FE Mechanical Practice Exam
Practice FE Mechanical questions on every knowledge area in the NCEES specifications: thermodynamics, fluids, heat transfer, dynamics and vibrations, mechanics of materials, mechanical design and more. Every answer has a worked solution, and the full practice exam runs 110 questions on the real clock.
110 questions on the real 5 hours 20 minutes clock, weighted to the NCEES specifications, with a score by knowledge area and a worked solution for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drill- 400 original FE Mechanical questions with worked solutions
- 15 free drills: every knowledge area plus a mixed set
- 68% of first-time examinees passed in 2024
A thick-walled hydraulic cylinder has an inner radius of 50 mm and an outer radius of 80 mm, with an internal pressure of 30 MPa and zero external pressure. The maximum tangential (hoop) stress in the wall is most nearly:
FE Mechanical exam format
Mechanical engineering students and graduates. FE Mechanical is the second most-taken FE exam: 10,584 first-time examinees in 2024.
- Questions
- 110 questions: multiple choice plus alternative item types (multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop, fill in the blank)
- Time
- A 6-hour appointment: 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time and a 25-minute scheduled break
- Break
- After about half the questions you review and submit them, then you may take the scheduled break; submitted questions close
- Reference
- Closed book. The NCEES FE Reference Handbook appears on screen as a searchable PDF; download your free copy from MyNCEES
- Calculator
- One NCEES-approved calculator; an on-screen TI-30XS is also available
- Units
- Both SI and U.S. Customary units
- Delivery
- Computer-based, year-round at NCEES-approved Pearson VUE test centers
- Fee
- $225, paid to NCEES when you register
- Scoring
- Pass or fail. Every question is scored right or wrong with no partial credit; NCEES does not publish the passing score
- Results
- Typically 7–10 days after the exam in MyNCEES; a failing result includes a diagnostic report by topic
- Retakes
- One attempt per testing window (January–March, April–June, July–September, October–December), at most three in 12 months
What’s on the FE Mechanical exam
The 14 knowledge areas of the NCEES FE Mechanical CBT specification, with the number of questions NCEES lists for each. Our practice exam draws its 110 questions inside those ranges. Every knowledge area has a topic guide and a free ten-question drill with a worked solution after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Knowledge area | Questions on the exam | Guide | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Mathematics | 6–9 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 2. Probability and Statistics | 4–6 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 3. Ethics and Professional Practice | 4–6 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 4. Engineering Economics | 4–6 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 5. Electricity and Magnetism | 5–8 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 6. Statics | 9–14 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 7. Dynamics, Kinematics, and Vibrations | 10–15 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 8. Mechanics of Materials | 9–14 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 9. Material Properties and Processing | 7–11 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 10. Fluid Mechanics | 10–15 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 11. Thermodynamics | 10–15 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 12. Heat Transfer | 7–11 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 13. Measurements, Instrumentation, and Controls | 5–8 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
| 14. Mechanical Design and Analysis | 10–15 | Topics and problems | 10-question drill |
What FE Mechanical tests
- Five areas carry 10–15 questions each: dynamics, kinematics and vibrations; fluid mechanics; thermodynamics; mechanical design and analysis; and (9–14) mechanics of materials and statics.
- Heat transfer and material properties and processing add 7–11 questions each; electricity and magnetism and measurements, instrumentation and controls add 5–8 each.
- Mathematics (including differential equations, linear algebra and numerical methods), probability and statistics, ethics and engineering economics make up the rest.
Pass rates in 2024: 68% of first-time examinees (10,584 took it) and 36% of repeat examinees (1,906), according to NCEES.
How to take the FE Mechanical exam
- Check your state licensing board’s FE requirements. Most boards let students take the FE close to finishing an ABET-accredited engineering degree.
- Create a MyNCEES account, register for the FE Mechanical exam and pay the $225 fee to NCEES. Download your free copy of the FE Reference Handbook from MyNCEES.
- Schedule your appointment at an NCEES-approved Pearson VUE test center. The FE is offered year-round.
- Sit the exam: 110 questions in 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, with the handbook on screen. Results arrive in MyNCEES, typically within 7–10 days.
- After you pass, apply to your board for engineer intern (EI) or engineer-in-training (EIT) status where it offers one, and start the experience the PE license requires.
Common questions
How many questions are on the FE Mechanical exam?
110 questions in 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, inside a 6-hour appointment that also holds a nondisclosure agreement, a tutorial and a 25-minute scheduled break. After about half the questions you review and submit them, then take the break.
What score do you need to pass the FE Mechanical exam?
NCEES does not publish a passing score. Subject-matter experts set the standard with psychometric methods, and it varies slightly with the difficulty of each exam form. Results are reported only as pass or fail; a failing result comes with a diagnostic report by topic.
Can I bring notes or a book to the FE Mechanical exam?
No. The FE is closed book. NCEES supplies the FE Reference Handbook on screen as a searchable PDF, and you bring one NCEES-approved calculator. Practice with the same handbook: it is free in your MyNCEES account.
How often can I retake the FE Mechanical exam?
Once per testing window and no more than three times in any 12-month period. The windows are January–March, April–June, July–September and October–December. Some state boards are stricter, and you pay the fee again for each attempt.
Are these official NCEES questions?
No. NCEES does not release its exam questions. These are original practice questions written to the published CBT exam specifications, with a worked solution for every answer.
What is the FE Mechanical pass rate?
In 2024, 68% of first-time FE Mechanical examinees passed (7,227 of 10,584), and 36% of repeat examinees passed (684 of 1,906), according to NCEES.
What are the most important topics on the FE Mechanical exam?
Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, dynamics and vibrations, and mechanical design and analysis each carry 10–15 of the 110 questions, so together they are close to half the exam. Statics and mechanics of materials add 9–14 each.
Ready for exam day?
110 questions on the real 5 hours 20 minutes clock, weighted to the NCEES specifications, with a score by knowledge area and a worked solution for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillMore FE exam practice
One FE exam pass covers every practice exam and drill below.
Exam format, fees, retake rules, specifications and pass rates checked November 2026: NCEES: FE Mechanical CBT exam specifications · NCEES: FE exam · NCEES: Computer-based testing and alternative item types · NCEES Examinee Guide (November 2026) · NCEES 2025 Engineering Forum: FE exam volumes and pass rates, 2024.
Original independent practice questions written to the published NCEES exam specifications. Not affiliated with or endorsed by NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying). FE is the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam.