NCEES · FE
FE Chemical Exam practice exams
The NCEES FE Chemical exam — practice all 17 knowledge areas with worked solutions, from material and energy balances to reactor design and separations.
Or read 15 sample questions with answers.
About the FE exam
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Chemical exam is usually the first step toward a PE license. It covers the core of a chemical engineering degree: material and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering, process design and control, and process safety.
Our practice bank follows the NCEES knowledge areas and their question ranges. Every calculation question supplies its own data and shows the worked result, using the standard relationships in the FE Reference Handbook.
The real exam
Public information published by NCEES. A ExamWize practice exam matches this format — it is not a copy of the exam's contents.
- Format
- 110 multiple-choice and alternative-item questions, taken by computer at a Pearson VUE center. The appointment is 6 hours, including a tutorial and a scheduled break; exam time is 5 hours 20 minutes.
- Cost
- NCEES lists the FE exam fee as $225 (NCEES Exam Guide, July 2025). Check NCEES for current pricing.
- Scoring
- Pass/fail. NCEES does not publish a cut score, so practice scores here use a 70% line as an estimate, not a prediction.
- Validity
- Passing the FE is typically required to become an Engineer Intern (EI or EIT). Licensing requirements are set by each state board.
Practice by exam topic
ExamWize practice exams draw questions in these same proportions, from a bank of 600 FE questions. Open a topic for what it covers and free questions with answers.
- Mathematics· 36 questions6%
- Probability and Statistics· 24 questions4%
- Engineering Sciences· 24 questions4%
- Materials Science· 24 questions4%
- Chemistry and Biology· 42 questions7%
- Fluid Mechanics/Dynamics· 48 questions8%
- Thermodynamics· 48 questions8%
- Material/Energy Balances· 60 questions10%
- Heat Transfer· 48 questions8%
- Mass Transfer and Separation· 48 questions8%
- Solids Handling· 18 questions3%
- Chemical Reaction Engineering· 42 questions7%
- Economics· 24 questions4%
- Process Design· 42 questions7%
- Process Control· 24 questions4%
- Safety, Health, and Environment· 30 questions5%
- Ethics and Professional Practice· 18 questions3%
Who it's for
- Chemical engineering seniors and recent graduates
- Engineers in training preparing for the EIT designation
- Working engineers returning to take the FE
How to prepare
- Material and energy balances are the largest area at 10 to 15 questions — practice recycle, bypass and purge problems.
- Fluids, thermodynamics, heat transfer and mass transfer are each 8 to 12 questions; build depth there.
- Know reactor design equations for batch, CSTR and plug-flow reactors.
- Use the searchable FE Reference Handbook during practice so you can find formulas fast.
See the free FE cheat sheet for a one-page domain summary, and the content policy for how these questions are written.
Free FE practice resources
- 15 free FE practice questionsSpread across the exam's topics, each with the answer and an explanation for every option.
- Free 10-question diagnosticA quick, scored check of where you stand, with no account needed.
- FE cheat sheetThe topics and the facts that come up most, on one page.
- FE study guideHow to plan your preparation.
FE exam FAQ
- What is the format of the FE exam?
- 110 multiple-choice and alternative-item questions, taken by computer at a Pearson VUE center. The appointment is 6 hours, including a tutorial and a scheduled break; exam time is 5 hours 20 minutes.
- How much does the FE exam cost?
- NCEES lists the FE exam fee as $225 (NCEES Exam Guide, July 2025). Check NCEES for current pricing.
- How is the FE exam scored?
- Pass/fail. NCEES does not publish a cut score, so practice scores here use a 70% line as an estimate, not a prediction.
- How long is the credential valid?
- Passing the FE is typically required to become an Engineer Intern (EI or EIT). Licensing requirements are set by each state board.
- How many FE practice questions does ExamWize have?
- 600 original practice questions, drawn into full practice exams in the same format and domain proportions as the real FE. Every option has its own explanation.
- Are these real FE exam questions?
- No. Every question is original, written from NCEES's public content outline — never copied from the real exam or from exam dumps. They match the real exam's format, not its contents.
- Can I try ExamWize for free?
- Yes. The free diagnostic has 10 FE practice questions with a full explanation for every answer, and no account is needed.