April 2015 Pass Rates

[wgodfrey]

I have been collecting the SE Exam pass rates for the past several years (since fall 2011). I forgot to grab the Spring 2015 rates before they were taken down (maybe b/c I was deep into my own studying at that point). Does anyone happen to know what the pass rates were for that exam, Spring 2015?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Andy Lin]

Maybe you are looking for something like this? http://structuralengineerhq.com/ncees-se-exam-statistics/

I only have it for buildings though.

 

[wgodfrey]

Andy, many thanks. That's exactly what I was looking for. We apparently had the same idea...

 

[SE_FL]

I've been watching the FL state board newsletters every quarter. They congratulate test passers when the results are posted. I have only seen three SE passers in the last two years. When I took it Oct 2015, there were 8 testers in Orlando. I'm sure there were more in Tallahassee and Miami. So 1 passer per year (out of maybe 25) in FL is much lower than the national statistics. That tells me other states have higher passing rates. Maybe CA is around 85% due to the state requirements and the push from the industry for more SE licenses there.

I wish they broke down the statistics per state. I'm assuming non seismic states have a harder time with those concepts.

 

[Giuseppe]

In my state, ten people took the April 2015 SE lateral.  Three passed.

National pass rate for that same exam was 43%.  

I would be shocked if the western states don't buoy up the national average considerably.

 

[wgodfrey]

Wow, it's surprising to me that there were so few taking the exam in those areas. There were around 90 taking it in IL in October and about 120 in April, if I'm remembering correctly. 

 

[Giuseppe]

It makes sense, really.  If it's not a state-mandated license to practice, you're not going to see the same turnout that you would in CA, IL, WA, etc.  Most sane individuals will opt for the Civil-structural PE or some other PE "path of lesser resistance".

You won't see the landscape change until those of us with SEs consistently leverage preference in the form of SE-specific criteria for new hires.  I admire how NCSEA and friends advocate so heavily for recognition of SE licensure in all states.  But individual firms hold just as much sway, if not more.

 

[kevo_55]

The SE exam is hard, but not as hard as the SE3 when that was around.

Here's CA's statistics: http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/exam_statistics.shtml

Note that most everyone has a hard time with this exam.

EDIT: You can find WA's info in their Board Journals: http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/engineerslandsurveyors/publications.html

 

[smahurin]

For what its worth in Montana we had 4 SE-Vertical examinees (1-bridge and 3-building) and 3 SE-Lateral examinees (1-bridge, 2-building) in April 2015.  I know that's sort of off topic from the original post.  Only two of us (me taking the buildings, and another person taking the bridge) were taking both sections that weekend.  I passed both building sections, no idea on how the other examinee's fared for what little its worth.  

As you can probably guess, Montana does not recognize or mandate the SE.  Therefore... basically nobody takes it.  It was pretty odd being 1 of 3 test takers in the room on Saturday for the lateral portion.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Same with Maine, we had only 3 takers when I passed. 1 was out of state as well but taking it in Maine because he found it easier to get approval to sit for the exam than in his home state.

 

[bassplayer45]

Cincinnati had 3 of us when I passed. 2 building and me the lonely bridge. One time when I took it I was the only person in the room in Ohio, that was an interesting experience. Long story short, I brought the average down that year.

My friend who attempted it a few times in Illinois told me that the rooms in Illinois are filled to the brim just like it was a PE exam, since they actually require the license

 

[CyclonePE]

I took it in Illinois April 2014.  There was close to 80 people each day.  The second day a few more then the first.

 

[PE Stamps]

Same with Maine, we had only 3 takers when I passed. 1 was out of state as well but taking it in Maine because he found it easier to get approval to sit for the exam than in his home state.

You still work in Maine?  Where to?

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Bangor at American Concrete Industries doing their in-house engineering.