Should I get my Professional Engineer (PE) license? Is it really worth it?
December 20, 2020
By: Lisandro Vazquez, PE
Are you feeling pressured to get your Professional Engineer’s license? Perhaps you’ve been working in engineering for a while and it seems like the next logical step… but you’re not really feeling it. The questions keep popping up:
“How am I going to find the time to prepare?”
“Do I even need my PE?”
” Why should I go through all the pain of studying & preparing when I’m already working full-time… is it worth it?”
“I’ve been out of school for so long… what are the odds I’ll pass?” “What if I fail?”
“Do I even want to get my PE?”
Maybe you’ve been doing just fine without a license. Maybe you’re getting close to meeting the minimum qualifying work experience required for licensure; or, maybe you’ve been working in the engineering field for years—perhaps a decade or more—and you’ve been pushing it off. But now—today—you’re ready to decide. Should I do it? Should I get my PE?
There are so many facets to consider; and of course, the “right” choice is going to depend on you—your needs, your specific circumstances. With that in mind, the aim of this article is to assist you in formulating the pros and cons of getting your PE by presenting points for your consideration rather than telling you how to choose.
We’ll begin our discussion by addressing the real reasons why you may be considering licensure, even if you might not be too excited about it. Just as a fair warning here, the first few points may serve to dissuade you from pursuing your PE depending upon your own circumstances and goals. Again, my objective is to facilitate your own process of determination by offering structured talking points rather than to convince you to choose one way or the other.
Granted, as a licensed engineer I personally feel there are many plusses to professional licensure, but this view is based on my own individual goals which may differ from your own. Consequently, it’s likely that some of the benefits outlined below may not really resonate with you—and that’s perfectly ok!
However you choose, be confident in your choice knowing that you gave due consideration of the pros & cons. Let’s get started!
Discussion points for whether to pursue your PE license:
- Is a PE license required by your company—or your particular field of engineering—to advance beyond a certain level?
If the answer is yes, pause for a moment and reflect on the following: do you really want to advance to those levels? Be honest with yourself… is advancement beyond your current position what YOU truly want in your life?
If this is a resounding YES, then you know what you need to do… get your license. Make the commitment. Dedicate yourself to the fullest and GET IT DONE. Don’t push it off anymore. If you’re afraid of failing… don’t be.
If you work hard on your studies and prep work and you still fail… try it again. It’s really not the end of the world. Yes, it will definitely suck and you’ll have to spend a whole bunch more time, but it’s better than never attempting it and wondering what “could have been.” Knowing is better than wondering. In any case, it’s probably not as bad as you might think. Check out the section later discussing pass-rates for the PE exam.
But… if you don’t really want to advance to those levels do you somehow feel that you need to in order to remain relevant (i.e. employable)? If so, are you 100% positive that this is the case? Are you sure? Is this just the case for your specific company? What if you switched companies? Would this change your prospects?
Are there other options that perhaps you may not have devoted focused thought & research on? Have you discussed this with co-workers, supervisors, managers etc.?
What are your options? Maybe spend some time surfing through online job boards to see what sorts of positions are being advertised. Maybe you’ll see something you had never considered or didn’t know existed, something which could be a great fit for you without needing a license.
The point is: Why commit yourself towards earning this license if you aren’t motivated to do so, and worse, if you feel that you’re being forced to do so? If this is how you feel about it now, how are you going to feel when the time comes to study & prepare?
- For your specific situation (i.e. your company, position, division) would your job description or duties & responsibilities significantly change by earning your PE?
If yes, would these changes result in an improvement in working conditions, duties, or pay? Or, do you feel like these changes would result in you doing less of the things you currently enjoy and more of the things you don’t enjoy? If so, why are you considering this step?
If it’s just about the pay… how much extra pay do you realistically think you’ll get? Is it really worth it if it results in reduced satisfaction with your work?
If earning your PE will lead to you participating in more meetings with clients, more planning discussions, more emails, and less detailed drafting work… and that makes you cringe… then perhaps look for alternate certifications, educational opportunities, or other ways of furthering your professional career that won’t take you in a direction which may potentially lead to less job satisfaction.
Keep in mind though, your actual experience may end up being different than what you initially imagine.
What if your duties & responsibilities won’t materially change by earning your PE license? If you like what you’re currently doing and earning your PE won’t really change what you do day-to-day, but you’re confident it’ll result in greater pay year after year after year… then it seems rather straightforward… get your license.
