The FE Other Disciplines exam is the broadest of the six FE exams offered by NCEES. It is designed for engineers whose undergraduate degree doesn’t fit neatly into one of the discipline-specific exams—think industrial, aerospace, agricultural, biomedical, nuclear, mining, petroleum, and systems engineering. That breadth is both the exam’s defining characteristic and its biggest challenge: you need working knowledge across 14 topic areas that span statics, thermodynamics, electrical theory, materials science, and more. This page brings together everything you need to prepare—exam details, topic weights, study strategy, practice problems, and the tools that will help you on exam day.
FE Other Disciplines Exam at a Glance
| Questions | 110 multiple-choice |
| Time | 5 hours 20 minutes (~2.9 min/question) |
| Format | Computer-based at Pearson VUE centers, year-round |
| Topics | 14 topic areas across shared foundations and engineering breadth |
| Cost | $225 (NCEES registration fee) |
| Pass rate | ~65% first-time |
| Reference | FE Reference Handbook (provided digitally) |
| Result | Engineer Intern (EI) / Engineer in Training (EIT) designation |
Who Should Take the FE Other Disciplines Exam?
Any engineering graduate can choose to sit for the FE Other Disciplines exam, but it is specifically designed for candidates whose degree program doesn’t align with the Civil, Mechanical, Electrical & Computer, Chemical, or Environmental FE exams. Common backgrounds include:
- Industrial engineering — process optimization, operations research, and manufacturing systems
- Aerospace engineering — structural analysis, thermodynamics, and dynamics
- Biomedical engineering — instrumentation, materials science, and signal processing
- Agricultural engineering — fluid mechanics, soil mechanics, and environmental systems
- Nuclear engineering — thermodynamics, heat transfer, and safety systems
- Mining and petroleum engineering — statics, strength of materials, and fluid flow
- Systems engineering — controls, instrumentation, and engineering economics
If you earned your degree in one of these fields and want to begin the path to PE licensure, this is your exam. For a detailed topic-by-topic study plan, see our FE Other Disciplines study guide.
What Does the FE Other Disciplines Exam Cover?
The exam spans 14 topic areas—four shared foundational subjects that appear on every FE exam, and nine topics specific to the Other Disciplines specification. The NCEES exam specification assigns each topic a percentage weight range:
FE Other Disciplines Topic Weights
- Fluid Mechanics: 12–18 questions — highest single topic
- Statics: 9–14 questions — high priority
- Dynamics: 9–14 questions — high priority
- Strength of Materials: 9–14 questions — high priority
- Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer: 9–14 questions — high priority
- Mathematics: 8–12 questions — high priority
- Probability and Statistics: 6–9 questions
- Safety, Health, and Environment: 6–9 questions
- Engineering Economics: 6–9 questions
- Materials: 6–9 questions
- Basic Electrical Engineering: 6–9 questions
- Chemistry: 5–8 questions
- Engineering Ethics and Societal Impacts: 5–8 questions
- Instrumentation and Controls: 4–6 questions
If your study time is limited, start with fluids, the mechanics family, thermodynamics and heat transfer, and mathematics. Those topics cover the largest question bands and also train the handbook lookup habits you need for the smaller breadth areas.
Which Topics Carry the Most Weight?
The FE Other Disciplines exam is broad, but the weights are not flat. Fluid Mechanics is the largest single topic, and the mechanics/thermo/math cluster carries a lot of the scoring load. Here is how to think about prioritization:
- Fluid Mechanics (12–18 questions) — Bernoulli, continuity, pipe flow, head loss, Reynolds number, pumps, and dimensional analysis. This is the first lookup lane to make comfortable.
- Statics, Dynamics, and Strength of Materials (9–14 questions each) — Free-body diagrams, equilibrium, work-energy, impulse-momentum, stress, strain, Mohr’s circle, beam bending, and column buckling.
- Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer (9–14 questions) — First and second law applications, ideal gas processes, thermodynamic cycles, conduction, convection, and radiation.
- Mathematics (8–12 questions) — Calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, vectors, and numerical methods. Math is not just a warm-up; it is one of the highest-weight sections.
After that core, rotate through probability, safety, economics, materials, basic electrical, chemistry, ethics, and controls. None of those should be skipped, but they are where a steady breadth rotation usually beats narrow over-study.
How Should You Prepare?
Most successful candidates invest 200–300 hours of focused study over 8 to 16 weeks. Because the FE Other Disciplines exam covers such a wide range of engineering fundamentals, your study approach matters as much as the hours you put in:
- Start with a diagnostic. Take a timed practice set covering all 14 topic areas. Identify where your gaps are before you build your schedule. There is no point spending a week on Statics if you already ace those problems.
- Prioritize by weight. Focus your first weeks on fluids, statics, dynamics, strength of materials, thermodynamics/heat transfer, and math. These represent the largest block of questions and are where targeted study pays off the most.
- Learn the Reference Handbook. NCEES provides a searchable digital copy of the FE Reference Handbook during the exam. Knowing exactly where to find beam deflection formulas, thermodynamic property tables, and circuit equations saves critical minutes on exam day.
- Cover the breadth topics. Once you are solid on the high-weight areas, cycle through probability, safety, economics, materials, basic electrical, chemistry, ethics, and controls. Aim for competence rather than mastery—being able to solve 60–70% of questions in each area goes a long way.
- Practice under exam conditions. At 2.9 minutes per question, pacing matters. Work through problems with a timer. If a problem takes too long, flag it and move on—the exam interface lets you return to flagged questions later.
