FE exam pass rates 2026
Short answer
According to NCEES, 66% of first-time FE Civil takers from EAC/ABET-accredited programs who tested within 12 months of graduation passed in January–June 2026 (6,247 examinees). Across all FE Civil takers in NCEES fiscal year 2025, first-time takers passed at 61% and repeat takers at 32%.
Checked against the sources below on October 20, 2026.
Pass rates by discipline, January–June 2026
| FE exam | Examinees | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical | 743 | 68% |
| Civil | 6,247 | 66% |
| Electrical and Computer | 1,782 | 70% |
| Environmental | 1,063 | 71% |
| Industrial and Systems | 259 | 67% |
| Mechanical | 5,153 | 73% |
| Other Disciplines | 921 | 61% |
First-time vs repeat takers, fiscal year 2025
| FE exam | First-time examinees | First-time pass rate | Repeat examinees | Repeat pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical | 1,873 | 68% | 316 | 35% |
| Civil | 16,639 | 61% | 9,863 | 32% |
| Electrical and Computer | 5,882 | 64% | 2,020 | 31% |
| Environmental | 2,543 | 67% | 1,092 | 37% |
| Industrial and Systems | 547 | 62% | 118 | 25% |
| Mechanical | 11,552 | 69% | 2,120 | 37% |
| Other Disciplines | 2,386 | 61% | 951 | 29% |
What the FE Civil numbers say
- FE Civil is the largest FE exam: 16,639 first-time and 9,863 repeat examinees in fiscal year 2025.
- Repeat takers pass at roughly half the first-time rate (32% vs 61%). Among takers with EAC-accredited bachelor’s degrees the figures are 64% and 34%.
- Timing matters: the January–June 2026 group, who sat within a year of graduating, passed at 66%, above the 61% for all first-time Civil takers in 2025.
- The pass rate is an outcome, not a quota. NCEES scores against a fixed standard with no predetermined share who should pass.
Repeating? Change the method, not just the hours
The 32% repeat pass rate is the strongest argument for using your diagnostic report and practising under real timing, rather than re-reading the same material. Our free retake planner turns the report into a ranked study order.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the FE Civil pass rate in 2026?
66% for first-time takers from EAC/ABET-accredited programs testing within 12 months of graduation, January–June 2026 (6,247 examinees), according to NCEES.
What is the pass rate for FE repeat takers?
In NCEES fiscal year 2025, 32% for FE Civil repeat takers, against 61% for first-time takers (NCEES Squared 2025).
Which FE exam has the highest pass rate?
In NCEES’s January–June 2026 table, FE Mechanical at 73%, followed by Environmental at 71% and Electrical and Computer at 70%. Civil was 66%.
Does a high pass rate mean the exam is easy?
No. The headline rates are for a favourable group — recent graduates of accredited programs on their first attempt — and NCEES scores everyone against the same fixed standard.
Check where you stand, free
The quick diagnostic is eight FE Civil questions in about ten minutes, with no account. The free mock is a full 110-question, 5 hour 20 minute FE Civil paper with a worked solution for every question.