What if your duties won’t really change and the difference in pay isn’t much of a motivation? Are there other specific tangible and non-tangible benefits you may gain from licensure? If deep down inside your soul you secretly want to get your license primarily as a point of pride or status… then do it. Who cares if this is the reason?
If it’s your reason, and earning your license will improve your self-image, then it sounds like you’ve got a concrete goal… get licensed. Just remember, though, you’ve got to be willing to accept the added responsibility that comes with being an engineer of record with respect to public safety & due diligence.
- Do your goals for the future entail more management and less actual engineering?
If yes, then maybe your time/energy would be better spent towards earning an MBA, or taking finance and accounting courses, or Lean Six Sigma, or some other management related study depending upon the functional needs of your specific industry. Maybe getting a PMP certification is more important for your future aspirations.
If you don’t need a PE and you don’t really want to go through the trouble of not only earning it but maintaining it… why do it?
For a quick counterpoint, however, if your future management goals require having a PE (perhaps becoming a principle at an A&E firm), then you’re pretty much stuck with needing the license. If this last statement resonates with you—being “stuck” with getting a license—have you considered management careers in a slightly different field? It could still be technical or engineering related; you don’t have to start over.
- Would a master’s degree in engineering be more important for your future goals/advancement?
If you’re involved in R&D or looking to teach, or perhaps you’re in a field where there isn’t exactly a strong industry-wide need for earning your PE, it might be a better use of your finite time & attention to expand your technical knowledge and expertise by taking classes.
Sure, this is quite a bit more expensive and WAY more time intensive than getting a PE, but if it would be MORE beneficial for you to get your master’s degree, then perhaps preparing for the PE might serve as a distraction from the real goal. What’s more, if your company offers tuition assistance this may be an outstanding opportunity to further your career.
- Are you interested in teaching at a university?
Though not all states require engineering educators to be licensed engineers, your particular state or desired university may. On the other hand, if your desire is to teach at a university or college regardless of the actual curriculum, then maybe you could apply your work experiences towards leading introductory engineering courses, or perhaps freshman or sophomore level technical electives which aren’t specifically “engineering” courses (i.e. not requiring a PE).
Have you looked into the educational/experience requirements to qualify as an instructor in these fields at the institutions you’re interested in?
- Is your goal more of becoming a “knowledge-holder” within your company/industry regardless of licensure status?
If you aren’t particularly interested in becoming an engineer of record, or in splitting off and forming your own engineering firm, would focusing your energies towards specializing in a few key areas of your field improve your value beyond that attainable from earning your PE?
Though a license might be a great way to open doors for advancement, the same could be true for becoming an unequivocal knowledge-holder for key technical topics. Is there somebody in your field who you personally know or work with whose technical knowledge you find impressive?
What do you find impressive about their knowledge? Try to avoid saying “because they just seem to know so much about so many things” or some other rather vague explanation. Which things do they know? What is it that they know about those things?
By this I mean; do they know lots of statistics without having to consult a reference manual; do they know how things are actually installed as opposed to how they are sometimes depicted graphically; do they know how much certain materials cost; do they understand how to use specific formulas; do they understand how particular mechanisms or processes operate in finite detail?
The point we’re driving towards is this: If you can clearly articulate which specific traits or knowledge points you find impressive of this individual, then you can build yourself a plan of action with quantifiable and attainable milestones to achieve that knowledge. Build a year-long syllabus—or even multi-year—and have it broken down into smaller manageable chunks with due dates. This way, you can keep track of your progress and hold yourself accountable 😉
- If you want to get licensed but you’re hesitating to take the first step, is your primary concern whether you’ll pass the PE exam?
The PE is a tough exam—and you will have to devote some serious time & effort in preparation—but it may not be as bad as you think. Consider the following stats on pass rates:
According to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)—the organization that offers the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam—the majority of test-takers have completed 4 to 5 years of work experience since college graduation. For this group of test-takers the pass-rate is approximately 72-75% (minor year-to-year fluctuations can be expected).
While this group represents the highest pass-rates the numbers are still reasonable the longer a test-taker is out of school. For those with around 6 years of work experience after graduating college, the typical pass-rate drops slightly to around 70%. From 6 to 8 years though the pass rate steadily falls to just over 60% and remains relatively flat through 10 years. From 11 years and up we drop to 55%.
If you’re still on the fence, but you haven’t yet taken the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam, I highly recommend that you study for that test and get it out of the way. It’s a small cost to you financially and would be a cost to your time if you finally decide not to get licensed, but if you DO decide to get licensed you’ll be very thankful that you’ve already taken care of this first step.
