FE Mechanical · cost · prices as of Oct 29, 2026
FE Mechanical exam cost, fee times attempts
All seven FE disciplines charge one fee. What differs is how many times people pay it. At the pass rates reported for mechanical candidates, the expected bill is about one and a half fees, the lowest of the FE disciplines on this site.
FE Mechanical practice test Exam facts
Updated Oct 29, 2026 · Not affiliated with NCEES.
- ExamFE Mechanical
- per attempt, to NCEES$225
- expected attempts (our estimate)1.51
- expected NCEES fees (our estimate)$339
- Checked
What you pay, and to whom
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $225 to NCEESFor each attempt, registrations from January 1, 2024 ($175 before). | NCEES: FE exam · NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) · NCEES: new exam prices effective January 1, 2024 [1][2][3] | |
| Board application fee | Some boards require their own application and fee before you can sit; amounts vary by board | NCEES: FE exam · NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) [1][2] | |
| Reschedule or cancel | $50 to Pearson, at least 48 hours before the appointmentCanceling the registration refunds the NCEES fee minus a $50 administrative fee (waived if you already paid Pearson a cancellation fee). | NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) [2] | |
| Retakes | Once per testing window, at most 3 times in any 12 monthsSome boards are stricter. | NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) [2] | |
| Time to test after approval | 12 months to test after board approvalThe fee is forfeited if you neither test nor cancel within 12 months. | NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) [2] | |
| Official practice exam | Two interactive practice exams (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2), 50 questions each, $50 eachBuilt on the July 2020 specifications; retired when new specifications take effect.as of Oct 29, 2026 · NCEES store price | NCEES: FE Mechanical Interactive Practice Exam Vol. 1 · NCEES exam prep store (product list) [4][5] |
The fee and the board
Exam fee: $225 per attempt, paid when you register, the same for all seven FE disciplines. Some state boards want a separate board application and fee first; others let you register directly. That part is set by your board, so check its rules before you budget. Registration steps, cancellation and refunds are covered once for all disciplines on FE exam registration.
Expected attempts at this discipline's pass rates
A fee is paid per attempt, so the real cost depends on the chance of passing. The annual Squared report gives first-time and repeat results for each fiscal year; for October 2024 to September 2025, all first-time mechanical takers passed at 69% and repeat takers at 37%. The calculation below assumes you keep trying within the cap of three attempts in twelve months.
Expected number of attempts, fiscal year October 2024–September 2025:
Calculation steps
- 1First attempt: everyone sits once1
- 2Second attempt, needed if the first fails (first-time pass rate 69%)1 − 0.690.31
- 3Third attempt, needed if the second also fails (repeat pass rate 37%)0.31 × (1 − 0.37)0.195
- 4Expected attempts1 + 0.31 + 0.1951.51
- =Expected NCEES fees at $225 per attempt225 × 1.51$339
Source: NCEES Squared 2025, FE pass rates by discipline Our estimate, not an official figure. Board fees, travel and prep are not included.
How that compares across FE disciplines
The same arithmetic for the other FE exams on this site, from the same fiscal year: FE Civil about $372, FE Electrical and Computer about $362, FE Environmental about $346 and FE Chemical about $344. Mechanical comes out cheapest because its first-attempt and retake rates are both near the top. The difference is small next to the cost of a lost testing window.
Optional costs
- NCEES practice exams. 2 × 50 questions, $50 each for this discipline, as of Oct 29, 2026. They are the closest preview of the real interface; our free practice exam covers the same specification.
- Rescheduling. A change of date costs $50; the notice period is in the table above.
- Calculator. One model from the approved list, which you may already own from school: FE exam calculators.
- Review books and courses. Publishers sell discipline review manuals and courses. They are study aids only: in the exam room you get the on-screen Handbook and nothing else. The Handbook itself is free in MyNCEES.
- Retake time. A failed attempt costs a testing window as well as a fee: you cannot sit again in the same quarter.
More on FE Mechanical
- FE MechanicalThe FE exam for mechanical engineers: 14 areas, format, fees, where to practice each topic
- FE Mechanical practice testA mixed set across all 14 areas, sized by the specification's question ranges
- FE Mechanical exam infoTest dates, scoring, retakes, results and the on-screen Handbook
- FE Mechanical pass rateEight half-years of first-time results, repeat rates, why it is hard
- FE Mechanical study guideA study plan for FE Mechanical split by the weight of each knowledge area, with its traps
Source notes
- NCEES: FE exam ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: new exam prices effective January 1, 2024 ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: FE Mechanical Interactive Practice Exam Vol. 1 account.ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES exam prep store (product list) account.ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
FE Mechanical cost, quick answers
How much does the FE Mechanical exam cost?
$225 to NCEES for each attempt, as of Oct 2026, plus any application fee your state board charges.
Is every retake billed as a new registration?
Yes. A retake means registering again and paying the fee again. You can retake once per quarterly window, at most three times in twelve months.
Practice before you pay twice
FE Mechanical questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.