Exam PrepReviews.org

Exam facts & prep options

Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Certification Exam

The Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) is the American Society for Quality's professional certification exam measuring comprehension of the 2022 CQE Body of Knowledge: a one-part, open-book, multiple-choice exam administered worldwide by Prometric — 175 questions (160 scored, 15 unscored) with 5 hours 18 minutes of exam time in a 5.5-hour appointment on computer, or 160 questions in 5 hours on paper — for a USD 550 exam fee (USD 450 for ASQ members, USD 350 retake), offered in English plus bilingual English/German, English/Spanish, and English/Mandarin computer forms and Mandarin/Korean paper forms.

Official exam site
Start preparing1 prep option listed

Jump to prep options ↓

QuestionsComputer-based: 175 multiple-choice questions, of which 160 are scored and 15 are unscored. Paper-based: 160 questions (no pretest questions).
Testing timeComputer-based: 5 hours 18 minutes of exam time in a 5.5-hour appointment. Paper-based: 5 hours.
ScoringPass/fail outcome determined by the total raw score against a passing point pre-equated between published exam forms; passing candidates are notified they achieved the passing scaled score of 550 (scores of passing candidates are not disclosed beyond pass status)
Exam feeUSD 550 exam fee (USD 450 for ASQ members); USD 350 retake fee (same for members and nonmembers)

Prep options

Study resources for CQE

Independent prep

Courses and study resources

Exam overview

What to know before choosing your prep

Who runs it
ASQ
Category
Quality & Process Improvement
Current version
2022 CQE Body of Knowledge (current BoK; no newer edition label is published)
Where it applies
Global
Exam languages
English, German, Spanish, Korean, Chinese
Testing provider
Prometric (computer-based testing at Prometric test centers and ProProctor live remote proctoring)
Format
Computer-based at Prometric test centers or via Prometric ProProctor live remote proctoring from home; paper-based (including translated Mandarin/Korean exams) in certain locations; all exams open book with bound references and a non-programmable calculator
Availability
Computer-based exams are delivered in scheduled monthly testing windows (e.g., October 1-31, 2026 with application deadline September 14, 2026; December 1-31, 2026; February 1-28, 2027); paper-based/translated exams on separate published dates
Results
Computer-based: preliminary pass/fail result on screen immediately after submitting, confirmation email within 3-5 business days, official results email in approximately seven days; paper-based results in approximately two weeks
Remote testing
Available

Exam structure

One-part, open-book, multiple-choice exam over seven Body of Knowledge areas: I. Management and Leadership (17 questions), II. The Quality System (18), III. Product, Process, and Service Design (21), IV. Product and Process Control (23), V. Continuous Improvement (26), VI. Quantitative Methods and Tools (34), VII. Risk Management (21) — 160 scored questions total; candidates bring their own bound reference materials

Where rules vary

ASQ delivers the exam worldwide through Prometric test centers and live remote proctoring (remote proctoring is unavailable only in China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Pakistan, where test centers are required); ASQ serves members and customers in over 130 countries.

Eligibility

8 years of on-the-job experience in one or more areas of the CQE Body of Knowledge, of which at least 3 years must be in a decision-making position, in a full-time paid role; a completed degree waives part of the experience requirement (trade school diploma 1 year, associate 2, bachelor's 4, master's/doctorate 5)

Retake policy

Candidates who do not pass may reapply at the reduced retake fee (USD 350) for 2 years from the previous attempt; after the eligibility period expires without passing, the candidate must reapply for the certification

Comparing options?

CQA All Quality & Process Improvement exams