How much have you spent total for the PE?

Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum

Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

va_gator

Active member
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Maryland
***Sorry mods, please move to the General Section

The passing score is priceless, but put a dollar value towards what you have spent in obtaining the PE?

Application($) - 60

Test - 260

Chelapati Review Book - 95

Online Review Course - 600

NCEES Sample Practice Test - 40

Misc (Notebooks, tabs, highlighters, coffee, etc.) - 30

Total = $1085

I think I saved a lot since I kept my old books from college courses and already owned most of the codebooks that I needed.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'm guessing I threw down around 2k for the fees, books, and review class. Thank God I passed on the first try!

 
State application: 75

NCEES registration: 265

PPI study materials: 708 (civil review package + structural depth review package)

Total = 1048

Plus add in travel to and from test site (100 miles round trip), parking at the site, etc.

Probably 1150 or so total.

 
I am in probably $3600 when all said and done. Here is the cost breakdown:

Review course--$1600--4 days in ATl

Flight to ATL- $ 450

Hotel in ATL $ 450

Books $ 300

Per Diem (eats) $ 200

Test Site Hotel $ 150

Tvl to test site $ 125

Application Fee $ 350

Now, I was out of the actual field for many years doing senior level management work. The NSPE web site says that if you have been out of the field for several years, taking an on-site review course is the way to go. I did spend probably 300 hours between August and October doing problems and review work. I had the luxury of being able to focus on this event almost exclusively, however, my boss was very generous in supporting my efforts as well. I passed the first time!!!!!!!!!

The question that arises here is "Is it worth it?" Well, I think so, otherwise I would not have done it!!! Could I have negated the review course, field trip to ATL, etc. Perhaps. However, I wanted to do it and did it. My boss did pay for all of it-- he did not want to lose me--which was a possibility!

 
Total:$496

Exam Application fee: $50

NCEES PE exam registration: $265

Goswami's All In One: $67

NCEES Practice exam: $50

Lindeburg's Practice exam: $44

Casio FX-115ES Calculator: $20

Passed Civil/WR first attempt in April, 2011

Started studying on February 8th. (1-2 hours/weekday, 12-14 hours/weekend) ,(about 200 hours in total)

Note: I have Masters and PhD in civil engineering

Note: Goswami's All In One is a very good book but not enough as reference book, I brought 10 other books with me to the exam, used only couple of them for 4 questions, but it was worth it.

 
I am in probably $3600 when all said and done. Here is the cost breakdown:
Review course--$1600--4 days in ATl

Flight to ATL- $ 450

Hotel in ATL $ 450

Books $ 300

Per Diem (eats) $ 200

Test Site Hotel $ 150

Tvl to test site $ 125

Application Fee $ 350

Now, I was out of the actual field for many years doing senior level management work. The NSPE web site says that if you have been out of the field for several years, taking an on-site review course is the way to go. I did spend probably 300 hours between August and October doing problems and review work. I had the luxury of being able to focus on this event almost exclusively, however, my boss was very generous in supporting my efforts as well. I passed the first time!!!!!!!!!

The question that arises here is "Is it worth it?" Well, I think so, otherwise I would not have done it!!! Could I have negated the review course, field trip to ATL, etc. Perhaps. However, I wanted to do it and did it. My boss did pay for all of it-- he did not want to lose me--which was a possibility!
Taken the test many more times than once..had to travel outside NY to take it (and am so glad I did because I have my results already and NY has not released yet)...bought all references and then some, and took a 1200 course (School of PE)...so I'm well over $3K. But I get reimbursed for the exam fee, the course fee, and will get a bonus and raise now...so totally worth it!

 
Probably spent about $900, then sold some books after I was done taking the damage down a bit. Absolutely worth it, it was one of my goals since college even if it doesn't help me in my career or get me a pay raise.

 
I spent $3,500 of my companies money- worth every penny. This lisence will be with me for the next 30 years of my career!

Worth every penny!

Tim

 
when I passed it was

$100 to the state

$250 ish for the test - work paid for

$120 for the ChERM

$50 for ChERM problem book

$40 for 6 minute book

hotel was also paid by work

so total about $700.

 
I'm into this for +/- $2k.

State Application Fee $300 x2 (don't ask)

NCEES test fee ~$300 IIRC

MERM $180

6 min solutions T&F ~$40

MERM Questions + 6MS HVAC +6MS Mechanical ~$90

Marks Handbook for Mechanical Engineers ~$150

Various other books and guides $150

NCEES Sample Test $40

Hotel before test $130

Travel to test $100

That puts me around $1800. I just sent my state another $100 today to get my number. Then I'll still have to purchase a seal.

I'll recoup some of that when I sell my books I no longer need.

 
I'm right around $900. About $500 of that is in books, around $300 in application and test fees, then another $100 or so in miscellaneous supplies. Worth every penny and can write-it off on my taxes for work related costs.

 
state app 60

exams (3 times) 855

prep course (2 times) 1400

references 1500

travel 200

$4015 plus change - no reimbursment, but promotion and raise - if it gets through budget review

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Only Application and Registration fees. Got a Lindeburg review book from school library, and some textbooks from a professor.

 
I spent about $3.5k of my own money. About $1k on books, $1650 on Testmasters course, then PE application ($250), test ($300), hotel, gas, and misc.

 
I paid a $1000 for the Testmaster’s FE prep course, and it was worth every single penny, and then my employer picked up the tab for the PE references and prep course. They also gave every new PE a $1000 bonus so I pretty much broke even :D

I’m just out about 500 hours of my life!

 
Approx. $2,500.00

Two review course.

Registration.

Exam retake and

Books.

+ 400 hours of study.

 
Back
Top