Choosing Your FE Exam Discipline
The FE exam is offered in seven disciplines: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer, Chemical, Environmental, Industrial and Systems, and Other Disciplines. Choosing the right one can significantly affect your chances of passing. This guide helps you make an informed decision.
Overview of Available Disciplines
FE Civil
The FE Civil exam covers topics specific to civil engineering practice:
- Key topics: Structural analysis, geotechnical engineering, transportation, water resources, environmental engineering, construction management, surveying, hydraulics, hydrology
- Best for: Civil engineering majors and those planning to practice civil engineering
- Pass rate: Typically around 60 to 70% for first-time takers with an ABET-accredited degree
- Common career paths: Structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, transportation engineer, water resources engineer, construction manager
FE Mechanical
The FE Mechanical exam focuses on mechanical engineering topics:
- Key topics: Thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, dynamics, vibrations, machine design, HVAC, measurement and controls
- Best for: Mechanical engineering majors and those entering mechanical engineering fields
- Pass rate: Typically around 65 to 75% for first-time takers
- Common career paths: Design engineer, manufacturing engineer, HVAC engineer, energy engineer, automotive engineer, aerospace engineer
FE Electrical and Computer
The FE Electrical and Computer exam covers electrical engineering and computer engineering:
- Key topics: Circuit analysis (DC and AC), electronics, signal processing, power systems, electromagnetics, digital systems, computer networks, software development
- Best for: Electrical engineering and computer engineering majors
- Pass rate: Typically around 65 to 75% for first-time takers
- Common career paths: Power engineer, controls engineer, electronics engineer, telecommunications engineer
FE Chemical
The FE Chemical exam focuses on chemical engineering:
- Key topics: Mass and energy balances, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, chemical reaction engineering, process design, process control, safety
- Best for: Chemical engineering majors
- Pass rate: Typically around 70 to 80% for first-time takers
- Common career paths: Process engineer, chemical engineer, safety engineer, environmental engineer, pharmaceutical engineer
FE Environmental
The FE Environmental exam covers environmental engineering topics:
- Key topics: Water and wastewater treatment, air quality, solid and hazardous waste, environmental chemistry, hydrology, groundwater, environmental regulations, sustainability
- Best for: Environmental engineering majors and those working in environmental fields
- Pass rate: Varies; this is a newer discipline exam with a smaller candidate pool
- Common career paths: Environmental consultant, water/wastewater engineer, remediation engineer, regulatory specialist
FE Industrial and Systems
The FE Industrial and Systems exam covers industrial engineering:
- Key topics: Probability and statistics, engineering economics, operations research, quality, manufacturing, ergonomics, simulation, supply chain
- Best for: Industrial and systems engineering majors
- Common career paths: Industrial engineer, operations engineer, quality engineer, supply chain engineer, manufacturing engineer
FE Other Disciplines
The FE Other Disciplines exam covers a broad range of engineering topics at a more general level:
- Key topics: Mathematics, probability and statistics, ethics, engineering economics, statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, material science, electricity and magnetism
- Best for: Engineers whose degree does not align with one specific discipline, or those who want a broader, less specialized exam
- Pass rate: Tends to be lower than discipline-specific exams because candidates are less likely to have focused coursework in the tested areas
- Advantage: Covers topics from many undergraduate engineering courses, so candidates with strong fundamentals across disciplines may do well
How to Choose Your Discipline
Match Your Degree
The simplest approach: take the exam that matches your engineering degree. If you have a civil engineering degree, take the FE Civil. If you have a mechanical engineering degree, take the FE Mechanical. Your coursework has already prepared you for the specific topics on that exam.
Consider Your Career Goals
If you plan to pursue a PE license in a specific discipline, take the corresponding FE exam. While the FE discipline does not restrict which PE exam you can take later, alignment makes the path smoother.
Evaluate Your Strengths
If your degree does not align neatly with one discipline, or if you studied a general engineering program, consider which topics you are strongest in:
- Strong in structures, soils, and hydraulics? FE Civil.
- Strong in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and machine design? FE Mechanical.
- Strong in circuits, signals, and electronics? FE Electrical.
- Strong in mass balances, reaction kinetics, and process design? FE Chemical.
- Strong across many fundamentals but not deep in any one area? FE Other Disciplines.
Review the Exam Specifications
Download the exam specification for each discipline you are considering from the NCEES website. The specification lists every topic and its approximate weight on the exam. Review the topics and honestly assess how many you are comfortable with.
Important Considerations
- You can take any discipline regardless of your degree. A mechanical engineering graduate can take the FE Civil if they prefer. There are no eligibility restrictions by discipline.
- The FE discipline does not limit your PE exam options. You can pass the FE Civil and later take the PE Mechanical (though your state board will evaluate your qualifications for each license application independently).
- Pass rates vary by discipline. Some disciplines have higher pass rates, but this often reflects the preparation level of the candidate pool rather than exam difficulty.
- Study resources vary by discipline. More popular disciplines (Civil, Mechanical) have more study resources available.
What If You Are Still Unsure?
- Take a diagnostic practice exam in two different disciplines and compare your scores
- Talk to licensed engineers in your intended career field about which exam they took
- Consult your university faculty for advice based on your coursework
- When in doubt, choose the discipline that matches your degree
The best discipline is the one where your existing knowledge covers the most exam topics. Choose strategically, prepare thoroughly, and pass on your first attempt.