Wondering how much money you’ll have to shell out to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam? Well, you’re in the right place.
The FE Exam costs $175 through NCEES. A few states have additional fees to apply to take the exam. You may have to pay for a hotel and food if you live far from the testing center, increasing the cost to about $400 or $500. If you need a review course, expect to spend an extra $500 to $1,000.
The FE will cost you $175 and no more unless you life in the following states or regions, which have fees as outlined:
- Illinois, which requires an additional fee of $107 to the state board.
- Massechusettes, which requires an additional fee of $136 to the state board. See the Candidate Information Bulletin for more info.
- Minnesota, which requires an additional fee of $25 only if you’re not enrolled in a degree or already graduated.
- New Hampshire, which has an additional fee of at least $150 and possibly more according to the fee schedule.
- New York, which only requires an additional $70 fee if you have a foregin or non-ABET-accredited degree.
- Mississippi, which requires an additional fee of $25.
- Puerto Rico, which may require an additional fee as part of the exam registration process, but you will need to contact their testing administrator Didaxis for more info.
This information can be found at NCEES’s website at this link.
Here is a table you can use to find the total cost of the FE exam in your state, including additional state fees if required:
| State | Initial Fee | Additional Fees | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $175 | None | $175 |
| Alaska | $175 | None | $175 |
| Arizona | $175 | None | $175 |
| Arkansas | $175 | None | $175 |
| California | $175 | None | $175 |
| Colorado | $175 | None | $175 |
| Connecticut | $175 | None | $175 |
| Delaware | $175 | None | $175 |
| District of Columbia | $175 | None | $175 |
| Florida | $175 | None | $175 |
| Georgia | $175 | None | $175 |
| Guam | $175 | None | $175 |
| Hawaii | $175 | None | $175 |
| Idaho | $175 | None | $175 |
| Illinois | $175 | $107 | $282 |
| Indiana | $175 | None | $175 |
| Iowa | $175 | None | $175 |
| Kansas | $175 | None | $175 |
| Kentucky | $175 | None | $175 |
| Louisiana | $175 | None | $175 |
| Maine | $175 | None | $175 |
| Maryland | $175 | None | $175 |
| Massachusetts | $175 | $136 | $311 |
| Michigan | $175 | None | $175 |
| Minnesota | $175 | $25 (only if not enrolled/graduated) | $175 for most, $200 if you’re not enrolled/graduated) |
| Mississippi | $175 | $25 | $200 |
| Missouri | $175 | None | $175 |
| Montana | $175 | None | $175 |
| Nebraska | $175 | None | $175 |
| Nevada | $175 | None | $175 |
| New Hampshire | $175 | $150 | $325 |
| New Jersey | $175 | None | $175 |
| New Mexico | $175 | None | $175 |
| New York | $175 | $70 if your degree is non-ABET or foreign | $175 for most, $245 if your degree is non-ABET or foreign |
| North Carolina | $175 | None | $175 |
| North Dakota | $175 | None | $175 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | $175 | None | $175 |
| Ohio | $175 | None | $175 |
| Oklahoma | $175 | None | $175 |
| Oregon | $175 | None | $175 |
| Pennsylvania | $175 | None | $175 |
| Puerto Rico | $175 | Unknown | $175+ |
| Rhode Island | $175 | None | $175 |
| South Carolina | $175 | None | $175 |
| South Dakota | $175 | None | $175 |
| Tennessee | $175 | None | $175 |
| Texas | $175 | None | $175 |
| Utah | $175 | None | $175 |
| Vermont | $175 | None | $175 |
| Virgin Islands | $175 | None | $175 |
| Virginia | $175 | None | $175 |
| Washington | $175 | None | $175 |
| West Virginia | $175 | None | $175 |
| Wisconsin | $175 | None | $175 |
| Wyoming | $175 | None | $175 |
Additional Costs Associated With the FE Exam
In addition to the fees outlined above, you’ll also have to cover the cost of getting to the testing center and for meals while there. Depending on where you live, that might require a hotel and a few meals, which might mean an extra couple hundred dollars.
