The Civil Engineering Profession

I never thought I’d actually be happy that I had to take the PE Exam, but the truth is, I am. It was actually kind of fun to show how much I know. I really enjoyed the challenge it was to pass, and I grew from that. Oh and the extra money I earned after getting my license was really nice too! These are just a few of the reasons why I recommend taking the PE Exam. There’s a lot more to it than just the money though, so let’s dive in deeper! 1. Taking the PE Exam Will Build Your Confidence and Make You a Better Engineer The first time I took the PE Exam I failed. It was tough for a lot of reasons, but one I hadn’t anticipated was how lost I felt. Imposter syndrome was bad as it was, but now I had to deal with the fact that I didn’t know enough to pass the licensing exam for my profession! It really showed me how important licensing is, and the PE Exam itself. I realized that I had to really earn my PE license, I couldn’t just get it with any sort of effort I’d put into anything before. I had to become a Professional Engineer by taking the exam. This mindset is what really helped me pass on my second try. I invested in myself by purchasing School of PE’s course and pushed myself harder than ever to really learn the principles and practice of engineering thoroughly enough to not only pass the exam, but to feel like I deserved a PE license. I studied harder than I had for any test in my life. In the end, I worked over 900 problems and spent over 300 hours and over $2,500. I took the PE Exam seriously, and it paid off when I passed on that second attempt. There was a lot to celebrate the day I found out that I had passed. But a feeling came when I saw my stamp for the first time that I hadn’t anticipated. I felt like taking the PE Exam made me a Professional Engineer. Without it, I wouldn’t have felt like I was really an engineer. Almost all imposter syndrome left when I got licensed. You can practice a lot of different disciplines of engineering without a PE license, and for some people it might not make sense. But if you really want to take your career to the next level and really feel like an engineer, you should take the PE Exam. 2. You Will Make More Money and Have More Opportunities When I passed the PE Exam, my average earnings went up over 30% because I started working for myself. I might not have seen a jump quite that high if I was working for someone else, but the job I had before did offer a few dollars an hour raise for getting licensed. That’s a big deal, it’s thousands of dollars extra per year! If you take the PE Exam, pass, and get licensed, you will earn more money. You’ll have more opportunities as well, because you will be able to oversee projects that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. This means you’re more qualified to move up within your own company, but also that you’re able to apply for a wider variety of jobs in general. I believe taking the PE Exam is worth it because of all the monetary and career opportunities it gives you. 3. You Can Start Your Own Company if You’re Licensed This is just what I did when I became a licensed Professional Engineer and I’ll never look back. I’m so glad that I have the freedom to be my own boss and earn as much as I want. When you work for yourself, there’s no ceiling on your income. You don’t have to wait for a yearly raise or hope that you get a promotion that pays better. You won’t have to worry about job interviews or resumes or any of that nonsense anymore. This is what life is like for me now, and it’s really nice. There are definitely pros and cons of working for yourself, though. You’re the boss, so you get to call the shots instead of having to be told what to do. You can work from home, decline certain types of jobs, and more. But being the boss also means that you’re responsible for everything, including deadlines and liability. Forming a Limited Liability Company and having insurance helps mitigate that risk, though, so in my mind this isn’t really an issue. Imagine not having to do jobs you hate. You could just accept the kind of work that you enjoy doing and that you’re the best at. No more office drama, too. All of this is possible only if you take the PE Exam, pass it, and get your PE license. Wrapping Up Taking the PE Exam is worth it because with a PE license you will make more money, have more opportunities, feel like a real engineer, and have the chance to work for yourself. These are just a few of the many reasons why I’m really glad I took the PE Exam and why I think you’ll be glad you took it too.