Exam facts & prep options

Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Electrical and Computer Exam

The FE Electrical and Computer exam is the NCEES discipline-specific Fundamentals of Engineering examination for electrical and computer engineering graduates and seniors, generally the first step toward licensure as a Professional Engineer.

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Questions110 questions
Testing time6-hour appointment: 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, plus 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial, and 25-minute scheduled break
ScoringPass/fail only — no numeric score published; failing examinees receive a diagnostic report showing performance by major topic
Exam feeUSD 225 payable directly to NCEES (USD 250 at international administration sites)

Prep options

Study resources for FE Electrical and Computer

Independent prep

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Exam overview

What to know before choosing your prep

Who runs it
NCEES
Category
Engineering Licensure
Current version
FE Electrical and Computer CBT exam specifications effective beginning with the July 2020 examinations
Where it applies
United States — national
Exam languages
English
Testing provider
Pearson VUE (NCEES-approved Pearson test centers)
Format
Computer-based test (CBT), closed book with an electronic reference (FE Reference Handbook supplied on screen); SI and U.S. Customary units
Availability
Administered year-round by appointment at NCEES-approved Pearson test centers
Results
Results typically available within 7–10 business days, notified by email and viewable in MyNCEES
Remote testing
Not available

Exam structure

110 questions across 17 knowledge areas with published ranges: Mathematics (11–17), Probability and Statistics (4–6), Ethics and Professional Practice (4–6), Engineering Economics (5–8), Properties of Electrical Materials (4–6), Circuit Analysis (DC and AC Steady State) (11–17), Linear Systems (5–8), Signal Processing (5–8), Electronics (7–11), Power Systems (8–12), Electromagnetics (4–6), Control Systems (6–9), Communications (5–8), Computer Networks (4–6), Digital Systems (8–12), Computer Systems (5–8), and Software Engineering (4–6).

Where rules vary

The FE exam is the uniform nationwide first step in U.S. professional engineer licensure, required by U.S. state and territorial licensing boards (the FE page lists every U.S. board); NCEES also administers it at international sites under agreements with local associations for candidates pursuing U.S. licensure.

Eligibility

Designed for recent graduates and students close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program; state licensing boards set final eligibility

Retake policy

One attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in a 12-month period