- Are you interested in getting licensed, but you’re concerned that it might be too late to make much of a difference for your career?
If this describes your feelings I highly encourage you to check out the article “Never too late to earn a PE” from NSPE for a short but inspiring read on one PE who earned his initial licensure at age 50. This opened new doors and allowed him to achieve even greater career highs. https://www.nspe.org/resources/blogs/nspe-blog/never-too-late-earn-pe
There is never a “perfect” time to get licensed, and it’s certainly never “too late.”
Reasons for pursuing your PE license:
Entrepreneurship: If your future plans include founding your own engineering services company your state likely requires that you or a principal of your company be a licensed engineer. Even if your firm’s general scope of work does not usually require signed/sealed drawings there may be situations (perhaps legal) in which written documentation provided by your firm would need to have a PE’s seal affixed to it. Check your state’s legal code to learn more.
Career Advancement: At the beginning of your engineering career it’s probably not that imperative that you immediately get licensed. You can perform your day-to-day tasks, calculations, and designs without having to sign plans or documents. But as your experience and professional acumen grow you may end up hitting a ceiling on how far you can advance without a license.
If your desired career path involves managing a team of engineers/designers, becoming a departmental lead or senior-level manager, or perhaps a principal of a company, being a PE is likely a must. This will of course depend on your specific field of engineering and jurisdiction of practice. Even if you aren’t 100% certain that your desired career path leads to management or senior-level technical status, a PE license will definitely serve to differentiate you from your peers.
Though it may not be imperative that you get licensed early-on, I definitely think it’s a good idea, especially if you’re hungry for greater responsibility and want to advance in your field quickly. I wanted this responsibility. I wanted my license as soon as possible. So, I worked hard and was able to earn my PE license as soon as I had met my minimum qualifying work experience.
Honestly, it felt great. And, I got a raise. Pretty good deal.
Better Pay: In general, licensed engineers earn more money over their careers than those without a license. Though as with most things we’re covering here the magnitude of this difference will depend on your specific field of engineering.
Consider this example: the 2017 median compensation for a PE in Mechanical Engineering is ~$16,000 higher than unlicensed engineers according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers5. Whether this data is corrected for differences in responders’ experience level when comparing non-licensed engineers to licensed engineers I do not know. Perhaps this is a high estimate. Even so, having a license can help you negotiate for higher pay; and this higher pay year after year after year can really add up.
Let’s say that over a 30-year career after initial licensure, your average difference in annual pay only comes out to be about $2,000 (this seems awfully low, but it might be the case if your field doesn’t necessarily require licensure for advancement). $2,000 over 30 years comes to $60,000.
But, if we take into consideration compounding interest this could equal a couple of years’ worth of additional salary depending on how you invest your extra earnings.
As you can see, if your field of engineering does place emphasis on earning your PE license not doing so could cost you tens of thousands of dollars over your career.
Now, there are some costs associated with getting licensed in addition to the costs associated with maintaining licensure such as renewals with your state and continuing education credits (if mandated by your state). You may be able to get these costs covered by your employer though, so make sure to ask. They may even cover the costs of study guides or even preparatory courses.
Improved Marketability: As mentioned earlier having a PE license on your resume will differentiate you from your peers. Further, because you possess this license you may be among a small number of qualified people at your firm who can sign letters or documentation when those occurrences arise. Sure, this may not sound super exciting but you never know when this might “save the day.”
More importantly however is the fact that a PE license is recognized outside of the engineering industry. Developers, owners, regulators, financiers etc. who are involved with projects requiring engineering input may not know much of anything about engineering, so they will be much more comfortable hiring a licensed consultant or firm with multiple PE’s on its staff. This can help expand your firm’s opportunities for projects and allow it to be more diverse in its portfolio. Now that is super exciting.
Economics—Supply vs. Demand: The fact is, not everybody with an engineering degree is a licensed engineer. Moreover, the vast majority of people involved with the engineering design process aren’t licensed. And for those who actually possess an engineering license, not all of them are actively engaged in engineering design.
When you boil it all down you come to find that Professional Engineers might be rarer than you would have first imagined. So, if you’re in an industry where there is a steady or growing demand for engineering design & consultation, earning your license may be your ticket to being part of a limited supply of design professionals.
