Average Age to take FE/PE/SE

[djl PE]

Interesting, I see quite a few posts saying FE was failed during the senior year. I don’t understand why so many attempt it almost without any studying in the busiest time of their studying life.
My hands were so full (job, family, senior design) that I didn’t even think to take FE then. Instead, I’ve studied after senior design for a couple months and passed FE without any issues.
But I guess it helps with a job search after graduation.

My university required us to take it before graduation! I chose effort toward senior design rather than FE....

 

[mmarlow123]

FE- 21
SE - 25

Not sure if I'll take the PE someday

 

[Be-n]

FE- 21
SE - 25

Not sure if I'll take the PE someday

Wow, this is the first time I hear someone skipped PE exam and passed SE!

why would you need to take a PE exam? States without SE licenses usually still give you a PE license based on SE exam result.

 

[ruggercsc]

FE - 23 (Just after graduation)
PE - 50 (I thought I would be the oldest Exam Taker, but was not)

 

[mmarlow123]

Wow, this is the first time I hear someone skipped PE exam and passed SE!

why would you need to take a PE exam? States without SE licenses usually still give you a PE license based on SE exam result.

I occasionally do some work that is civil in nature, and I'm not sure if I'd be able to stamp the drawings if I've only taken the structural exam

 

[Fire_PE]

42 to take the FE and PE back to back, a month apart.

0/10, would not recommend.

 

[LEEDengineer]

My school required you to take the FE at least one full semester prior to graduation. I was a December grad so I ended up taking it 3 semesters before graduation.
FE at 21.
PE at 31.

 

[organix]

Interesting, I see quite a few posts saying FE was failed during the senior year. I don’t understand why so many attempt it almost without any studying in the busiest time of their studying life.
My hands were so full (job, family, senior design) that I didn’t even think to take FE then. Instead, I’ve studied after senior design for a couple months and passed FE without any issues.
But I guess it helps with a job search after graduation.

My undergrad also made it a requirement that we attempt the test to graduate. Luckily I passed and it made life easier.

 

[Reverse Polish]

My undergrad also made it a requirement that we attempt the test to graduate. Luckily I passed and it made life easier.

We were not required to take the FE exam, but our student ASCE chapter encouraged it for graduating seniors. When I took the FE, it fell on the Saturday smack in the middle of final exams. I recall a couple of my peers complaining to one professor, "How are we suppose to study for the final when many of us are taking the FE exam on Saturday?"

To which the professor replied, "I'd be a lot more worried about my final exam than the FE." He was correct.

 

[alpine_engineer]

FE - 22
PE - 25
SE - 27

done with all now i can rest easy

 

[Engineerbabu]

FE- 24
PE- 25
SE- 27

 

[Engineerbabu]

FE - 22
PE - 25
SE - 27

done with all now i can rest easy

we have pretty similar timeline, I was late to take FE tho

 

[Kyle James 1496]

FE -28
PE -33

 

[JayKay PE]

FE - 25 (finished my master's and took it during my first job)
PE - Started at 27, changed a couple jobs, passed at 29

 

[GrizzlyB]

View attachment 17762

Just saw this graphic in the NCEES 2019 squared report and I thought that it was interesting. Over the last 4-5 years people are waiting slightly longer to take the FE exam and are taking the PE exam slightly earlier than before. Any ideas on why this is? For the PE exam possibly states relaxing laws on when you are able to take the PE exam? Also it looks like average age to take the SE exam is about 36. Anyone willing to volunteer their age? I will be 30 at this October's test.

In TX they got rid of the minimum experience requirement for taking the PE in the Fall 2016. With so many engineers here it makes sense that alone would make an impact--lots of people are now taking it only a year out of school here. I'm not sure the reasoning for the FE trend, though. Maybe since it's been on a computer folks have more convenient options to take it and aren't as pressured to get it scheduled and done as early?

For me:
FE - 22
SE - 29
PE - 31.

Yeah I did it backwards lol. It wasn't until later that I decided I might get licensed in the PNW.

 

[CE_2_CE]

Interesting, I see quite a few posts saying FE was failed during the senior year. I don’t understand why so many attempt it almost without any studying in the busiest time of their studying life.
My hands were so full (job, family, senior design) that I didn’t even think to take FE then. Instead, I’ve studied after senior design for a couple months and passed FE without any issues.
But I guess it helps with a job search after graduation.

Most colleges require you to take the exam. You don't need to pass the exam, you only need to take it. I think its stupid honestly. Let the student figure out when the best time to take the exam is for them.

 

[ahaq]

FE at 54, PE at 55 (six months late)r.
I did not work much in engineering after my MBA at 30. However, I always worked in the periphery of oil and gas/energy. I got really hooked with the renewable energy idea and wanted a reset of my career. I can do it without a PE; my MBA/CFA has a lot of demand in this industry. However, I wanted the extra credibility and confidence that comes with a PE.
Also, if you want to keep Parkinson's at bay, taking the PE is a great tool!. Beats any amount of crossword or Sudoku .

 

[steel]

FE - 21
PE - 26 (First attempt), 27 (Second [Oct '21] and third [Mar '22] attempts)

 

[DLD PE]

FE at 54, PE at 55 (six months late)r.
I did not work much in engineering after my MBA at 30. However, I always worked in the periphery of oil and gas/energy. I got really hooked with the renewable energy idea and wanted a reset of my career. I can do it without a PE; my MBA/CFA has a lot of demand in this industry. However, I wanted the extra credibility and confidence that comes with a PE.
Also, if you want to keep Parkinson's at bay, taking the PE is a great tool!. Beats any amount of crossword or Sudoku .

Might to be good to fight Parkinson's, but it made me seriously consider taking drugs.

 

[Bamboomanage]

FE - 25
PE - 29