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Especially engineering students who are ready to graduate, many of the young engineering professionals who will enter the future workforce must make this choice. Both options have advantages and disadvantages. Obtaining a PE license allows engineers to advance in their careers, but the procedure is challenging and time-consuming. Let’s find out if giving a PE exam is worth it.
What is a PE license?
A license for professional engineering serves as proof of a person’s adherence to higher standards as an engineer. The public’s welfare, health, and safety were at stake before 1907 because engineers could work without having to demonstrate their competence and proficiency.
In Wyoming around this time, the first engineering licensure law was approved, ushering in a new era of engineering standards. Professional engineer qualifications are highly valued today and are even occasionally required.
What is the PE Exam?
Those who desire to practice engineering in the United States must pass the PE test. After acquiring four years of professional experience in your industry, you are eligible to sit for this exam in the engineering subject of your choice. Passing the FE exam is an additional requirement for taking this exam. You will be declared a professional engineer after passing the exam, which will gauge your degree of competency.
After passing the PE exam, you have new job prospects available to you. You will have better work, higher compensation, and a promising future if you obtain a PE license. PE, which stands for “Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam,” is the abbreviation for this exam.
Types of PE Exams
Exams for the PE Electrical and Computer programs that use computers come in three different varieties. The exam’s questions cover topics such as power, electronics, and computer engineering. Let’s go over each one individually.
PE Electrical & Computer (Computer Engineering)
Essentially, individuals with a degree in computer engineering should take this exam. The PE Electrical exam is a one-day computer-based testing occasion, similar to any other competitive exam. You will have one week to complete 80 questions from your discipline of choice, and the results will be provided.
PE Electrical & Computer (Controls, Electricals, and Communications)
For these particular fields, there is just one exam every day. It is a computer-based test, and there are the same 85 questions on it. The preparation for this exam includes the following subjects:
- Electronics
- Digital systems
- Communications
- Control systems
- Electromagnetics
- Electrical engineering
PE Electrical & Computer (Power)
Questions from the power portion are the majority of what is on this computer-based PE Power test. It takes 8 to 9 hours to complete and has 80 questions.
Which PE Exam Should You Take?
A graduate engineer can take the PE exam right away after passing the FE exam. The PE test can be taken in a variety of engineering specialties, as was previously noted. Now the question is, “Which PE Exam You Should Take?”, and it totally depends on your interest. Your engineering license type will be determined by this choice. So, be cautious and make your decision after taking into account all the relevant information.
Is the PE Exam Hard?
The complexity of the PE exam is accounted for by the exam’s topic and allotted time. Even more so if you are taking one of the world’s most challenging exams, it is impossible to sit still for eight hours. You need a tremendous amount of mental energy to remain concentrated for more than eight hours.
You are exhausted physically as well as mentally by the time it is through. Now that I think about it, how can an engineer be able to support themselves in a much more difficult professional environment if they cannot successfully pass this test? If they aspire to become capable and prosperous engineers, you could argue that this is their first genuine taste of what lies ahead for them.
How to prepare for the PE Exam?
It’s harder than it seems to study for a PE exam. Sometimes the planning might be stressful and overwhelming. The NCEES® administers the PE exam. It is, therefore, preferable to get ready for it on their platform. The following advice will help you pass the test on your first try:
- Select the top study resources. For instance, the most suggested courses are the PE test and NCEES® practice book.
- Establish a study schedule and commit to it wholeheartedly for three to four months.
- Locate a peaceful area for study and take as many practice exams as you can.
Why Should You Become a Professional Engineer?
A professional engineer can work as an individual consultant, a government engineer, or an instructor after receiving their license. Working with an engineer who has the PE designation is legally required for several career endeavors, including consulting, operating an engineering firm, and directing public works projects.
Is the PE Exam worth it?
Being a certified professional engineer has several advantages. Professional Engineering certification, which is regarded as the industry’s highest bar for ability, not only enhances one’s standing in the industry but also demonstrates increased degrees of authority and responsibility.
Additionally, not all engineers become licensed or feel the need to because the prerequisites for achieving PE status are strict and employers frequently do not require a PE license for employment. But there are a number of useful employment possibilities that non-licensed engineers are not always allowed to pursue, in addition to gaining more respect from peers and potential clients and a sense of personal accomplishment.
Conclusion
The Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam (PE) was the main focus of this post. We believe you now fully understand the PE exam. You can succeed in your career with this fantastic opportunity. Once you have obtained your license, the entire world will recognize you as a professional engineer. You may think it is a difficult exam to solve, but the effort will be amply rewarded.
We wish you success in your technical career and future!