Let’s take a look at some real-world statistics to back up this claim:
For our example we’ll use the 2012 engineering graduating class as our sample cohort. According to the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) the total number of engineering bachelor’s degree graduates (in the US) was 88,176.
Note: To make the math easier we’re going to round off some of the data.
Let’s follow this class to 2017. In that year there were ~5,000 PE test takers with 5 years of experience and the pass-rate was approximately 72% (using the published NCEES exam data). Therefore, about 3,600 of these applicants passed the exam. This represents only 4% of the graduating class. But of course, this is not the only year in which 2012 graduates took the PE so we’ll continue.
Add in 3,800 and 2,800 more test-takers from this graduating class to account for those who took the exam either 4 years or 6 years after graduation. Applying pass rates of 75% and 70% respectively gives us another 2,850 and 1,950 more PE’s for this cohort, yielding a subtotal of 8,400. This represents ~9.5% of total engineering graduates for that year.
If we use the 2017 PE exam cycle stats for all the remaining applicants (those beyond 4-6 years of experience) and apply them to the 2012 cohort, we get an additional ~5,500 PE’s (yes… the numbers will be somewhat skewed since the number of total engineering graduates is increasing each year, but it’ll still give us a reasonable estimate).
So, in total we get ~13,900 PEs. But recognizing that our numbers will be a bit off owing to the fact that graduation rates are increasing (meaning we can’t just apply the 2017 numbers of test-takers with 6, 7, 8 years’ experience to the 2012 data) we’re going to add an additional 15%. This will account for some growth in graduates over 5 years, which will give us 6,500 additional PE’s rather than 5,500.
Now our revised total comes to 14,900 PE’s, which means about 17% of the class gets a license.
Because of our rough math and last little extrapolation our estimate might be a bit high depending on the graduating class year, but again… we’re just looking for the overall indicators here. The point is this: being part of the 15-20% of professionals who are licensed might place you in higher demand than if you were part of the 80-85% of those without a license.
Personal Satisfaction: Becoming a PE is hard work. It takes years of studying, years of experience, multiple exams, and years of continuing education & renewals to maintain licensure. It’s not easy. It’s not something that everybody does. It’s not something that even the majority of engineers do.
Earning your license is an achievement. Personally, I find much internal satisfaction in having achieved something difficult, especially if the process of achievement results in furtherance of my professional knowledge. Sure, it’s a hard thing to quantify exactly, but if you’re the kind of person that enjoys overcoming challenges then maybe you should just go for it.
Benefits of Studying & Continuing Education Credits (CEUs): Studying to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam and the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Exam is an excellent way to refresh and cement your understanding of core engineering concepts related to your work. Moreover, after you earn your license you’ll likely need to earn a certain number of educational credits each year to maintain licensure (depends on your state’s respective requirements). This is an outstanding way to stay current on your knowledge of fundamentals and to stay “plugged-in” with new developments within your industry.
My personal take:
Earning your PE license can be the ticket to better pay, differentiation amongst your peers, and has the potential to open opportunities for your professional growth. It may not be required to do your job. It may not even be common for your specific line of engineering. But, I challenge you to give it some serious thought.
Read more about what it means to be a PE. Consider what future opportunities you may want to pursue. Ask those who are 5, 10, 15, or 20 years more advanced in their career about their thoughts. Ask for specific pros and cons… not just “what they think.”
Then, ask yourself what it is that you want from your career.
Closing Thoughts:
If you’re still undecided as to whether to pursue engineering licensure; it’s ok, you can relax a little. There is no across-the-board “right” or “wrong” answer.
Getting your license is a personal decision based on a lot of personal needs, wants, and desires which compete with the important demands of your time—family, friends, work, hobbies etc. I encourage you to spend some more time considering the pros & cons and I sincerely hope that you arrive at an answer that leads to an increase in your personal happiness.
From your friends at Engineer Q&A, best wishes and thanks for reading!
Testimonials and short videos on the need and benefits of PE license:
- Awesome article on getting your PE and myths & concerns about getting it: https://www.designworldonline.com/is-the-professional-engineering-license-worth-the-effort/
- Short testimonials on why people became PEs: https://www.nspe.org/resources/professional-engineers-day/why-i-became-a-pe
- Pass rates for PE exam and general statistics from NCEES: https://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/Squared-2018-for-web.pdf
Want to learn more about improving your engineering career? Check out these other great articles from Engineer Q&A:
Salary, the full story—how you could be missing out on your full earnings…
How to Improve Work Life Balance: 9 Ways from Easiest to Hardest
