PE Civil exam updates: The path toward specialization

Over the past few years, NCEES has made substantial changes to the PE Civil exam, affecting both its format and content. By eliminating the common knowledge areas that previously included general engineering topics, NCEES shifted its focus toward discipline-specific assessment. Today, all five PE Civil exams (Construction, Structural, Geotechnical, Transportation, Water resources and environmental) are dedicated exclusively to their respective practice areas. 

Key updates to the PE Civil Exam Structure: 

• Topics that were previously common across all five PE Civil disciplines have been eliminated, making each exam fully discipline specific. 

• The distribution of questions within individual topics and subtopics has been revised to better reflect the new specialized exam structure. 

• Topic and subtopic terminology has been updated to align more closely with current industry standards and professional practice. 

• New subtopics have been added specifically to the Transportation and Water Resources PE Civil exams. 

Despite the recent updates to the PE Civil exam structure, several key aspects remain unchanged: 

• The PE Civil exam continues to be computer-based and is offered year-round at NCEES-approved Pearson VUE testing centers. 

• The exam still consists of 80 questions. 

• The total appointment time remains 9 hours, which includes: 

• A nondisclosure agreement (2 minutes) 

• A tutorial session (8 minutes) 

• The main exam session (8 hours) 

• A scheduled break (50 minutes) 

• The exam is designed for engineers with a minimum of four years of post-college work experience in their chosen engineering discipline. 

The era of the general civil engineer is coming to an end, as these changes are shifting engineers toward specialization in their respective fields. While the adjustments have sparked a variety of opinions among engineers, they have also created challenges stemming from the new, more specialized exam structure. 

Challenges of the changes: 

• Engineers may become more siloed, which can affect collaboration and communication on large projects. 

• Limited exposure to principles outside one’s specialty can make career changes or interdisciplinary projects more difficult. 

• The 80 exam questions are expected to be more complex and in-depth compared to the previous Depth section. 

The field of civil engineering is experiencing significant changes, and the PE Civil exam is evolving to reflect these shifts. The ultimate goal of NCEES is to elevate public safety and protection, and these updates support that mission by ensuring that licensed engineers are true experts in their respective fields. 

At GEC, we are here to guide you every step of the way, keeping you informed about the latest updates and helping you successfully obtain your PE license. Adapting to these changes with flexibility and a proactive mindset is essential for engineers who wish to stay current, excel in their careers, and achieve professional mastery in their discipline.