- Review every missed question. Understand why you got it wrong. Was it a concept gap, a formula lookup issue, a unit conversion error, or a calculator mistake? Each type needs a different fix.
What Study Materials Do You Need?
You do not need an expensive prep course. Here are the essentials:
- TI-36X Pro calculator — The most popular NCEES-approved calculator. Other Disciplines problems span everything from circuit analysis to thermodynamic calculations, so become proficient with scientific notation, equation solving, and unit conversions. See our calculator comparison guide for alternatives.
- NCEES FE Reference Handbook — Buy a printed copy you can tab and annotate during study sessions. The same content is provided digitally on exam day. Knowing the handbook’s layout is one of the biggest time-savers during the actual exam.
- A quality review manual — Choose one that covers all 14 Other Disciplines topics with worked examples. See our best FE exam prep books guide for detailed comparisons.
- Practice problems — Solving problems is where real learning happens. Our FE Other Disciplines practice problems include step-by-step solutions across all major topics, from free-body diagrams to AC circuit analysis to heat transfer calculations.
How Much Does the FE Other Disciplines Exam Cost?
The exam itself costs $225, paid to NCEES when you register online. Some states charge an additional application fee (typically $25–50). Factor in a calculator ($20–25 for the TI-36X Pro), the reference handbook, and any review materials you choose. Most candidates spend $250–$450 total—significantly less than live prep courses and a small investment toward a career-long PE license.
Registration is done through your MyNCEES account. Once approved by your state board, you can schedule your exam at any Pearson VUE testing center. The exam is offered year-round, so pick a date that aligns with your study timeline. Before test day, review our exam day checklist to make sure you have everything in order.
What Happens After You Pass?
Passing the FE exam earns you the Engineer Intern (EI) or Engineer in Training (EIT) designation, depending on your state. This is the first of two exams on the path to full PE licensure. After gaining the required professional experience (typically four years under a licensed PE), you become eligible to sit for the PE exam in your chosen discipline.
For engineers in fields like industrial, aerospace, or biomedical engineering, PE licensure opens doors that a degree alone cannot. Licensed PEs can sign and seal engineering drawings, serve as the engineer of record on projects, and take on roles that require professional accountability. In consulting, defense, and infrastructure sectors, PE licensure is increasingly a requirement for advancement to senior technical and management positions.
Where Should You Start?
We have built resources specifically for FE Other Disciplines candidates. Here is the recommended path:
- FE Other Disciplines Study Guide — Full breakdown of all 14 topics, question weights, key formulas, and a structured study plan
- How to Pass the FE Other Disciplines Exam — Test-day strategy, time management, and the habits that separate first-time passers from repeat test-takers
- FE Other Disciplines Practice Problems — 10 realistic problems with detailed step-by-step solutions across all major topics
🔢 Calculator Guide • 📕 Best Prep Books • ✅ Exam Day Checklist • Handbook Navigation Guide • Returning Engineers Guide
Use the FE Handbook 10.6 page guide for FE Other Disciplines to focus lookup practice across the shared mechanics, fluids, thermo, math, probability, ethics, and electrical sections.
Open the FE Other Disciplines page guideFrequently Asked Questions
What is the pass rate for the FE Other Disciplines exam?
The FE Other Disciplines exam has a first-time pass rate of approximately 65%, which is lower than most discipline-specific FE exams. The broader topic coverage means you need to prepare across a wider range of engineering fundamentals. Structured preparation that covers all 14 topic areas—with extra emphasis on the four high-weight subjects (Statics, Strength of Materials, Thermodynamics, and Electricity)—significantly improves your chances of passing on the first attempt.
How many questions are on the FE Other Disciplines exam?
The FE Other Disciplines exam has 110 multiple-choice questions with a total time limit of 5 hours and 20 minutes. That works out to approximately 2.9 minutes per question. The exam is computer-based and offered year-round at Pearson VUE testing centers.
How much does it cost to take the FE Other Disciplines exam?
The FE exam costs $225, paid directly to NCEES when you register. Some states charge an additional application fee (typically $25–50). You will also need an NCEES-approved calculator such as the TI-36X Pro ($20–25) and study materials. Budget roughly $250–$450 total depending on your state and the resources you choose.
What are the highest-weight topics on the FE Other Disciplines exam?
Fluid Mechanics is the largest single FE Other Disciplines topic at 12–18 questions. The next highest-return group is Statics, Dynamics, Strength of Materials, and Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer at 9–14 questions each, followed by Mathematics at 8–12 questions.
Who should take the FE Other Disciplines exam?
The FE Other Disciplines exam is designed for engineers whose undergraduate degree does not align with one of the other discipline-specific FE exams (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Environmental). It is well suited for graduates in industrial engineering, aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, biomedical engineering, nuclear engineering, mining engineering, petroleum engineering, systems engineering, and similar programs. Any engineering graduate can choose this exam if the broad coverage matches their strengths.
Civil • Mechanical • Electrical & Computer • Chemical • Environmental
Disclaimer: This guide is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCEES. The “Fundamentals of Engineering” exam, “FE” exam, and “NCEES” are trademarks of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Exam specifications and content are subject to change; always refer to the official NCEES website for the most current information.
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Put your preparation into action with realistic FE Other Disciplines practice questions. Covers all 14 exam topics with detailed explanations, visual diagrams, and a built-in reference search—starting at $20.