CAREER FOCUS
THE FIRST TEST THAT STILL MATTERS
Why the FE exam remains essential for mechanical engineers.
Written by Jerry Guerra
WITH THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING profession increasingly shaped by automation, digital tools, and now generative artificial intelligence, an obvious question arises: Does the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam still matter as much as it once did?
The short answer, supported by both data and industry trends, is most definitely, “Yes.” If anything, the FE exam’s role is evolving in ways that may make it even more relevant, especially for mechanical engineers.
A gateway to proficiency
For more than 60 years, the FE exam has been the first milestone in the licensure process administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Passing it designates a successful test taker as an Engineer in Training (EIT) or Engineering Intern (EI), putting them on the path toward P.E. licensure after gaining the required experience.
At a high level, the purpose of the exam has not changed; it is designed to measure whether a candidate possesses the fundamental knowledge required to practice engineering safely and competently. NCEES emphasizes that its exams provide “a uniform standard for measuring professional competence,” developed and maintained by subject-matter experts.
This focus on competence and public safety remains central to the argument for licensure. According to industry research cited in the NCEES 2025 Annual Report, 82 percent of survey respondents believe licensing is essential for guaranteeing professional qualifications, and 77 percent believe it helps keep the public safe.
Growing numbers and ME excellence
For evidence of the exam’s continuing relevance, look no further than the fact that participation is growing, not declining.
During the 2024–25 fiscal year, 57,902 examinees took the FE exam, a 9 percent increase over the previous year and a 52 percent increase from 10 years prior. In an era where some have questioned the value of traditional credentials, this level of consistent growth is telling.
Mechanical engineers are a major part of that pipeline, and they are performing at a high level.
According to the 2024-2025 edition of NCEES’s Squared publication, mechanical engineering remains one of the largest and most consistently represented disciplines on the FE exam. The data also reflects strong performance among these candidates, with pass rate data showing that mechanical engineers, at 69 percent, have the highest first-time pass rates among the major disciplines.
This suggests a strong link between mechanical engineering curricula and the fundamental knowledge assessed on the FE. Mechanical engineers may be particularly well positioned for the exam because of the alignment between their academic training and its focus on core principles across multiple subject areas. This is reflected in the data. According to NCEES and exam prep company Genie Prep, mechanical engineers who take the more general “Other Disciplines” exam pass at nearly the same rate as those who take the mechanical exam, an outcome not seen across all disciplines.
Keeping the exam relevant
One reason the FE exam continues to play such a major role in the career development of engineers is the NCEES’s insistence on keeping its content current and relevant.
“We maintain a structured, evidence-based process to ensure that the FE exam reflects current engineering practice,” said NCEES CEO Davy McDowell. “Through our Professional Activities and Knowledge Studies, which are conducted approximately every six to eight years, we gather input from licensed engineers across industries to evaluate the tasks, knowledge, and skills required for safe and effective practice. This ongoing review helps the exam evolve alongside changes in technology, education, and the profession itself.”
Credentials that create options
The importance of the FE exam varies by industry, but its value lies partly in the options it preserves. In consulting, infrastructure, energy, and many public-sector roles, licensure is not optional. Engineers must obtain a P.E. to sign and seal documents, take legal responsibility for designs, and advance into leadership positions.
In manufacturing and product development, licensure has historically been less essential. Many mechanical engineers build successful careers without ever pursuing a P.E.
But this distinction is beginning to blur.
As systems become more complex and more tightly regulated, the value of licensure is expanding. This is particularly true in areas such as energy, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability. Engineers who hold or are on the path to a P.E. often have greater flexibility to move between sectors, take on higher-responsibility roles, or transition into consulting later in their careers.
In this sense, the FE exam is more than a step toward licensure; it offers long-term career flexibility.
The case against FE relevance
For many mechanical engineers, the case for taking the FE exam is not always obvious. Early career priorities often shape that decision. Graduates entering fast-paced industries may focus on gaining experience, learning new systems, and contributing quickly, rather than preparing for an exam that may not seem immediately relevant.
Cost and timing also play a role, as preparing for the FE requires time during an already demanding senior year. The rise of advanced software tools and generative AI has further fueled questions about the importance of traditional fundamentals-based exams.
But the FE exam offers something that is difficult to replicate later in a career: a low-friction opportunity to validate and formalize core engineering knowledge while it is still fresh. Once engineers move into specialized roles, the breadth of material covered on the exam becomes harder to revisit, and the time required to prepare increases significantly (just when there is likely less time to devote to it).
This difficulty may be reflected in the fact that only about one-third of repeat test takers pass the FE exam, compared with roughly two-thirds of first-time test takers across all disciplines. This reinforces the common advice to take the FE exam as close to graduation as possible, when core concepts are still fresh.
Even for those who never pursue licensure, taking the FE can serve as a durable benchmark of technical competence early in a career.
Photo: Getty
AI and why fundamentals still matter
A modern challenge to the relevance of the FE exam emerged with the rise of artificial intelligence. Engineering students today have unprecedented access to tools that can solve equations, generate code, and assist with design calculations. NCEES has acknowledged this shift, forming an AI working group and adopting a position statement on responsible use.
At first glance, this might suggest that mastering fundamentals is less important than it once was. Not so, says NCEES’s president McDowell.
“As generative AI and other advanced tools become more prevalent, the importance of foundational engineering knowledge has only increased. While these tools can automate complex tasks, engineers still need to understand fundamental principles, properly frame problems, and evaluate results for accuracy and reasonableness. The FE exam is designed to assess those core competencies, which remain essential regardless of the tools being used,” he said.
AI can assist with calculations, but it cannot replace engineering judgment. It cannot determine whether a result makes sense in context or whether a design is safe under real-world conditions. That kind of judgment depends on fundamentals.
A steady benchmark in a changing profession
As the engineering profession evolves, digital tools reshape workflows, AI is changing how problems are approached and solved, and legislative pressures are even challenging aspects of professional licensure itself. Yet, amid all this change, the FE exam remains a constant.
Its format has evolved—NCEES has fully transitioned to computer-based testing and introduced interactive preparation tools—but its purpose has remained steady. It still represents a shared standard across disciplines and jurisdictions that helps define what it means to be an entry-level engineer.
Is it still worth it?
For engineering students debating whether to take the FE exam, the answer depends on their goals. But the trend lines are clear.
More students are taking it, mechanical engineers are performing at a high level, and the profession itself is becoming more complex. In this environment, the FE exam remains what it has long been: a foundation upon which an engineering career can be built.
A free FE test prep course is available to ASME members through the benefits page. Access it here. Jerry Guerra is an independent writer in Lynnfield, Mass.
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