| Exam | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 75% | 73% | 71% | 70% | 68% | 72% | 68% | -7 pts |
| FE Civil | 65% | 66% | 64% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 61% | -4 pts |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 64% | 65% | 66% | 63% | 61% | 62% | 64% | 0 pts |
| FE Environmental | 76% | 75% | 75% | 68% | 70% | 67% | 67% | -9 pts |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 60% | 66% | 66% | 64% | 61% | 68% | 62% | +2 pts |
| FE Mechanical | 75% | 75% | 71% | 68% | 66% | 68% | 69% | -6 pts |
| FE Other Disciplines | 72% | 70% | 61% | 58% | 58% | 59% | 61% | -11 pts |
All first-time takers. NCEES fiscal years run October 1 – September 30 (FY2025 = Oct 2024 – Sep 2025).
By first-time volume in FY2025. Chemical, environmental, and industrial and systems are in the table above.
Show the numbers
| FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 75% | 75% | 71% | 68% | 66% | 68% | 69% |
| Civil | 65% | 66% | 64% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 61% |
| Electrical | 64% | 65% | 66% | 63% | 61% | 62% | 64% |
| Other disc. | 72% | 70% | 61% | 58% | 58% | 59% | 61% |
Five of the seven first-time rates are lower in FY2025 than in FY2019, by 4 to 11 points, with the largest drops in Other Disciplines and Environmental. Electrical and Computer ended where it started, and Industrial and Systems is up 2. Every discipline fell between FY2021 and FY2023, and most have partly recovered since.
Volumes moved the other way. After the COVID-19 low in FY2020, FE volume has climbed to its highest in the period. NCEES doesn't publish explanations for year-to-year pass-rate changes, and we don't speculate about them here.
Discipline pages use these series in context: FE Civil exam prep and FE Mechanical exam prep. The FE exam prep hub summarizes the latest year.
Full FE pass-rate tables by fiscal year
Volume and pass rate for every group NCEES reports. "Other" means takers without an EAC/ABET bachelor's degree, or who didn't report one; Squared 2025 stopped reporting that group.
FY2025 (Oct 2024 – Sep 2025) · NCEES Squared 2025, p. 10
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 68% of 1,873 | 35% of 316 | 69% of 1,654 | 38% of 265 |
| FE Civil | 61% of 16,639 | 32% of 9,863 | 64% of 12,256 | 34% of 7,275 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 64% of 5,882 | 31% of 2,020 | 67% of 4,565 | 33% of 1,480 |
| FE Environmental | 67% of 2,543 | 37% of 1,092 | 70% of 1,991 | 40% of 784 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 62% of 547 | 25% of 118 | 64% of 456 | 23% of 69 |
| FE Mechanical | 69% of 11,552 | 37% of 2,120 | 72% of 10,076 | 40% of 1,719 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 61% of 2,386 | 29% of 951 | 64% of 1,888 | 32% of 626 |
FY2024 (Oct 2023 – Sep 2024) · NCEES Squared 2024, p. 8
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat | Other first | Other repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 72% of 1,847 | 34% of 281 | 73% of 1,651 | 36% of 229 | 62% of 196 | 27% of 52 |
| FE Civil | 60% of 15,619 | 33% of 9,059 | 63% of 11,895 | 34% of 6,905 | 51% of 3,724 | 28% of 2,154 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 62% of 5,132 | 30% of 1,809 | 64% of 3,967 | 31% of 1,321 | 53% of 1,165 | 27% of 488 |
| FE Environmental | 67% of 2,359 | 36% of 849 | 70% of 1,817 | 38% of 632 | 58% of 542 | 29% of 217 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 68% of 525 | 25% of 72 | 73% of 435 | 34% of 38 | 47% of 90 | 15% of 34 |
| FE Mechanical | 68% of 10,487 | 35% of 1,850 | 71% of 9,238 | 36% of 1,461 | 50% of 1,249 | 28% of 389 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 59% of 2,374 | 27% of 950 | 61% of 1,888 | 31% of 634 | 49% of 486 | 19% of 316 |
FY2023 (Oct 2022 – Sep 2023) · NCEES Squared 2023, p. 7
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat | Other first | Other repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 68% of 1,523 | 33% of 212 | 68% of 1,348 | 36% of 170 | 65% of 175 | 19% of 42 |
| FE Civil | 60% of 15,017 | 32% of 8,042 | 61% of 11,198 | 33% of 6,138 | 56% of 3,819 | 26% of 1,904 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 61% of 4,257 | 29% of 1,536 | 64% of 3,224 | 32% of 1,096 | 53% of 1,033 | 23% of 440 |
| FE Environmental | 70% of 2,123 | 36% of 730 | 72% of 1,626 | 38% of 544 | 63% of 497 | 31% of 186 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 61% of 454 | 32% of 72 | 63% of 375 | 37% of 41 | 47% of 79 | 26% of 31 |
| FE Mechanical | 66% of 9,346 | 37% of 1,490 | 68% of 7,899 | 40% of 1,175 | 56% of 1,447 | 25% of 315 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 58% of 2,263 | 24% of 852 | 60% of 1,710 | 28% of 527 | 52% of 553 | 18% of 325 |
FY2022 (Oct 2021 – Sep 2022) · NCEES Squared 2022, p. 7
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat | Other first | Other repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 70% of 1,598 | 30% of 182 | 71% of 1,403 | 33% of 144 | 65% of 195 | 16% of 38 |
| FE Civil | 60% of 13,666 | 32% of 6,958 | 62% of 10,554 | 34% of 5,301 | 55% of 3,112 | 25% of 1,657 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 63% of 3,793 | 30% of 1,237 | 66% of 2,923 | 32% of 838 | 53% of 870 | 26% of 399 |
| FE Environmental | 68% of 2,030 | 40% of 583 | 68% of 1,580 | 39% of 421 | 66% of 450 | 41% of 162 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 64% of 472 | 23% of 66 | 65% of 408 | 26% of 43 | 56% of 64 | 17% of 23 |
| FE Mechanical | 68% of 8,982 | 36% of 1,408 | 70% of 7,734 | 40% of 1,064 | 56% of 1,248 | 24% of 344 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 58% of 2,230 | 28% of 874 | 60% of 1,661 | 34% of 521 | 53% of 569 | 18% of 353 |
FY2021 (Oct 2020 – Sep 2021) · NCEES Squared 2021, p. 8
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat | Other first | Other repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 71% of 1,791 | 34% of 230 | 72% of 1,589 | 36% of 186 | 60% of 202 | 25% of 44 |
| FE Civil | 64% of 15,134 | 34% of 7,228 | 66% of 11,746 | 36% of 5,401 | 57% of 3,388 | 27% of 1,827 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 66% of 4,312 | 33% of 1,410 | 69% of 3,248 | 35% of 960 | 54% of 1,064 | 29% of 450 |
| FE Environmental | 75% of 2,166 | 35% of 618 | 76% of 1,602 | 36% of 437 | 70% of 564 | 31% of 181 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 66% of 494 | 42% of 64 | 66% of 423 | 47% of 36 | 63% of 71 | 36% of 28 |
| FE Mechanical | 71% of 10,198 | 35% of 1,410 | 73% of 8,763 | 37% of 1,081 | 57% of 1,435 | 29% of 329 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 61% of 2,682 | 27% of 1,009 | 63% of 1,962 | 29% of 621 | 53% of 720 | 23% of 388 |
FY2020 (Oct 2019 – Sep 2020) · NCEES Squared 2020, p. 8
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat | Other first | Other repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 73% of 1,738 | 32% of 200 | 74% of 1,534 | 32% of 168 | 69% of 204 | 31% of 32 |
| FE Civil | 66% of 11,455 | 33% of 5,643 | 69% of 8,483 | 34% of 4,193 | 59% of 2,972 | 31% of 1,450 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 65% of 3,613 | 35% of 1,145 | 69% of 2,680 | 37% of 768 | 56% of 933 | 30% of 377 |
| FE Environmental | 75% of 1,639 | 41% of 395 | 76% of 1,151 | 46% of 262 | 73% of 488 | 32% of 133 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 66% of 351 | 44% of 50 | 68% of 311 | 44% of 25 | 58% of 40 | 44% of 25 |
| FE Mechanical | 75% of 8,114 | 42% of 1,002 | 77% of 6,765 | 45% of 713 | 64% of 1,349 | 34% of 289 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 70% of 2,290 | 30% of 761 | 73% of 1,665 | 35% of 461 | 62% of 625 | 21% of 300 |
FY2019 (Oct 2018 – Sep 2019) · NCEES Squared 2019, p. 8
| Exam | First time | Repeat | ABET first | ABET repeat | Other first | Other repeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Chemical | 75% of 2,447 | 40% of 235 | 76% of 2,195 | 42% of 191 | 62% of 252 | 30% of 44 |
| FE Civil | 65% of 15,473 | 34% of 7,131 | 67% of 11,494 | 35% of 5,291 | 59% of 3,979 | 30% of 1,840 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 64% of 5,041 | 31% of 1,383 | 67% of 3,736 | 33% of 949 | 56% of 1,305 | 27% of 434 |
| FE Environmental | 76% of 2,159 | 39% of 555 | 78% of 1,526 | 43% of 373 | 71% of 633 | 32% of 182 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 60% of 666 | 27% of 62 | 64% of 522 | 37% of 30 | 48% of 144 | 19% of 32 |
| FE Mechanical | 75% of 11,018 | 40% of 1,259 | 77% of 9,156 | 44% of 925 | 61% of 1,862 | 29% of 334 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 72% of 3,307 | 32% of 1,078 | 76% of 2,388 | 35% of 621 | 62% of 919 | 26% of 457 |
FE examinees by testing window
| Fiscal year | Oct–Dec | Jan–Mar | Apr–Jun | Jul–Sep | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | 11,289 | 13,393 | 16,768 | 10,364 | 51,814 |
| FY2020 | 11,758 | 10,964 | 5,948 | 9,726 | 38,396 |
| FY2021 | 10,179 | 12,685 | 14,882 | 11,000 | 48,746 |
| FY2022 | 9,587 | 11,849 | 13,865 | 8,778 | 44,079 |
| FY2023 | 10,202 | 11,769 | 14,626 | 11,320 | 47,917 |
| FY2024 | 11,358 | 15,116 | 14,865 | 11,874 | 53,213 |
| FY2025 | 12,064 | 15,126 | 17,231 | 13,481 | 57,902 |
All disciplines, first-time and repeat. Each row sums exactly to the total NCEES prints. Windows are listed in fiscal-year order (Oct–Dec is the first quarter).