Because the FE exam is computer-based, you don’t have to buy a whole bunch of books. Here’s what you can bring into the testing center:
- Appointment confirmation letter
- NCEES-approved calculator
- Acceptable form of identification
- Approved comfort items
The only part of this that will cost you money is the calculator. These usually set you back about $15-$20, but if you get the right one (it’s the TI-36X in case you’re wondering) then it’ll last you a long time and you can use it for the FE and the PE as well.
Per NCEES policy, these are the only calculators allowed:
- Casio: All fx-115 and fx-991 models (Any Casio calculator must have “fx-115” or “fx-991” in its model name.) Check out prices for the fx-115 models right here and the fx-991 models here.
- Hewlett Packard: The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others. Here’s a link to the HP 35s model and one for the 33s on Amazon.
- Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models (Any Texas Instruments calculator must have “TI-30X” or “TI-36X” in its model name.) You can take a look at prices for the TI-30X right here, and the TI-36X at this link.
I personally used Texas Instruments calculators all throughout high school and college and it’s what I was most familiar with so I got the TI-36X. It did the job perfectly for the FE and the PE and I couldn’t be happier with it!
Review Materials
Purchasing a review course is optional, but might be the right thing if you’re worried about passing the exam or if you’ve failed it before. I didn’t get an FE review course but used School of PE for the PE exam and I highly recommend them.
Here are a few options you have for FE exam review courses:
- School of PE ($390 to $1,100+): Of all the material I used to prepare for the PE exam, they were by far the best. I’d tried other courses and practice problems and they helped but ultimately I passed only because I had School of PE. Their FE ondemand video course is about $1,100 and about $1,300 if you do the live online version. You can also get 6-months of access to their practice portal pro for $390. Check out my School of PE Review right here.
- ppi2pass ($549 to $1,545): I used ppi2pass’s practice portal for the PE exam and didn’t love it because the questions were just too difficult. I haven’t used any of their FE prep material, but they’re very professional and I’d still recommend them.
- Civil Engineering Academy ($297 to $697): I used one of Civil Engineering Academy’s practice exams for the PE and they were awesome. Very helpful and a lot like the actual PE, although not as much as School of PE’s were. This is the perfect budget option if you want to pass but don’t want to break the bank!
There are also a lot of other great review manuals on Amazon that you can just purchase and go through if you want some refreshing without buying a full course. If I had to take the FE again this is probably the option that I would have picked.
Here are a few good ones to consider:
- Michael Lindeburg’s PPI FE Civil Practice – Comprehensive Practice for the NCEES FE Civil Exam ($70 to $130). This is made by PPI and the author is the same one who did the Civil Engineering Reference Manual, which every engineer takes into the PE exam.
2. PPI FE Review Manual: Rapid Preparation for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, 3rd Edition – A Comprehensive Preparation Guide for the FE Exam ($30 to $80). Also by Lindeburg but a cheaper option than the previous one.
3. FE Civil Exam Review Guide ($110 to $160): This is from School of PE and as I’ve mentioned already, you can’t go wrong with them!
How Much You’ll Actually Pay for the FE Exam
How much the FE Exam costs you depends on a lot of things. You will have to pay around $200 to take the test, including a calculator, and additional fees in some states and regions.
For those close to their testing center, the cost of getting to the testing center and eating on test day will be minimal.
If you live far from the testing center, your total might go up to around $500 including travel, hotels, and food.
And if you want to take a review course it can set you back an additional $100 on the low end, or $1,000 or more on the high end. You have to know yourself, but I think it’s worth it to try the FE at least once and then invest in review materials if you don’t pass.
In summary, the cost to take the FE exam starts at $175 and goes up to $1,000 or more depending on your proximity to the testing center and whether or not you need review materials.