Pass rate by graduation timing
| Data years | Before graduation | Within 12 months | 12+ months after |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–25 | 71.34% | 70.62% | 63.43% |
| 2014–24 | 71.4% | 70.91% | 63.89% |
First-time takers from ABET-accredited programs, member boards only. NCEES Squared 2025 p. 15 and Squared 2024 p. 11.
Top 10 universities by first-time FE takers, FY2025
| 1 | Texas A&M University | 714 |
| 2 | Purdue University | 585 |
| 3 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | 558 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University | 509 |
| 5 | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo | 500 |
| 6 | Clemson University | 441 |
| 7 | University of Colorado, Boulder | 423 |
| 8 | Penn State University | 408 |
| 9 | Colorado School of Mines | 406 |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | 400 |
NCEES Squared 2025, p. 14.
How the FE data was transcribed and checked
Squared tables are laid out graphically, and text extraction
scrambles their column order. Each table was therefore read from
the rendered page image and cross-checked against the extracted
text. Every row then had to pass three checks, which run in our
build (scripts/fe-selftest.mjs):
- ABET + other volumes equal the overall volume, for first-time and repeat takers.
- The volume-weighted average of the ABET and other pass rates matches the overall rate within rounding.
- The four testing-window counts sum exactly to the annual total NCEES prints.
All 49 discipline-year rows and all seven window totals pass. Where the extracted text and the rendered chart disagreed on order (the FY2025 top-universities chart, for example), the rendered chart was used.
Blueprint and rules sources
Knowledge areas, question ranges, and lettered subtopics are NCEES's wording, from the seven CBT specifications (effective July 2020). Exam-day rules, fees, and timing are from the May 2026 Examinee Guide. We don't state an FE Reference Handbook version number, because NCEES only publishes the current version inside MyNCEES.
Retrieved September 26, 2026.
NCEES documents cited on our FE pages
| Document | Used for |
|---|---|
| NCEES FE exam | Exam purpose, audience (recent graduates and students close to finishing an EAC/ABET degree), non-North American calculator list |
| NCEES Examinee Guide (May 2026), landing page | Current edition of the rules |
| NCEES Examinee Guide (May 2026), PDF | Fees, scheduling, 12-month authorization, retake limits, testing windows, allowed items, exam format, breaks, scoring, results timing, sample diagnostic report |
| NCEES calculator policy | Approved calculator models for 2026 exams |
| NCEES FE Interactive Practice Exam (Mechanical listing) | Official practice exam format and price |
| MyNCEES | Registration and free FE Reference Handbook download |
| Pearson VUE: NCEES | Test center scheduling |
| FE Chemical CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| FE Civil CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| FE Electrical and Computer CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| FE Environmental CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| FE Industrial and Systems CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| FE Mechanical CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| FE Other Disciplines CBT exam specifications (PDF) | Knowledge areas, question ranges, subtopics |
| NCEES Squared 2019 (PDF) | FY2019 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts |
| NCEES Squared 2020 (PDF) | FY2020 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts |
| NCEES Squared 2021 (PDF) | FY2021 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts |
| NCEES Squared 2022 (PDF) | FY2022 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts |
| NCEES Squared 2023 (PDF) | FY2023 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts |
| NCEES Squared 2024 (PDF) | FY2024 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts; graduation timing |
| NCEES Squared 2025 (PDF) | FY2025 pass rates and volumes; testing-window counts; graduation timing; top universities |
Ozen Test Prep is independent and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by NCEES or Pearson VUE. Data is reproduced for study and research. If you reuse it, cite NCEES Squared as the original source and link this page for the transcription.